LIQUOR AND MAORIS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17286, 29 September 1916, Page 5

LIQUOR AND MAORIS.

SHOCKING CONDITIONS IN THE NORTH ISLAND.

“TOO DREADFUL FOR WORDS.’*

[Pee Press Association.] NAPIER, September 28

In a debate to-night on a report of the Committee on Liquor and Maoris, presented to the Anglican Synod, the Rev Digby Wilson, of Waipiro Bay, said that no Language comld be too strong to describe tire state of tilings now existing among the Maoris from Tokomaru to Hicks Bay. Six years ago things wore wonderfully better. Ho thought that in no parts of the world except the west coast of Africa was the condition of things so bad. It would bo hard to conceive of a worse state of affairs. Bishop Sedgwick said no words of his coqld describe the condition of things on the east coast. There had been a marked deterioration down all the east coast during the past two years. It was utterly deplorable. Ho had written to Ministers and to Mr Ngata about it. The matter must constantly be brought before the attention of the authorities. He had heard of little children and women being drunk and incapable of walking about. The Rev Mr Barnett (Tolaga Bay) corroborated what others had said. Tho state of things at Hauiti Pa during a recent tangi was too dreadful for words. The man responsible for the tangi had paid out £SOO, mostly for drinki Ho daro not deseribo to' the synod in detail what ho had seen. This drunkenness was nearly all duo to pakelias introducing drink from outside districts. The report stated that liquor obtained by North Island Natives was injurious to tho physique of the race, retarding its advance and destroying the foundation of character.