THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 October 1924, Page 4

THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

MAORIS AND THE FRANCHISE. A BROKEN PLEDGE. A question of very great importance was touched upon by the Rev. Te Tuki at the Methodist Church, Wanganui, recently, when reference was made to the alleged wrongful attitude taken up by previous Governments of New Zealand and perpetuated by the one in power. He referred to an unbroken pledge given to hi s ancestors at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. One of the conditions in the treaty was that .£he Maoris should have equal privileges with the Europeans. “Has that pledge been kept?” he asked, and he added: ‘‘l am afraid it has not. A Maori may be a barrister at law, a graduate of the University, a member of Parliament, he may hold the highest cultural qualifications and * fill almost any important post in the community, yet he is denied the right to vote for or against the liquor traffic — the thing that has wrought more harm to his race than any other agency of evil known to mankind. A Chinaman or any other naturalised alien may vote on this question, but the Maori, to whom the pledge of equal citizenship was solemnly given, is refused the franchise on a matter vital to his moral and spiritual well-being.” There was, however, said the rev. gentleman, more co-operation between the Maoris and the Europeans. Evidence of this was available on the football field. The Maoris were co-operat-ing with pakeha, on the football field, and it was a notable fact that on the Rugby fields of England and France representatives of the Maori race were helping the All Blacks to win their games. In Wanganui at the present time the Maoris were co-operating in the musical competitions and were competing in several classes. Then, again, in the greatest of all fights the Maoris sailed across the seas and helped the Empire in its great fight for liberty, and yet the Government of New Zealand had not fulfilled a. pledge given at. the singing of the Treaty at Waitangi to place the Maoris on equal terms with the Europeans in dealing with a problem that had helped to decimate Iris race. On the other hand, the privilege had been extended to the Chinese.