1874. NEW ZEALAND.
PETITION OF HAIMONA TE AOTERANGI, AND 167 OTHERS.
Presented to the House of Representatives on V&th August, 1874.
"Whanganui, 15th June, 1874. A petition from all of us, whose names are signed at the foot hereof, to all the Members of the Parliament to grant this request of ours, for some law to be passed by the Assembly and the Government affecting this evil thing, grog, which is destroying us, so that a stop may be put to drinking among the Maoris, for that is at the root of the evils under which we suffer. These are the evils: It impoverishes us; our children are not born healthy because the parents drink to excess, and the child suffers; it muddles men's brains, and they in ignorance sign important documents, and get into trouble thereby; grog also turns the intelligent men of the Maori race into fools. Again, grog is the cause of various diseases which afflict us. We are also liable to accidents, such as tumbling off horses and falling into the water; these things occur through drunkenness. It also leads on men to take improper liberties with other people's wives. It also is the cause of men fighting with one another. In fact, there are innumerable evils brought upon the Maori race by grog. We therefore ask for a very stringent law to be passed to keep away this very evil thing from the Maoris altogether. Let only medical men have authority to allow the people to take liquor medicinally if they think it will lead to the recovery of the patient or patients whom they may be treating. That would be right. Sufficient. We trust that all the Members of the House will grant our prayer. We hand this to Mr. Fox. Friend, we give this petition to you with a request that you will urge that the prayer of it may be granted, and an Act passed to stop the Maoris drinking. If you have any regard for us, the Maori people, send away this evil leviathan which you brought to this island to destroy us, our lands and our children. Sufficient, friend. Be strong; God lives to look at the good work, and at the people who are good and show kindness to the poor and foolish ones of the earth. Sir, dd this for us. Long may you be spared on account of your energy in raising your voice against this great snake, liquor, during the years that have passed. Sufficient. From your friends who are living in sadness on account of this evil. Haimona Te Aotebaitoi, And 167 others (males and females). He pitiiiana inoi tenei na matou katoa e mau ake nei o matou ingoa i te mutunga ake o tenei Pitihana, ki nga tangata katoa o te Paremete kia whakamanaia mai tenei tono a matou, Ida rapua mai tetahi ture e Te Eunanga o te Paremete, e te Kawanatanga hoki mo tenei hanga kino mo te waipiro, e patu nei i a matou, kia mutu ai nga tangata Maori te kai waipiro, notemea ko te putake tenei o a matou mate e mate nei matou te iwi Maori. Ko nga mate tenei, ko te whakarawakore i a matou, ko te kore kaore e whanau pai ana o matou uri ite nui ote kai waipiro ote taone ote wahine, ka waiho hei mate mo te tamaiti. Ko te whakapohehe tetahi i nga whakaaro o te tangata, a ka tuhi pohehe ki nga pukapuka whai ritenga, ka waiho tena. hei mate. Me te whakakuare ote waipiro i nga tangata whakaaro nui o tenei iwi ote Maori.