MAORIS AND LIQUOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25796, 17 March 1945, Page 8

MAORIS AND LIQUOR

HOTELS FOR KING COUNTRY POLICE OFFICERS’ SUGGESTION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Mar. 16. Before the Licensing Commission today, Mr J. D. Willis, counsel representing the Crown, asked for a ruling in connection with a request by Mr Hardie Buys, representing the New Zealand Alliance, that the Police Department should reveal certain confidential files. The department had no objection to producing them before members of the commission, Mr Willis said, but they contained much information relating to informers who had been responsible for instituting proceedings for breaches of the licensing laws. It was not desirable that the information sought should be made public. Files pertaining to King Country prosecutions were similarly involved.

Mr Justice Smith pointed out that the sources of information of the police were not available even to the court.

Mr Boys said he was not seeking the names of informers.- The only object was to get proper records before the commission, especially in cases which had not been reported in the Law Reports. Mr Willis suggested that the files should be produced and the chairman could decide as each case arose. The chairman agreed to this course. Changes in Past 60 Years

Under cross-examination, Mr G. P. Shepherd, Under-secretary of Native Affairs, replying to Mr F. Campbell Spratt, for the New Zealand Alliance, said that in his opinion Hindus should not be permitted to visit Maori pas without a licence or a permit. Questioned regarding the efficiency of the Maori Councils Mr Shepherd said he thought a more valuable function was being performed by the local Village Committees. Regarding the abuse of the benefits of Social Security by the Maoris, witness would not agree with the view enunciated by the head of the Social Security Department thai there was “just as much abuse of the benefits by Europeans as. by Maoris.”

Re-examining Mr Shepherd, Mr Willis said the conditions in the King Country had changed greatly in the last 60 years. Transport was . more speedy, and there was a greater number of Europeans. “In view of these facts and the difficulty experienced by the authorities in preventing liouor from being illegally transported rfito the King Country, have you given any consideration to the desirability cf having licensed hotels there? ” he asked. He added that he was not attempting to make a case, but merely seeking information. Maori Referendum Suggested

Mr Shepherd said that no official consideration had been given to the question. The Native Department was concerned with maintaining the pact made with the Maori leaders in the early days. His official opinion was that the pact made with the Maoris about no-licence in the King Country would have to be retained unless the consent of the Maoris were obtained. Mr Willis: In view of the facts that the bargain was made 60 to 70 ysars ago and that conditions have changed greatly, do you consider that the matter could now be recommended without unfairness to the Maoris?

Mr Shepherd: I think it is time the matter was reconsidered, though. I do not say that the present position should be changed. The Maoris snould be given an opportunity of consenting or refusing.

Mr Shepherd said that if a Maori referendum were held there should be ample safeguards because of the possibility of the Maoris being influenced. He suggested that a three-fourths or three-fifths majority should be required to authorise a change. Senior Sergeant T. Campagnolo, of Petone, who was stationed in the Te Kuiti sub-district from 1937 to-1941, gave evidence about convictions for sly-grog selling in that proclaimed area. The largest quantities of sly grog were -brought in >n big, powerful cars by a back road, he-said. Drunkenness was far worse in Te Kuiti than in Petone, and the police had to be vigilant night and day. He considered that licensed hotels would he a great advantage in the King Country, and would help to control drinking. Drinking would not be driven underground, and would be more regularly distributed. The licensees of the hotels would be men of character, and most of the sly-grog sellers were far from that. Cross-examined by Mr Spratt, witness said he recommended . that it should be made an offence for a Maori to be in possession of liquor away from licensed premises. He also recommended substantial increases in the penalties for sly-grog offences. Contrast with East Coast Superintendent G. B. Edwards, of Wellington, who was formerly stationed in the Gisborne and Hamilton districts, expressed tire opinion that no sly-grog seller should have the right of trial by jury. There was overmuch sympathy given by juries to this class of offender. He considered that more liquor was consumed by Maoris in the King Country, where consumption was illegal, than in the Gisborne district, where it was legal on licensed premises. On the east coast the Maori had his liquor at an hotel and then went home. In the King Country it was a matter of getting in a keg oi carton and consuming the lot, possibly at one sitting. He believed it would be an improvement to have licensed hotels in the King Country, because the consumption of liquor could then be better controlled. The war-time regulation prohibiting the sale of materials for the manufacture of home brew should be continued so far as the Maoris were concerned.

The commission will hold public sittings in Dunedin at a date to be advertised later. Those desiring to give evidence before the commission should communicate with the secretary, Box 20, Government Buildings, Wellington.