REV. MR. COMRIE AND THE NATIVE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2200, 13 July 1914, Page 10

REV. MR. COMRIE AND THE NATIVE.

Sir.—ln the course of his remarks at the 'Now Zealand Alliance Convention ; the Rev.- Mr. Comrie • referred «. to To Kuiti ■ and the Natives'•' and: the liquor there. It is the claim: of 'the Native 'that, he is-now-more civilised, and whether or no lie is a British subject, and entitled "to all t|j\e rights, of British subjects anywhere in His Majesty's Dominions. Mr. Comrie thinks that the Natives in . the 1 King Country, should still be all prohibited - persons. The Maori, is law-abiding and .temperate, and should not : be. treated ' as an inferior race. , . "What did the Rarotonga native tell 'Lord Liverpool the .other; day P.' "The natives," said Tauei, "are, British- Subjects, and we, live on friendly terms with the white people. Why, then, should the laws apply differently to us? ' A European may draw his bottle of liquor; at the Government bond whenever; lie wants it, but. if a Maori is found with bush, beer in his, possession he is very heavily fined." .. . .. His Excellency: Do you .think it would be a ; good thng to have .unlimited drinking in,tho islands? Tauei; Perhaps hot. But we want to-be on the sahie.footing. Let, the' native have' his orange beer in the, samo way as tlie European.his whisky. This extract from '.the daily press shows the strength of /the logic of Tauei, the Maori, and His Excellency had to acknowledge its force. But the Rev. Mr. Comrie thinks that the. sober Natives should all be as children 'and drunkards,, and be declared prohibited persons. ■ This liberal-mind-, ed clergyman is attempting to put all men and women under bondage to Prohibition. and.-he" imagines,, they are not' rebellious against its * 'unspeakable tyranny and degradation. Mrs. Atkinson denied that Prohibition would bring in the millennium, ' and it is certain that Mr. Comrie and other clergymen's advocacy of Prohibition ; as a saving from-one sin has driven sober-minded men and women away from the churches.—l am, etc., FAIR PLAY TO ALL. \ : —: —: