MAORIS AND LIQUOR

Grey River Argus, 6 September 1939, Page 5

MAORIS AND LIQUOR

MONEY BEING WASTED. MORRINSVILLE, September 4. ’‘The amount of money that is being wasted in hotels by Maoris is nothing short of scandalous,” said Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., during the hearing m the Morrinsville Magistrate’s Court of an application by a Maori for the cancellation of a prohibition order made against him in 1936. Under Section 217 of the Licensing Act the order remains in force until removed by the Court. The police stated that of late it had been observed that many Maoris in the Morrinsville district who were in receipt of social security payments and family allowances and also those employed on works financed by the Government had been spending their money on liquor to a greater extent than previously. The Magistrate remarked that his district contained probably as great a proportion of Maoris as any other and he could not but take notice of the number of prosecutions for drunkenness among Maoris which had come before him. Nowadays special efforts were being, made throughout the country to uplift the Maoris and improve their status. However, it was, obvious too many Maoris were wasting the money they were receiving instead of using it for their own benefit as the State intended. The application for cancellation of the prohibition order was refused.