SLY GROG LIQUOR

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4807, 7 July 1939, Page 6

SLY GROG LIQUOR

KING COUNTRY EVIL. SYSTEM OPPOSED BY CHURCH. LICENSES IN AREA SUGGESTED. Grave abuses of the present liquor restrictions in the King Country and the evils attending the incessant breaches of the law led to earnest consideration at the Synod of the Waikato Diocese on Tuesday night, to a motion urging the Government to inquire into the present law and a further motion urging the Government to issue licenses under the Carlisle system in the proclaimed areas. Discussing the motion, the clergy and laity gave illuminating examples of the degradation resulting from the present system. Several speakers expressed the opinion that the subject was one in which the church should interest itself in an effort to secure reform. In his sermon at the synod service, the Rev. C. A. Crossman, vicar at St. Aidan's, Claudelands, said it was a practical thing in which the church could do much to alleviate wrong.

King Country Proclamation.

Introducing the subject to the House, Mr. V. R. Smith, of Pio Pio, outlined the creation of the King Country as a proclaimed area. He said in 1885, when the area was opened to Europeans, an agreement was entered into with the Maoris, whereby the white population was permitted to have liquor but there was to be, definitely no supply to the Maoris. No liquor was to be sold in the area, to either pahekas or Maoris, and notice of purchase elsewhere of liquor had to be made to the Clerk of the Court, Te Kuiti. With modern transport, it was practically impossible to keep a check on the amount of liquor entering the King Country at the present time, added Mr. Smith. A continual stream of cars came into the area and each was a potential carrier of liquor. One of the most evil aspects of the present situation was the fact that a large quantity of the alcohol arriving in the area was for sly grog sales. Very often the most drinking was done by people under the age of 21 years.

Temptation to Motorists.

Knowing that there were no licensed hotels in the King Country, many motorists, contended Mr. Smith, carried liquor from the licensed areas and while on their journey succumbed to the temptation of drinking while driving, with the result that accidents frequently occurred, which could be attributed to the present unworkable laws. Sellers of grog were active in every town, while the home brew made was often more potent than legal liquor. Mr. Smith asked the synod to consider giving its support to urging the Government to order an inquiry into the present liquor laws as they related to the King Country. As the Government appeared loth to interfere with the liquor laws, he thought persuasion from the church could do much to encourage it to'take action. The Waitomo Licensing Committee had resolved that it would be advisable to bring the sale of liquor in the King Country into line with other districts. -Realising the evils of the present laws, the Mayor of Te Kuiti had also given his support to the motion which Mr. Smith brought before Synod, and he was convinced that licensing and the proper control of liquor were necessary in the interests of both pakeha and Maori.

Disapproval of the People.

The Rev. W. G. Bird, of Ohura, considered something ought to*be done by the church to voice the disapproval of the people. The Rev. Canon J. L. A. Kayll, of Waihi, moved an additional motion that the Synod should urge the Minister of Internal Affairs to consider the practicability of granting licenses in the King Country under the Carlisle system, and empowering the Maori Council to lay down the conditions under which liquor should be available to Maoris.

Explaining the Carlisle system briefly, Canon Kayll said the profits of shareholders were limited to bank interest so as to eliminate the incentive for sale for excess profits. The sale of drink at the hotel was in charge of the manager, who would receive a fixed salary whether or not the house was a profitable concern. No liquor could be sold for consumption off the premises. He said the laws at present governing the King Country were introduced by the late Sir Robert Stout, who was an ardent

prohibitionist, but they had never proved workable.

Liquor is "Doped."

One of the evils of the sly grog "racket" was "doped" liquor, stated the Rev. Noakes. The sooner it was stopped the better it would be for the King Country, and for the whole of New Zealand. Drink entered into the entire life of the King Country, said the Rev. E. W. Hancock, of Te Kuiti, who added that the police sergeant admitted to him that the liquor question-was beyond his control. Sly grog was also affecting the influence of the church. The present position was a real evil. He knew of a small sports meetingimporting as much as 200 gallons of liquor.

At this stage the adjournment of the House was taken.