A “WET” COAST.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10392, 9 May 1927, Page 7 (Supplement)

A “WET” COAST.

LIQUOR EVERYWHERE IN THE. ’7O’S. FIFTY-TWO ‘HOTELS’ BETWEEN GISBORNE AND KICK’S BAY! SPREAD' OF GOOD TEMP-LAR-ISM. FIRST “RESPECTABLE” NATIVE E U NER AL. An official report on the state of the Natives of the Gisborne district under date September, 1878, says:— “In the beginning of last year the habits of drunkenness, extravagance and neglect of ordinary cultivation were painfully apparent.

This state of affairs was owing to the large expenditure of capital :n the purchase of lands. These eas-ily-gotten funds had the usual effect! as in almost every village was to he found a house for the sale of spirits, kept by some Native "ho had succeeded in obtaining sufficient funds to enable hint to open a public house on bis own account. Jn the years 1N76-77 there wore no fewer than fifty-two houses for tiio sale of spirits between the luranpanui River and Kick’s Bam buy.• two of which were kept by Natives, which, it was iearad. would le ductile. Natives to a confirmed state of intemperance and poverty. A very earnest return to religious obsorvnnccs is now general tlirong.iaut the tribes and funds have been and are still being raised for the erection of churches and the foundation of stipends to support Native clergymen.”

As regards the Waiapu district, an official report stated:—

“Industry is increasing. More attention is being paid to comfort and cleanliness in the Natives' dwellings, dress and mode of living and a growing disposition towards temperance is noticeable on all occasions of their meeting together. The schools at Wai-o-matatini and Akuaku are doing well. The attendance at Kawakawa and Toko- % maru schools is improving.”

Writing on January 18, 1876. concerning the funeral of his wife at Taurapa, of Waiapu, the Rev. Mohi Turei said it was the first funeral among the Ngatip-orous which had been respectably conducted.

“It has.” he said, “heretofore been the practice at Ngatiporou funeral ceremonies for each man to provide two or three gallons of rum to increase the flow of tears.'“which was considered a sign of genuine sorrow. If ICO or 200 persons attended a funeral, they would consume that number of gallons of rum. When they arrived at a place where the body of the deceased lay, the greatest confusion would arise, and each chief would strive to have the body buried in the particular place of his choice, whilst numerous quarrel. 4 and disputes about land and other matters would arise. This hapu would endeavor to drag the body away to burv it in a grave of their own preparing and that hapu would insist on having it buried in their grave and so on until they were prepared to pn coed to blows. When they had taken rum into their mouths they uttered no words of sympathy and compassion for the departed, and the chief mourners were mortified and pained in consequence.” But Mrs. Turei, shortly before her death, called for her friends and children and said to them:—

“Farewell! I am about to follow the open path of death. Abide in Christ, that you may follow after me in safety. ‘What mail is he that liveth and shall not see death?' I de-ire that not even one bottle of intoxicating liquor shall he brought to my funeral obsequies. I charge you to touch not a single glass ami I trust that you will all scrupulously fulfil this my Test request. At wailings for the dead much disorder frequently prevails, caused by drinking. Let there me no such disgraceful scenes at my funeral obsequies as those which occurred at the funeral of hit child. Remember my words and fulfil them.”

•On the-next morning the people could hear the reverberating volleys of the mourning guns against the faces of the mountain cliffs. Her hnpus were ureuariug to send for rum to he used in the observance of the funeral rites; but notices were sent to each village an' l to .each hapu prob’luting

such a proceeding and so rum was not forthcoming", but there was an abundance of food in the shape of kumaras, potatoes. flour, biscuits, sugar, mutton and pork.