DAIRY SKIMMING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2208, 11 October 1907, Page 2

DAIRY SKIMMING.

Tho Baltic Separator is steadily winning its way into public ravoi. Tiie following testimony from Mr. A. Armstrong, of Manakau, is sample of tho letters we receive: ihe 100 gallon per hour Baltic fecparatoi is giving entire satisfaction. It runs smoothly, and is easy to turn, in capacity and skimming, it is all that is claimed for it. It is tho most economical machine I have used; so far tho upkeep lias been ml. Having had ©xperienco with other makes can recommend it as being the best. —J. B Mac Ewan and Co., 1/td., bole Agents, Fort Street, Auckland.

MAORIS AND THE DRINK TRAFFIC.

MODIFIED LOCAL OPTION WANTED.

ALSO STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF THE EXISTING LAW.

There was a moderate attendance, estimated at about 200, at tlio public meeting held in .ll.is Majesty’s Theatre last evening to consider tlio question of the drink traffic as it affects the native race. Mr. C. A. Do Lautour presided.

NO PARTY POLITICS. Mr. AY. L. Rees prefaced his remarks by pointing out that there were no contentious questions raised, no party politics. They met on a platform, in common, to propound a system and enforce principles which were good and Ibeneficial beyond all dispute. Their motive was the welfare and happiness of the people who held the land long before the .pakeha arrived on tlio scene, lie touched upon the success of the British colonisation of “the pleasant and accessible places,” and in this supremacy, accompanied by peace, content, and a continued attempt to elevate and do good, lie saw a direct purpose and will. But our .race bad commensurate duties to perform, without which success was incomplete and the reward not won. “To do good” was tlie object of that meeting; to stir the people to a sense of their responsibilities towards the native race. The example of great names which he quoted, Sir George Grey as the exponent of tlie material side, and Mr. Marsden and Bishop Sehvyn of the spiritual, should act as a magnet for rallying the forces of tho just and humanitarian-spirited among our people. The seeds for good wbicli had been sown in tlie heart of the Maori people should be cultured and protected, .so that they would bear fruit. One of the native weaknesses was their addiction to strong drink; it was a duty which the pakeha owed to the native to protect them from this evil, so far as practicable. A knowledge of the Maori people for 20 or 30 years past had convinced him that the excessive use of liquor was responsible to ia great extent for their physical deterioration and loss of moral prestige. To belli to raise the native race was to fulfil our obligation to God and man. Much could be done by means readily to hand. A better understanding of 'the law mild ■ rigid enforcement would do something; a system of local option among the natives themselves would do more. AVe enjoyed the privilege of local option; we should afford exactly tlie same right to the Ala oris in relation to themselves. (Applause.) Tho means suggested raised no insuperable difficulty, and if tlio case were thoroughly worked and properly represented to Parliament ho was sure it would have a successful result. As regarded tho native vote, there was a foundation of principle in the race that made it a certainty they-would exercise with beneficial effect the privilege accorded them. (Applause.)

PROTECTION OF A NOBLE RACE.

The Rev. 'Dawson Thomas expressed the belief that there were many in Poverty Bay, including honest publicans, who did not know the law, but once it was .pointed out to .them would be ready and willing to carry it out. As an Australian ho had been struck with the nobleness of the Maori race and character; New Zealanders seemed scarcely to realise what a fine race of people the Maoris were, having little means of comparison. .Despite a widespread idea to the contrary, also, many of the Australian aborigines .inland, and away from degrading influences, were a fine people, of grand physique, but on tbe coast and around tlie thicklyinhabited parts they were poor specimens, ruined and degraded mainly by tlie use of “fire-water.” The Maori, however, was by far the noblest of all native races. To-day he asked tbe white mail who took his country to help him to preserve the health and manhood of liis people. Tbe speaker believed that once the public conscience was awakened every white man who knew the law, if indeed he were a “white” man, would do liis best to keep ,it. He boiled New Zealand would strive to keep thd native race from deterioration. (Applause.) “Civilisation is paying its debt to some extent by raising Maori gentlemen, educated, refined, righteous, and philanthropic, such as surround us on this platform,” remarked tbe chairman, as lie introduced the Rev. F. A. Bennett, a prominent Alaori clergyman. (Loud applause.)

THE LAAV AND PUBLICAN’S POSITION EXPLAINED. The Rev. AH’. Bennett acknowledged the generous sentiments expressed as being most encouraging to those working for .the native people. He was glad to say that /this feeling was met with throughout' New Zealand, especially among educated people. It was a matter of regret, however, that because of .apathy and .indifference among the pakelias as a whole, the Maori was being allowed, or encouraged, to go down hill. But the danger was .realised, and the spokesmen for the race were invoking aid to devise a remedy. “We want your assistance, without which we can accomplish .nothing,” he continued. “We have now reached years of discretion and see we have a grievance. Why should onr people be subjected to the drink traffic, literally have hotels forced upon them, and yet have no voice whatever regarding the issue of licenses in their midst?” For instance, there were seven or eight hotels on this coast largely .dependent on iMiaori trade. Some of tlliese hotels were sapping out the moral tone and fibre of the native inhabitants. “We feel old enough now to be trusted with the local option vote as it affects us,” ho continued, What the race was capable of was shown by the large band of earnest, educated men who were working to ameliorate the lot of anally of their fellow-coun-trymen. Some were in Parliament and others in .the ministry. These representatives had ability sufficient to ensure success in any walk of life, yet put the interests of tlieior race first. Those entering the ministry .gave up hope of temporal advance for a imeVo pittance, with tlio sole object of commingling with tlieir own people and working to raise them liiorally, .physically, and spiritually. .Such men deserved every encouragement from the pakelia, and their utterances, based on experience, demanded respect and attention. (Applause.) At n similar public meeting in •Hastings, the Mayor, an estimable gentleman, had fallen into error in stating that the publicans had been keeping the law. Bv .an Act of 1884. Mr. Bennett explained, the supply of liquor to native women was prohibited, Some years later a measure was passed forbidding the talcing of liquor to apu or ’kainga, and section 46 of the Licensing Acts Amendment Act, 1904, provides that, in districts defined, .any person who supplies Liquor .to a Maori for consumption off the premises .is liable to a fine of £SO. Was the latter law being carried out here ? He yery much doubted it. On the day that the Hastings meeting was held lie had personally seen native men and women in a drunken state. .Therefore someone had broken the law. Following the -meeting lie li ul got .notices printed drawing attention to the Act, and the publicans, who were kindly disposed towards the scheme, in viciy. agreed to put .a notice in each bar. also warning natives that they could take no drink outside the hotels. This had an immediate effect ,in stopping drunkenness among the Maori women there. The publicans were thus making an honest attempt to keep itlie law; that was a|l that was asked or expected. Mr. Bennett went on 'to quote some of his experiences 'in Taranaki. At a native funeral lie saw the grave decorated with a dozen or more bottles of .whisky, .and was told it was an old custom, being intended for the use at the tangi. Ho ordered the stuff to he taken away, but later saw two men carrying two buckets of beer each. men. women, find children ter ing invited to drink. At another place he saw men aud women almost

madly drunk 'before a funeral, and was ‘horrified to see ono of the women pouring some beer into the mouth of the corpso! “Is it any wonder,” he queried, .“that we abominate the drink traffic? There is no-

thing so demoralising to the native people.” Ho had seen boys .from 10 upwards take liquor, and one woman giving it to a baby in arms. At Rotorua ho had seen women in a horrible state of intoxication. The person bringing; liquor to the pah was liable, but what about the solle.'? Tlio clause of the 1904 Act lie lriwl mentioned was due to representations which lie and others had made to Mr. Carroll, and its effect, where adhered to, had been good. The Rotorua publicans had, .after being spoken to on ,tho matter, put up notices and advertised the .provisions of the Act. All credit .to publicans who would meet -thorn half way like this. In conclusion, Mr. Bennett said lie wanted to see the law enforced and the natives given local option. He trusted that the meeting--would bo fruitful of results, and that sympathisers would give the movement their .practical support. (Applause.) The To Ran students, -who were seated oil the platform, sang a part song with good effect, under the baton of Mr. Long.

A WOMAN’S PLEA. ■Miss Stirling, a Maori lady orator, addressing the audience .as “Friends of our people,” made a strong appeal for assistance in the cause on behalf of the native women. In her work the burden often seemed more than she could bear, but the outlook was now more encouraging. She related instances at Wanganui River, Hawke’s Bay, and other places, similar to those quoted by Mr: Bennett. iSlie had slied tears .to see women of her race intoxicated in the towns or ■their own pahs, and prayed for belli to fie true to lier own people, whom she loved. Her heart bled to see beautiful girls and women ruined by the drink curse. She had been instrumental in forming bands of abstainers among the 'Maoris, and their influence was spreading, but more should be dono to put .temptation beyond their reach. She told of an incident at Rotorua where a white mail brought two cans of beer to a tiangi. “I don’t know what I said to him, hut I did talk,” she added. (Laughter and applause.) The speaker recalled the circumstance when during tlie war some friendly natives laid down their lives for the sake of their pakeha friends. In the present extremity she thought the Maoris, the remnant of a once noble race, were entitled to ask ‘for help against a deadly foe —the drink traffic. They were a people worth saving and helping. (Applause.) 'The Rev. W. Ghattcrton also spoke of the incalculable harm done ,to the natives by the drink traffic, and. paid a tribute to Mr. Bennett for his excellent work. Native gatherings had often asked for local option, but tlie difficulty tlie Government foresaw was its umvorkableness. The present sucro-estion got over these difficulties. The native vote would not directly close the pakelias’ hotels in their districts, but the prohibition of inabives would cause those-houses, dejiending on Maori custom, to die a natural death. He read the following letter from the Veil. Archdeacon Herbert Williams : “I am sorry that I shall be unable to attend the meeting on Thursday, but- unfortunately I have to leave for Wairoa.

“I feel very strongly that the Maoris are subjected to grave injustice ill the matter of the No-License vote. A handful' of uakehas may maintain a public-liouse bv their votes in a district where they are many times outnumbered by the Maoris —may, and do in many places. And the Maori is given no voice in the matter.

“.I know tlie Maori frequents the public-liouse When it is there, but he is like a child, and would ill tlie majority of cases far rather that the temptation was removed from him.

“I realise the difficulties which have resulted ill the present arrangement which presses so hard upon the Maoris. Tlie Maori electorates are not co-terininous with the European, the elections are not held on the. same day, amd there are no rolls strictly drawn up like the European ones.

. “It seems to me that Mr. Bennett’s suggestion offers a solution of those difficulties, which has the further advantage that it does not interfere with .the liberty of' the European population of 'the district, to carry no-license or not, as they may be disposed.

“I would only repeat the suggestion which I made at the Synod last week. One unsatisfactory point in the present voting on the no-license question is -the unwieldy nature of the- areas over which the votes are taken, and this, of course, would he seriously aggravated in the cas e of a Maori electorate. For example, the East Coast Maori electorate extends' from Rotorua to the Wairarapa,"embracing a number of European electorates. A vote taken over this immense area would almost certainly find .a minority who constitute a majority in itlieir own district opposed to the decision of the whole, and this could only result disastrously. My suggestion is that the vote should bo taken, not over the electorates, •but over the Maori council districts, which are now electoral districts. As there are six such districts in this Maori electorate, it is obvious that there would bo a far greater chance of learning the true local opinion of tho Maoris, and much greater likelihood of the law being strictly observed in a district in which the Maoris had decided to place themselves bodily outside tho traffic in iutoxicating liquors. “I feel that the request wo are making the Government is -a reason-' able one, and one in which tlio Maori almost to a man will join.” Mr. Koliere moved: “That this meeting is strongly of opinion that tho principle of local option should be extended to the native race, so that in any Maori electorate, if the Maoris vote in favor of no-license, it shall he illegal to supply any native in that electorate with liquor.” This was seconded by Mr. Long, and carried unanimously.

The Rev. Bennett moved: “That this meeting regrets that there is so much drinking among the Maoris in this district, and that since the district lias been gazetted under Section 46 of ‘The Licensing Act Amendment Act, 1904,’ it calls noon all who are interested in the welfare of the native race to assist in securing the enforcement of the law.” The Rev. Chatterton seconded.— Carried unanimously.

It was decided to forward copies of the resolutions Jtp Mr. Carroll. • A Vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.