PAKEHA INDICTED

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4807, 7 July 1939, Page 5

PAKEHA INDICTED

LIQUOR TO MAORIS. DECADENCE OF RACE. NATIVE CLERGYMAN'S VIEWS. SYNOD URGES AN INQUIRY. Grave consternation at the demoralising effects of the consumption of liquor by the Maoris, especially in the pa, was forcefully expressed by clergy and laity alike, when the question of alcohol in the King Country was further discussed by the Synod of the Waikato Diocese, in Hamilton on Wednesday. In a vehement oration on the subject, the Ven. Archdeacon Hori Raiti, of Ngaruawahia, expressed the attitude of "the Maoris themselves to the liquor problem. "The Maoris are not the people they were some years ago, for they are degrading themselves. The downfall can be attributed to the effects of liquor, which can come to them through a pakeha channel only," said the archdeacon, who added that the trouble existed not only in the Waikato, but throughout New Zealand. He blamed the pakeha for the Maoris securing alcohol and he was not in favour of licenses being granted in the King Country. "I agree," said the archdeacon, "that it would be a sin for this Synod to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs to consider the practicability of issuing licenses for the King Counrty. I consider that would be over-riding the agreement made with the Maoris when the district first became proclaimed. That agreement still remains. On behalf of the Maoris, I state definitely that it would be grave for Synod to interfere in any way with that agreement. It is good, however, to talk about these things.

Tighten Up The Law.

"We ought to be safeguarded by the law, but in this matter the law has been abused by both pakeha and Maori, but the pakeha has been the worse offender," said Archdeacon Raiti, in advocating a tightening-up of the law.

"Not only the men," he continued, "but the women and even the children are securing drink in the pa. It is a damnable thing from the Maoris' point of view. How is the drink to get to the pa if the pakeha does not bring it in?

"I doubt if licensing in the King Country would ease the position. We see the same demoralisation in the licensed areas as well as in the King Country. It might be a help if the Maoris were given power to protect themselves as far as this drink menace is concerned, but it would be difficult to get a Maori on to the Maori Council who would stand up and force the right in this control.

Warning Given.

A warning to the House to be careful in the matter was made by Mr. J. B. Hine, of Stratford. The foundation of the law was the promise to the Maori people. The promise had never been revoked and .any suggestion of revoking it would be detrimental to the prestige of the House. That promise was the keystone of the whole question. The promise had never been honoured, stated the Rev. R. S. ColdhamFussell. He said liquor could easily be obtained by both Maori and pakeha. At dances a full "hogshead" was often being sold freely at sixpence a cup. Drinking parties were known to last the entire week-end, and he knew of one case in which a party had consumed 175 gallons of beer in a week.

When the people in the proclaimed area could not secure liquor, added Mr. Coldham-Fussell, they often resorted to either methylated spirits or even petrol. "In trying to root out this evil we must be careful not to supplant it with an evil which is worse," remarked Mr. E. P. J. Trevena, who considered the position was a challenge to the church to reform the people, both pakeha and Maori, in the King Country.

Hot-Bed of Vice.

"The Puniho pa, on the Egmont Coast, is a hot-bed of vice, such as found only in an opium den of a city that is a gateway into a continent dealing in the opium traffic," declared the Rev. E. L. B. Gribble, of Okato, who said he intended doing all in his power to stop such chaos in the pa. He will shortly embark on missionary work among the Maoris, his father having become well known for work among the Australian aborigines.

"This is a matter which has bothered me ever since my arrival in New Zealand," remarked Bishop Cherrington. He thought the evil of drink in the King Country was worse than elsewhere in the Dominion.

'The agreement with the Maoris was a stupid one," added the bishop. "It would have made the King Country a 'dry' area." He pointed out that the present agreement permitted the import of liquor into the territory but not its sale. Because the agreement with the Maoris was made about 60 years ago he could see no reason why an alteration should not be made. The Maoris and the Government might be able to enter into a new agreement regarding liquor in the King Country.

After the discussion on the drinking habits of the Maoris, the bishop reminded the House that the motion before it was: "That recognising the ease with which liquor can be procured for sale in the King Country, and the temptations that confront the Maori population and the young people of the area, this Synod feels that the time has arrived when an inquiry into the present laws should be held, and gives its support to representations for such an inquiry." It was moved the previous day by Mr. V. R. Smith, of Pio Pio. The motion of the Rev. Canon J. L. A. Kayll, regarding the possibility of granting licenses in the King Country was not, at that stage, before the House. On a vote Mr. Smith's resolution was adopted unanimously. The report of the proceedings at the previous meeting will be found on page 6.