LIQUOR SELLING IN THE KING COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 196, 15 September 1900, Page 2

LIQUOR SELLING IN THE KING COUNTRY.

V v The Kev. F. W. Bennett has received P 1 a rather interesting letter from a friend and fellow-worker, resident in ®. the King Country, which iB valuable as bearing on the vexed question of ° liquor-selling in that portion of the colony. It is as follows:—" Pirongia," a August 27tb, 1900. Kev. Frederick 8 ' Bennett. Dear Friend,—Greeting. I a am exceedingly sorry that the more opportune moment for answering efl'oc- j tually your letter to Nikora and myself j , has slipped by. We were away at, Botorua when your letter came, hence this delay. It is now nearly eight years since we entered upon the work in Waikato, we therefore feel qualified to tell what view the Waikato people hold with regard to waipiro. Ngati- " Maniapoto and the majority of the leading ohiefs protest strongly against : the introduction of intoxicating liquors. Mabuta (the Maori king) and other Waikato chiefs disapprove of tho intention to grant licenses to sell waipiro in the King Country. Illicit trading is encouraged only by half-castes and the . few pakeha residents in the Bohepotae, who do so simply for their own pecuniary gain, and they ' alone urge that licenses may be granted in the prohibited district. ' I firmly believe before another year is [ -, out the natives will quite cease sly- . grog selling, as they greatly 'fear . the "pirihimana" (detectives). Last . year there was an average, per- [ haps, of about 20 natives of each tribe ] : engaged in sly-grog selling. Now, ; perhaps one out of each tribe is so en- , gaged. It would be a very good thing . if licenses should be prohibited from j she King Country. The Maoris them 5 selves deire to remain under no license. , U they are asked to vote on the ques--3 fcion I believe the majority would cast; , their votes for the suppression of the; 3 Liquor Traffic (in Waikato). My j greatest desire is that what I have r written would stir all the hapus in the Waikato and incite them to rise in a . body to suppress the waipiro. As I believe your committee meeting has f ulready been held, there is now little j or no need to add further detail. Fare- , well; if the Lord permit we shall meet 3 again.—Your fellow worker, T. Hapi- , MANA." j