MR LAWRY AND THE MAORIS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9107, 7 March 1898, Page 3

MR LAWRY AND THE MAORIS.

[FEE PBKSS AEBOOLMNMH.]

AucKIiAHD, Saturday,

Mr Lawry, M.H U , addressed a largely attended meeting ol Europeans and Maoris in tho Fublie Hall, Otorohauga. &s tho Native Lund Court is now silting Bt that place the natives present woro composed of cbiefe and representatives of tribea ia all carts of the country. " Mr John Ormsby wa*e voted to the ohair and aho acted aa interpreter. Mr iiftwty, on being fntroduced by the chairman, was welcomed in native stjlo by the chief Taonui, who ia a lengthy addroaa pointed out two main grievances under whioh the natires labored, and which they earnestly desired to have removed. The firtt of these "waa the reatrioti )ls whioh prevented them dealing ia an unfettered way with their own land, the second being the troub'e v?hioh has arisen and which etill obtains re prohibiiion, and whiuh prevents the establishment of hotels in Bchepotso or the King CcuDtry. Mr Hogbea, a half-otr.to eadoraed the opinions of tho previous speaker. Speaking on the latter question, Mr Liwry assured thsm his visit had no general political signitiuunoe He had come in response to iha invitation of some of his Pakehi acd Maori friends, end although the Prohibitionists would very likely say ho came thero as a and delegate of the liquor party, he assured them that not a single person engaged iv the " trade" had any knowledge of hie visit. Under the circumstances neither of the members representing the district would consider his visit an interference. Speaking on tho latter question, whioh had been raised, ho wao not there to advise them to break the law, UDjttst Bβ it was, but if they felt its i&justice, 68 indicated by previous and as aooepted by a largo meeting, then they should organise, agitato for, and demand its repeal. It was wrong to violate tho provisions of any law, end wbs t* punishable effenoe, but it was no orime to violate a statute whioh it was impossible not to break. It waa none the less oSeusivo to live under such a ban, because, primarily, it was asked for by thoea now feeling the oppressive yoke. Further than this, whilst it was well known that at Tokaanu, (Jtaki, and many other plsces where the hotels were acoeasible, the natives are sober and law abiding, tho natives in the King Country had been Blandered and stigmatised as promoters of debauchery and drunken orgies. If they were true to their traditions they would take etopa to disprove tho injurious allegationa and efieotaally wipe out the ineult. He referred at some length to the Hon. Mr Oadmaa'a visit to Otorohanga, when the Nst'.ive Minister had castigated that gentleman lor not intisting upon effeot being given to the promise he madt<, viz.. to have a licensed house established iv the King Country, and ridiculed the idea of a Cabinet being dominated by the expressed opinions of a handful of mistaken zealots who had no practioal knowledge of the requirements of the people afieoted. After dealing with the importenoo of the questions afieoting the future tourist traffic aoooncmedation, that was increasingly roquired for commercial men, and scathingly denouncing the ejstem need to obtain oonviotiont, , Mk Lawry urged upon them to domand more privileges, such as those posecesed by natives and others in any other pact of tbe colony. This could be affirmed or negatived if power were given to test the whole question by the ossting of a vote in favor of the establishment of hotels, or remaicing in static 'juo. If they sent petitions no effect might be given to them, bat if th«y held a regular meeting, at whioh resolutions wero paesed, those would obtaia /oniuderation and have the desired efieot. Chief Taonui thanked Mr Luwry for hifi addrees, und said his people agreed with the eenthncnts that woro expressed, and nt«pß ttou:d batal-ou to give them practical effeot.