MAORIS AND LIQUOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16338, 19 September 1916, Page 5

MAORIS AND LIQUOR.

PROHIBITION OF SALE. ADVOCACY OF CHIEF JUSTICE. [BI TELBQIIAPH.—OWJf CORRESPONDENT.] GISBORNE. Monday. In the course of hie address to the grand jury to-day, Sir Robert Stout congratulated the district on the absence of serious crime, but went on to remark that some things were going on in the district which were not satisfactory. The Maoris seemed to be obtaining liquor, and obtaining it very openly. That meant the destruction of the Maori people. It was'five or six years since he had been in Gisborne last, and he noticed that there were {ewer Maoris about Gisborne now than in the early days, because he could go back, so far as Gisborne was concerned, for 37 years. Proceeding, His Honor went on to say that races that gave way to alcohol were utterly destroyed. For instance, there were no Tasmanian natives except half-a-dozen on one of the islands in .Bass Strait. They had been largely destroyed through their own fault, and by want, of care on the part of the Government and of the British people. If the sale, of liquor continued, the Maoris would also bo destroyed. Although the grand jury could do nothing in that capacity, he hoped that as individuals they would do their best to see the Maori race preserved. It, would be a great pity, His Honor urged, if such a fine race as the Maoris were to pass away. The only way to preserve the race "was by preventing the sale of I alcohol to them.