PROHIBITION IN THE COOK ISLANDS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 147, 22 June 1904, Page 6

PROHIBITION IN THE COOK ISLANDS.

* The New Zealand Alliance has circulated among tho vuiious churches in tho colony h piinled statement regarding what it considers the unsatisfactory position of utl'afrw in l'arotonga and Nine ho far us th« sate of liquor is concerned^ Tlio ivgulatiottN do not, it h urged, jiroiect the natives, hoiiio of whom now ol>U4n liquor fiom the whiten and drunken, orgies result. Together wilh thi.s Ktalcment hu.s ulho been cii ciliated a petition to Parliament on tihe subject. This petition was lead to the congregations at several of the city churches la.st night, and tho cougrcKiilioti* exprenhed their appiuval. They will therefore bo »ign«d by the Miniwlers and some of the lending members of the congregations, and in due courses presented to Parliament. The (>M of the petition in as follows -.—. — "To iho Hououruble tho Speaker arid Munbeis of the llou«e of lU'presentiittwi of the Colony of New Zen land in Parliament assembled. Th« humlile petiticm of the undersigned J u'.iideuts in the eolutiy of 2Sew Zealand shcwetli ; — Your petitioners regret, to learn that the dcsiic frequently expressed by natives of Rurotongu and Nine and tho!>c interest* cd in their welfare that they should bo protected from the introduction of liquor into their Inlands has not been, acceded to. They cipVciHlly deploro tho proposal flint the New Zealand Government shall sell liquor to sonic ])crt<on as mi inducement for ihe inniiUeiuuice of a boarding liuuho in Karotongu, or tthull itself es-' ttiblisb one and hold a license for Ihe side of liquor therein iiwuder to provide accommodation for occasional tourists. They beliove it would bo injuieuwundjly better^ if the necessity exist*, that a bo;inliiighouse .should be .sub.sidi.sed than "thut it, .should bo indirectly helped by Iho giant of a^licciiso to .sell liquor. Knowing that the law in New Zealand against (he. supply of liquor to Maori women "in constantly violated in Auckland, Turamtki, etc., tlhey have mi confidence thut the prohibition of the bale -of liquor to .the natives would be belter enforced in Iho Islands, especially us iU enforcement there would depend chiefly on native policemen and chiefs, of whom the late liev. .1, Chalmers, for 34 yours missionary in (he .South Sea Mauds', wiitl thut "Cook Inland Native Chief* and policemen wete not (it iti tlieiutclve^i to cany out hiws." They ii sped fully urge (hat the desire for liquor on the part of t>ouiu of the 70 white people living in Rai'oloiigu, and thu anticipated desire of sonic of the touiiats who may visit the Island of Rurotongii, and (he desire of the 18 white people, at mosl, who wish for it in Niuc, ought not to be allowed to weigh (lguuiHl llio necessity for the protection of the natives against what (he lute Rev. J. Chalmers called their "curse of all curses. ' Your petitioners therefoie humbly privy (hat -your Honourable Hon.se will take i those matters into consideration, and will ■not permit Ihe importation or sale of liquor in the Cook group except under the student supervision and for medical purposes only."

A s*ood deal of inteie&t whs mnnifehterl by ii nunihei of Jlaovis iii n ease 1 lieiuil ■it .1 he I'ohi'i 1 Com I today, in which Thou. Wiiisiiu, ;i unlivo Mucen-futnuT, ienhliii^ at I'iclon, was charged ;il the iiistti hit of iMnr. lliiltcpiiu' Love with. fiaviiiK assaulted her at Wcllingtuii on t lie 7th hist. 'Evidence for the piotecut ton alleged th.it the awalilt occurred on the footpath opposite a native.* house on Thoriidon-qimy, when Mis. Love was übniit to lake tin eklotly woman invay to give evidence on her behalf in (he K»live Land Coiut. Watson, tht\v alleged, resented Mrs. Love's notion, and pulled her iiw/iy irom tho elderly woman by the neuk and twisted her aim. SSinee then she had Ikoii suffering pnin and had been j ticutcd by Dr. Uunry. For the defence, | it was contended thai Mi a. Love struck i Ritnicrn (the cldcily woman's (•Uwrdian) on the face, and flio called out "Kanii-ti linu !" '(help). Watson (hen came forward, caught liojd of Jlw Love by (he, waist, ai#ijmlled hoi away. i Further, it was denied that he twisted Mr*, fjove's ami. At this hln^c, Dr. A. M'Ailhur, S M., udjmunod fmlher hearing of Ihe ense until 3 o'clock. j ]>-. Ma-on, Chief Tiealth Olh'rfr for I (!'e colony," is lo lei-tine at the Xewlown Public Libr.uy to-night on "Homo Paris of the World aH seen tlumigh the Minn••cope." (Te will illuMr.ilo his leetuie with lantein ••lide», which wiil exhibit the nmiuW iv the vatiotis fotnis in winch it opeiati". i«v miud and fui u\ il. Counciliur J. i\ Luke will pmidu.