MAORIS AND DRINK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 161, 10 July 1945, Page 6

MAORIS AND DRINK

"PROTECTIVE FENCES"

VALUE TO RACE STRESSED

oc TE KUITI, this day. '"Maori chiefs have ever sought to erect and maintain protective 'fences,' keeping their people away from the more dangerous pitfalls of pakeha life," slated the Rev. S. J. Seamer. in evidence before the Royal Commission on Licensing: "These 'fences' have played an important part in the resurgence of the race; they have saved innumerable fine but unwary people from destruction; they have proved their value and cannot lightly be removed. Any drastic alterations, wise or otherwise, in themselves, made in the protective laws will have repercussions in every Maori district. This fact should give us«pause." Drink not only tended to degrade the individual Maori, it not only threw him among European undesirables, but it also tended to accentuate the cleave in social outlook and understanding, sdded Mr. Seamer. Bad as was the effect of excessive indulgence in alcohol upon Europeans, its effect upon the Maori was incalculably worse. Increase in Crime The increase of crime amongst Maoris was causing deep concern to elders, who attributed a great proportion of it to alcohol. In nolicense areas drink could usually be secured in quantity only by careful planning ahead. In general, perfectly sober Maoris would not plan for a large supply, for they knew their own weakness, and planned rather to guard themselves against the temptation of liquor at hand at moments of weakness. The protective laws aimed not at narrowing down Maori citizenship, but at safeguarding, widening and enriching it, and they had achieved this objective to a surprising degree. Except for these protective laws, said Mr. Seamer, the Maori race would not be as numerous or as far advanced as it was to-day. Any restriction involved was on the liquor evil; true Maori freedom of development and expression was conserved. It was difficult to believe that any responsible person acquainted with Maori life at bedrock would favour the sale of liquor to Maoris for consumption off licensed premises. The trend of thought among paramount Maori chiefs to-day was not towards a lifting of the protections, but towards the limitation of sales for consumption on licensed premises by the issue of coupons. When they had a Maori roll compiled as carefully as the pakeha roll, and as jealously revised —provided they would secure a vote free from undue influence by vested interests —he favoured the Maori having a vote on the general issue of total prohibition for the Dominion. Case of Returned Maoris There was a general desire to secure for Maori returned men the same privileges in all matters in the R.S.A. clubs and functions as were granted to pakeha members, and Mr. Seamer considered this reasonable and just. It was unfortunate that through the introduction of wet canteens and regular drinking customs in New Zealand camps, most Maori returned men would have developed the drinking habit, although some returned Maori soldiers were abstainers on principle. Mr. Seamer said he stood solidly behind the policy on general questions approved by the Wellington and Rotorua Maori conferences, but disapproved of Rotorua running off at a tangent on the drink question. Genuine grievances existed concerning the restricted opportunities which Maoris had in Government departments, in professions and in big business.

Not until this year had witness heard any doubt expressed by any informed person, Maori or pakeha, about the existence of a solemn pact with respect to liquor in the King Country. The great body of Maori opinion, both within and without the King Country, was solidly against a referendum on pakeha lines being taken on the drink question as it would be alien to their particular form of democracy. Wherever and whenever the King Country was blessed with strong custodians of the law, very few abuses occurred except those- permitted by the Government, such as through the C.O.D. system, which the plain man said was selling drink in the area