UNRULY MAORIS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4559, 13 April 1942, Page 4

UNRULY MAORIS

“ TOO MUCH EASY MONEY ” COMMENTS BY THE BENCH “ INTOLERABLE POSITION ” At the conclusion of a sitting of the Police Court in Te Awamutu on Saturday morning, the Bench, Messrs W. Jeffery and H. C. Rainey, Justices of the Peace, had some caustic comments to make on the unruly Maori element that has of recent date been making itself manifest in Te Awamutu. *• y Mr Jeffery, addressing the Sergeant of Police, said that the police had brought a lot of Maoris before the Court lately. In Te Awamutu they did not have a Maori Council, such as could be constituted under the Maori Councils Act, 1902. One had once operated at Te Kuiti, and had performed good work in its day. The Bench was wondering if the establishment of such a Council in Te Awamutu would not act as a great deterrent to a Maori exhibiting criminal tendencies. The conduct of some young Maoris of late had not added to the respect held for those Maoris wishing to live decently. The Court had had before it lately a number of serious cases, and this fact was very perturbing. Could not, he asked, something be done about the matter ? Would not the formation of a Maori Council help the police a lot ’ A MAORI COUNCIL ? Sergeant S. G. Clist said the adoption of such a suggestion might help to an extent. He did not know personally if there were older Maoris of the calibre required residing in the district. If sound Maoris were available to form a Council with the object of uplifting the younger ones and preventing their going astray, he would say it would be a good thing. It would, however, be of no use unless the members were of good character and could show a desirable example. He would have a talk with the Clerk of the Court about the idea and see if he knew of Maoris of good calibre who could form a Council and thereby assist the police. Sergeant Clist went on to sav that the liquor traffic presented much difficulty. There was no doubt that a tremendous lot of liquor was being taken out to the Maoris. That class of offence was exceedingly difficult to detect. He had some people under observation in that connection, as it was being done systematically right here in Te Awamutu by pakehas. If he could get the evidence, which he was trying to obtain, he would bring the offenders before the Court and have their licenses cancelled. Mr Jeffery again remarked that something would have to be done about what was a growing evil and menace. The Sergeant said the trouble nowadays was that the Maoris received too much money too easily, and unfortunately spent it on liquor. The same trouble was being experienced not only in Te Awamutu but all over the North Island. In all his experience he had never before had so much trouble with the Maoris. They obtained, as he had said, easy money, and it was all going into the wrong channel. Mr Jeffery said the Bench recognised that the trouble existed all over the North Island. He hoped that they would be able to invoke the co-opera-tion of some of the older Maoris with a view to Remedying the deplorable state of affairs. LIQUOR TRADE CONTROL The Sergeant replied that he had told both publicans in Te Awamutu that this sort of thing must stop, and they were assisting to the extent that they would not serve Maoris after five p.m. He had also told the publicans that they must not let the Maoris “ fill themselves up ” before that hour to such an extent that they got themselves into trouble. Mr Jeffery said the position had become intolerable. Maoris were committing serious offences, as had been proved by the last case the Bench had had to deal with.

The Sergeant said it was not only the local Maoris who were causing trouble, but also those from Otorohanga and Te Kuiti—indeed, from all parts of the King Country—who came to Te Awamutu especially for the purpose of drinking. They made special trips on a Saturday to get drunkHe sent a constable to the train every night, and he was doing good work. He would not let people take liquor on the train, but made them consign it. The constables were doing good work in this connection and enforcing that instruction with good effect. Mr Jeffery said the Bench itself could testify to the good work being done by the constables in the direction mentioned by the Sergeant. It was eventually agreed that the Sergeant should confer with Mr J. D. Kerr, Clerk of Court, who is a Maori linguist, with a view to establishing a Maori Council in Te Awamutu.