INQUIRY WANTED

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4806, 5 July 1939, Page 5

INQUIRY WANTED

KING COUNTRY LIQUOR LAWS. ABUSED BY MAORI AND PAKEHA. ANGLICAN SYNOD DEBATE. The need for revising the liquor laws relating to the King Country was stressed by Mr. ,V. R. Smith, of Pio Pio, at the Waikato Diocesan Synod held in Hamilton last evening. Mr. Smith moved: “That, recognising the ease with which liquor can be secured in the King Country and the temptations confronting the Maoris and young people in that area, synod feels that, an inquiry should be held into the matter.” Mr. Smith referred to the amount of sly grog-selling that went on and to the manner in which the liquor laws were abused by both Maoris and Europeans. He quoted a letter from Mr. H. T. Morton, Mayor of Te Kuiti, who said that there existed no more important subject in the King Country than the control of the liquor traffic. The people of the Waitomo electorate had voted by four to one against national prohibition. At the present time alcoholic liquor poured into the King Country at all times of the day and night. After a residence of nearly 20 years in the King Country, Mr. Morton said, he was convinced that licenses and the proper control of liquor would be in the interests of both Europeans and Maoris. The Rev. E. W. Hancock said liquor entered into every phase of life in the King Country. - The police had admitted to him that the problem was beyond their control. At one small sports meeting 200 gallons were imported for the occasion. Canon J. L. A. Kayll advocated the adoption of a system giving' Maori councils the power to control the supply of liquor to Maoris. The debate was uncompleted when the synod rose.