by Ric Stryde
Northern News Services

HALL BEACH (Aug 25/97) - No alcohol will be coming into Hall Beach until at least the first day in October -- at least no legal alcohol.

The temporary prohibition was introduced following a series of assaults and other incidents that took place two weeks ago.

Beginning the evening of Friday, Aug. 8, and continuing into Saturday morning, the RCMP detachment was bombarded with 10 complaints of assault and one aggravated assault. There were also two complaints of property damage, one domestic dispute, and one suicide attempt.

The whole evening sounds like something from a big-city street riot, but RCMP in Hall Beach are playing down the incidents. "It was just basically a series of assaults," said RCMP Cpl. Mike O'Malley, saying the situation was a lot less serious than some reports suggest.

"It was the exception, and not the rule," said O'Malley, who added that something like this is not a regular occurrence in Hall Beach.

For Maria Kringuk, it was far from normal. The hamlet employee said she's seen "a few fights every now and then, but never this bad."

The 540 residents of the Central Arctic community of Hall Beach had already been living with alcohol restrictions. An Alcohol Education Committee must review all liquor orders for the town before they can be made. That's just what it did that Friday for six people.

The problems began when an illegal shipment of eight bottles of liquor was received through the mail, from Montreal, police said. One household also made their own home-brew, which is illegal.

Police have now wrapped up their two-week investigation and two locals have been charged.

A 32-year-old resident is facing two charges of assault causing bodily harm and three counts of assault.

A 20-year-old man has been charged with one count of assault, and one count of aggravated assault.

Because of the incident, the community is taking another look at their alcohol policies at the annual general meeting of the Alcohol Education Committee, scheduled for Sept. 16. In the meantime, a temporary ban on all alcohol purchases is in place until Oct. 1.

Further debate is expected regarding a plebiscite to decide whether a complete alcohol ban is necessary.

Kringuk, for one, doesn't think that a complete ban is necessary.

"It should be reduced, not banned," she said. "Two bottles a month, per household," she suggested.

Making alcohol illegal will only turn more people into criminals, she said. "Even the people who are not criminals will go to court."