LICENSING IN THE KING COUNTRY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11715, 16 July 1901, Page 1

LICENSING IN THE KING COUNTRY.

TO THE BDITGB. - T -

Sir, — The importance of the subject which drew so large an audience at the' Theatre last Tuesday evening, has not baen followed up by press comments as one might reasonably expect. -There has been plenty of talk and naturally some division of opinion, as there will ever be on important public matters, each party declaring the opposers wrong, though apparently guided by the same circumstances, and naither makes any consciously false assertions. Thus it was with the Okato drink case. In .the' same way Mr laitt and Mr John Elliott differed on the King Country licensing question, ' each claiming to possess the knowledge to substantiate their opposite opinions,But their knowledge had been gathered from separate sources and for a vastly different purpose ■ the one against, the other for, license; the one believing alcoholic drink to be a very bad thing -for the natives, and the other trying to believe it a good thing. Mr Elliott, though living among the Maoris, bad not learned by rumour the facts that Mr Isitt had found in official documents, and saw that this unimpeachable evidence must be accepted. To most present Mr Isitt's facts were unanswerable and his truev philanthropy unquestioned. But some kinds of philanthropy is apt to get a little mixed with self-interest. Mr Elliott desires license for the King Country that the Maoris may be elevated thereby and their condition generally improved ; also that Europeans who settled there, well knowing that drink was prohibited, may have the legalised privilege of making - money from these liquors as in other parts of the colony which they have chosen to leave. And this latter consideration is called a "change of conditions," demanding change from prohibition to license. Why did they go there ? and why did they stay there, upsetting the laws of the country, if not for personal gain. And must the Maoris be sacrificed to gratify this greed for gain ! For the "elevation ' and "improvement" is all a myth. Setting these aside, philanthropy fizzles out, there is none of it in the mere prospect of adding thousands of pounds to the value of an accommodation house — with a license. This fictitious value seems enormous, but can be tempting only to unprincipled people. Wahanui's conduct is quoted and often misquoted regarding his first desire for prohibition, and his after desire for license.. But his sincere rcpentenco of bis folly, and, h s earnest desire to undo the mischief he had done before hedied.isnevcrmenfoied by tho3o who demand license. Numerj ous chiefs (defraded by evil example) are cited as desirous of breaking the solemn compact tnado with them by the Government years ago, but the large number of chiefs and people who would gladly drive out the drink are never | spoken of. Mr Elliott bravely essayed to uphold the reputation of his friend, Mr Hursthouse, just what one friend should do with another, and asserted as the culminative of kindheartedness that Mr Hursthonse was a father to the natives. But, Mr Editor, there are various types oE fathers. Some are over indulgent and use no restraint with their children, giving them all they ask for «yen though .they know it will be for {heir hurt. Probably there are a few such father* in the King Country. Good old father Whiteley was called a father of the Maoris, he always spoke of them as his children, and he was loved and respected by them, although he always reproved them and soughtyheir real welfare. Would Father Whiteley have advocated the granting of a license to sell drink in the King Country? Nev<r ! But then he was truly disinterested. Can this bo said of those -who seek to elevate the Maori by legalising the chief cause of their degradation? Who taught slygrog selling and other vices? Why did not these fathers guide the susceptible children, by example and precept, in a "better way ? Shame on them for the evil work they have done, and instead of BteKingto undo it, would drag the race still lower down, if need be, to enrich i themselves at whatever cost to the Maori. I There is a rumour (whether right or wrong) that Mr Elliott would like a

jj ** « license for his own accommodation house where the Premier was right rorally entertained without a license. Of course Mr Seddon would gladly suppress 4he sly-grog selling if ho could, to please all rmrties; his heart bled so for the poor nitives awhile ago it cannot have healed yet. The native chiefs would find-a way to do this work if power was given them. The news ' of their successful discipline recently at Rotorua ought to he more widely known Without the aid of any Government officials they made laws for themselves, and admirably earned them out. No drink was allowed to any, and absolute order was maintained among the thousands in the Maori camp. They would continue the experiment in their own kainagas if invited, or permitted to do so, and would proudly succeed. All right-minded people will certainly join in the protest against licensed drinkselling in the King Country. On Tuesday night the large assembly demonstrated this desire by passing the resoJuion of protest, there beiug very few dissentients. Unfortunately you* renoiter omitted to state this fact.— l am . &<>•> Philo-Maobi.