"MUST STOP."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1937, Page 3

"MUST STOP."

LIQUOR TO MAORIS.

LICENSING BREACHES. DRINKING OFF PREMISES. OFFENDERS HEAVILY FINED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) ROTORUA, this day. "Whether it is because there it? more money about or not I do not know, but these offence* of supplying liquor to natives for consumption off licensed premises are assuming large proportions and will have to be stopped," said Mr. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Kotorua Magistrate's Court to-day, when two men, Tommy Webber and Ray Stretch, faced five charges arising out of a party held at the Ohinemutu Pa on January 15.

The magistrate said that on the last Court day another man had appeared on a similar charge and "had been heavily fined, and a similar case had come before him at Morrinsville on Wednesday. The courts had been comparatively free from these offences for some time, but now they seemed to be cropping up again. The offenders would have to be severely dealt with. The police stated that on January 15 Webber and Stretch went to a hotel and procured a quantity of liquor which was taken to a hut, where it was shared by several natives and a native woman. Webber became intoxicated and entered a house illegally, an offence for which he was recently placed on probation for two years. The magistrate fined both men £7 10/ on each of five charges, allowing them one month to pay. Phillip Matthews, occupier of the house, and four other natives, John Martin. Johnny Hall. Hiwi Manahi and Marino McPherson, charged with aiding and abetting in the commission of the offence,'also appeared.

The magistrate said that Matthews apparently had taken the largest part in the arrangements. He was fined £10. and the remaining four were fined £•» each.