A PLEA FROM THE MAORIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 576, 21 November 1902, Page 3

A PLEA FROM THE MAORIS.

[Advkutisemk.nth.J

(To the Editor of the Times),

Sir, —A lady 1 lie other day asked me this question, “ Are you going to vote for Prohibition ?" arid I answered, “I wish I could ; hut, madam, I am voiceless in the matter. I and my people are looking up to you to vote this traffic away from our midst ; it is for you to say whether we should have this liquor traffic in our iqidst or not.” Sir, I know a. good many Europeans are ignorant of this Met that we Maoris have no vote in regard 1o Jooal-opl ion—for reasons best known to our legi.dators. This fact may perhaps induce some kindly soul to cast his or her vole for Prohibition, fin behalf of my dying people (and f know the feeling of the Maori people on this question), I appeal to men and women to take this fact into consideration when exercising their votes. We naturally look up to missionaries to raise a voice on our behalf, but I see by the press that the missionary in charge of this district has joined the Reform League—a League which has sprung up, mushroom-like, in the interest of the liquor traffic. He has left us stranded, for we certainly ears not. follow him there, lie may have very good reasons for throwing in his lot with the atiti-l’rohibitionists ; I doubt not he has ; reasons which perhaps our poor Maori minds cannot grasp. Bill he must know what, we naturally expect from him ; and, therefore, we make this appeal to the public in general. We have not the liberty of voting, hut this is left us—the lilierty of speech. 'llicre is no doubt whatever that the liquor traffic lias been and is responsible to an astounding degree for the demoralisation and debauchery among (he Maoris. J have scarcely passed a certain place up the Coast without seeing a drunken Maori —and a pakcha of the place told me that there never was a day when there was not a drunken Maori seen about the place. Ladies and gentlemen, you have realised our position ; our hands arc hound fast, and the law has laid his iron hand upon our lips ; still we struggle to utter this feeble, smothered cry for deliverance and salvation, with the hope that it may be heard bv some listening ear.—l am, etc., REWETf T. M. KOIIERM.