LIQUOR FOR THE MAORIS, DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. ATTITUDE OF THE TEMPERANCE. PARTY.

Evening Post, Volume LXIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1902, Page 2

LIQUOR FOR THE MAORIS, DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. ATTITUDE OF THE TEMPERANCE. PARTY.

A deputation consisting of tho Revs. J. K. Elliott, W. J. Elliott, Mrs. Miller, and tho Rev. F. W. lsitl waited on the Premier last evening on behalf of the Wellington Ministers' Association and the New Zealand Alliance. Tlie Rev. W. J. Elliott said the Ministers' Association had passed tho following resolution: — "This Association respecllully urges that the Government do not giant increased facilities to tho Maoris to obtain intoxicating liquors at lea;>t until a Royal Commission has been appointed (as suggested in Ac Licensing Bill of 190U) to enquiro into the wholo question of the elfect of liquor upon tho Maoris, in order that the facts may be known by the members of the Legislative Chamber* and the electors of the colony, mid they be enabled to determine their duty in' this matter." The Rev. Mr. Isitl said that resolutions on tho same lines had been signed, by the Bishop of Wellington and other ministers, the Bishop of Nelson, the Standing Committee of tho Nelson Diocese, and most of the clergy in that district, and Canon Webb (Waiapu), and other clergymen, and also the PresbJ torian uieneral Assembly, the Sjnod of the Otago and Southland Presbyterian Churches, tho New Zealand Baptists' Union (representing) all its churches), the Church of Christ (in all its districts), the Congregational Church, tlio Wosleyun Conference and its several District Synods, the Primitive Methodist Conference, Colonel Estall (on behalf of Ihc whole Salvation Army), and a large number of individual ministers and church oliiclals. The Wellington Ministers' Association and tho New Zealand Alliance Executive hoped that the Premier and tho Government would assent to an appeal presented by so large a proportion of tho churches. Tho Premier, in reply, said he was wholly at ono with the deputation as to tho supply of drink to the Maoris. No doubt tho question of liquor in tho King Country lay behind th;.«» petition lie behoved that the natives could not exer- j ciso tho snmo self-control as Europeans and should not bo trusted with liquor. Tho Government legislation had been of groat honefll to Maun woman and no increased facilities for getting liquor would bo granted to aboriginals. But he would frankly tell tho deputation Mint tho Government was batisiied that better accommodation must ho provided for tho tourist*, who were pouring into this colony, nnd complaining of (ho want of accommodation in 'such places as Pipiriki. Ho I thought tha Government should itself provide that accommodation, land ' tho | Cabinet was with him in this matter, And would tnko steps to secure that tho need was supplied. Mr. Isitt said that while it was true that tho King Country question had originated tho action of tho churches and the temperance foci e tics they had been simply horrified at the discovery of tho shock ing condition of things that existed amongst tho Maoris ol Taranaki as the result of tho liquor xupplied under license. He was suro that the temperance societies would offer nr> objection, but would raftier approvo any effort tho Government might make to improve the accommodation provided for tourists if its efforts took the form of a substantial subsidy for temperance hotels. As a matter of fact, overy well-conducted temperance hotel had a right to a Government subsidy inasmuch as no other business man of any kind had to conduct his business under tho ditadvantage of competing with rivals who hold a monopoly that made competition practically impossible. Ho , would meet the Pre mier's frankness with an equally frank avowal that the temperance forces would strain every nervo to withstand any attempt on tho part of tho Government to establish State-owned houses that were liconsed to sell liquor. He respectfully suggested that it might be worth the Premier's while to avoid strenuous opposition an the part of upwards of i 20,000 earnest -workers. , ' The Premier received the suggestion laughingly, and after wishing »him a sato journey Home, the deputation thanked him for receiving it ,at a time so inconvenient to him and withdrew.