SLY GROG SELLING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 210, 10 September 1897, Page 5

SLY GROG SELLING.

POLICE RAID INTO THE "KING"

COUNTRY

The Waikato "Argus" of Thursday says:—-"During the last few days the curiosity of the. Waikato public lias been raised to fever heat, and ever since it became known that a posse of police was being collected in the district, vague whispers of imaginary illicit stills, Sutlers, Decniings, gold robberies, evictions, murders, and other bloodthirsty episodes base been circulated through the district. .Naturally everyone wondered why the force was being raised, and speculation ran high. However, when shortly after train time on Tuesday morning a coach was seen bowling along from Prank!on with its springs well weighted, Constables Forbes (in front) and Brennan (behind) mounting* guard over a 'bus load of demijohns, there was no doubt about it this time. A raid hpd been made in the King Country, and this was the plunder. Then came old '•Jonathan," accompanied by a number* of more youthful representatives of "law 'n order," looking heroes every inch of them, and as if they had been responsible for something Hint merited enrolment among the "Deeds that won the Umpire." Tin* plans were carefully laid. The "force" left Cambridge at 7 p.m. on Sunday, and, travelling all night, just reached the borders at, the break of day. The members ihen formed themselves into two parties, one taking charge of Otorohanga and the other Te Kuiti. The excursion was a fruitful one, and the •'cold ten party" is doubtless quite satisfied that from this time forward prohibition will be strictly enforced in the King Country. Even in a prohibited district, there is nothing to prevent a man having a hundred cases of whisky in his possession; nor is there anything on the Statute book to hinder Lord Kanfurly from taking up his residence there with his 500 eases of wine. Absolute evidence of a sale, must be forthcoming before a conviction is obtained, and as the officers of the law did not start their surprise, party until daybreak it is hardly likely that the fair I lubes who grace the bars would be dispensing 'ai-f and 'art's, dogsnoses or cocktails, at such an early hour, so the "force" have doubtless had all this readied up beforehand. For the last three or four weeks Sergt. Curran and Detective Herbert have been Hitting about tbe King Country, obtaining evidence, the former assuming the role of an insurance agent, "shouting"' and drinking with all and sundry, to obtain witnesses. One man even recognised him, but us he was such a good fellow and spent bis money so freely thought he could not possibly be policeman. But there was an element of doubt when one or two persons anxious to make provision for old age expressed their intention of insuring, and the agent failed to take them on. It is surprising that the sergeant allowed himself to be bowled out. in this fashion, and we have it on good authority that but for this and one or two other little incidents, the residents would have been completely off their guard and the haul have been a much larger one. Every drop of liquor that could be found has now been confiscated, and out* friends in that region will iio doubt have accumulated an unquenchable thirst by the time the next consignment of Usher's Special appears upon the snored horizon of the King Country.But it is questionable whether this raid, or a dozen such, is going to stamp out the illicit trade within its borders. In Auckland a deplorable state of affairs exists. A man can scarcely dare poke his bead outside his own door at night without fear of being sandbagged and robbed, and this -with impunity. There are cries from all sides, "Where are the police?" Of course, Robert cannot be everywhere, but he would be much better employed in attempting to unearth these human vultures than in capturing a few dozen eases of whisky in tbe King Country, where "sly" grog selling has been going on openly for years, is now, and will be carried on till the end of the chapter, in spite of all the Isitts and Crabbs ever born , and the united efforts of the prohibitionist party. The cold water section of the community would do infinitely more to further' their cause if they concentrated their efforts in the direction of obtaining a license for the district, where decent liquor would be retailed instead of vilest of concoctions now dispensed under the far-reaching name of hop beer. There is at present in Te Kuiti a new temperance hotel which would compare favourably with any other building in the Waikato district, and surely the comfort of the travelling public is to be studied. Tbe granting of a license would mean that dozens of others shanties (mostly conducted by Maoris) which now sell liquor would have to shut down, and there would be far less drunkenness and ribaldry than at present, and surely this condition would be a long way' ahead of the present system. Such contradictory reports reach us from Kansas that it is really impossible to form a correct idea of how the prohibition racket works in that grogless State, but we need go no further i than New Zealand. For example, in I the Clutha district prohitition has ! again being carried.but is it a success? :' As to the Kirn? Country we leave our readers to judge tor tliemset. es.