OUR LIQUOR LAWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 158, 24 May 1909, Page 2

OUR LIQUOR LAWS.

Meeting at Te Kuiti. Removal of Restrictions. For some- time past considerablcdissatisfaction ha? born felt by all classes of the community at the manner in which the !uv.* with regard to liquor in the district ha? been applied, and the ting ro.wer.c d <■" Friday of the Waii'-'tr.o County '.'ogr/'i!, at Te Kuiti to dis-T,?.- 'h<- was largely attended. When the tinv arrived to open the- n.eet i:.g the ha!! wa« crowded, and it is rnat'-l thai fully six hundred p'-opie w.-r>- pr-Feni. <" »n the platform were many prominent citizens and settlers frr.rri thv .surrounding district.®. Tia (/bairn,an. ir, <nening the meeting, related ' h'• mann-r in which the restrictions ir. respect to liquor had been placed on the district at the request of the Native?. Since that time, which was over twenty years ago, conditions had changed entirely. As a matter of fact, the compact with the Natives related to several other matters besides the introduction of liquor, and tbe latter point was the only one which had been kept by the Government. The common argument used by the Europeans wich regard to the Native lands was that conditions bad changed since the original agreement was made, and to adhere to the old agreement meant stagnation. This agreement was accepted by tbe Government and private people regarding everything but the liquor question. He had no hesitation in saying that in respect to liquor it was not a question of stagnation; it was retrogression—Applause. The people of the district were in a very bad position, and it rested with them to take steps to have matters put right. In claiming to be placed on an equal footing with the rest of the Dominion they were only asking for something which was their right, and such a claim should have the support of every right thinking person, not only in tbe district, but in the Dominion. Many years ago a law had been passed in New Zealand giving people in each electorate the right of saying whether they would have liquor sold in the district or not. That law applied to a portion of our electorate, but within the Robe Potae, which was arbitrarily restricted, the local option poll was merely a farce. The district had an extremely bad reputation with outsiders, for slygrog selling, but those in tbe district knew tbe manner in which convictions for breaches of the liquor law were obtained. Under certain sections of the Act which had been applied to the district, persons charged by the police had to prove their innocence, and we had the knowledge that people were convicted, under the iniquitous Act, who had never sold grog, and had never any intention of selling it. The position was degrading to every reputable person in tbe district, and he hoped the meeting would take the first step towards having it remedied. —Applause.

Mr W. J. Broadfoot outlined the legal position, and <taid it was practically impossible for a man, charged with bringing in liquor for sale, to exonerate himself. Any individual in the district was liable to be charged under the Act, and become branded as a law breaker, merely because he could not prove to the hilt not only his actions, but his intentions. Under the Act a great deal too much power was placed in the hands of the Police. He did not refer to individuals, but to the police representative who might be in charge of any district in the restricted area. The Act provided a great deal of work for the lawyers, but was extremely bad for the general public. It was an infliction which should not be allowed to continue-

Pepene EJkefone spok • on tbe subject from the Maori point of view. He pointed out that the Natives were not affected by the special legislation. Tbey were not allowed to consume liquor on licensed premises in any case. In referring to the restriction regarding liquor placed on the district, the step had long been considered a wrong one by those who had originally advocated the measure. Years ago petitions bearing the signatures of the very men asked for the prohibition, had been sent to Parliament asking to have the embargo lifted. Those petitions bad been signed by fully seven-eights of the Maoris in the district, and but for outside agitation 1 would have been granted. He, the speaker, had taken a petition to Wei- j lington, and had been told the representations contained therein were | right, and the pr:Lit;on should be gran- j ted. Like other thinps eonnei-t t .d y/ith , the Maori, th<* Government had been j

content to let it drop. 1 hr huropi an? could safely rely the ''o-operatior. of the M ; oris in their ' t" n--v the restrictions r.-mov,-1. If,-, iiymyathiscd heartily with the European.; in their present position, and personally would do all in his power to a-.-ist tn« movement. Mr .J. Melndoe referred to the A.d aa un-Bnlish. and an inlliction not to be tolerated by a decent community. There wa? no use in blaming individuals. The Act had he'-n in.li.-ted on them by Parliament, but he lelt sur< of Parliament or.!v understood ho v.- it ' operat'd i" v.a i ■ in a hurry to r--I move it '1 t ;: '-F rnar.^o"/: J erab'e. Tin s; "al-n-r roe-'-, ; power 1 oss; -si. i :,y ; j • i:. ; j said that ;«•- v.-.r a.- ;/rog a :',;ne r was j concern l d, the community i~.au no sym- | pathy for tnc.-t who !■ 'a., rati ty | the law, i-u: vdwn a aula:. pee; le could !."■ ."ib;..,-:! d to the :U'!:yn;ty oi police inu-rfercnew, an;! . ?!>ior : agc- it wa? time to ta.:" ;e me : . Ution was : s«" : ' s [ a by Mr J. sto-!, and second< d by Mr F. H. Mms :• "That this mn tir.g i? of • ■ i* d■ <:, that the nq- j uor jaw as applied to the Kir.g Country j the re.-'riction.- vn-n ed en f h" district as far a. liquor is cur.cerr.ec!, shouiei bu , r- :\->v- T!>- motion was received had any opinions for or again?.! the motion should come on the platform, and express their views. They con- i templated a step which was of the ut- I

most importance to the district, and courted full and free discussion. The interests of every section of the community should be considered.—Applause. Mr -J. Uoddi- then mounted "dw piata round of applause. In his opening remark? Mr Boddie said he v.u-neo his position to be clearly ano distinctly t'V JTi j fU T, C;. v 5 lhrl G D ST; the liquor question in the district were not satisfactory. The aims ana oliects of the party tc which he belonged did not include coercion in their attempt to carry their cause to success. Such success they intended to attain by the freely expressed wish of thp people at the ballot. The motion, though it did not quite meet with his approval should have his support. —Applause. He merely wished to make the position clear regarding the motion. While endorsing the motion as it stood, he considered the voice of the peopleshould say bow tbe new order of things was to be brought about. Any good that was to be done would be by pursuing the same tactics as should be adopted in this and other matters affecting the common weal. The present laws relating to Native lands, the rating of those lands and other matters with which we were acquainted, and which were of vital importance to us, were not in keeping with the progress of this fine district. The law concerning liquor was on the same looting, and should be remedied. —Applause. Continuing, Mr Boddie said there was one aspect of the case he must refer to and that was the element of uncertain ty with regard to bringing in liquor, and the danger of a man being unwittingly made a criminal. A man might get up in the morning, and by doing something which he thought he was privileged to do, before evening he might be placed in such a position that he was considered a lawbreaker. The Act as it stood was contrary to the liberties which our fathers had fought and bled for, and the position, together with other matters affecting the district necessitated prompt action. He trusted they would work heartily together, and for the good of the whole district in thi?, and in all other matters pertaining to the common welfare. —Applause. The Rev. Cottell then proceeded to the platform. He said he spoke as the representative of one of the largest churches in the Dominion, and an opponent to the liquor trade. He could thoroughly endorse tbe remarks of the previous speaker, and would give his support to the motion. —Applause. People had a right to their own opinion regarding liquor, and should exercise that right fully and freely, and fight the rtiatter out fairly rfnd squarely. Any few or condition which took

away that right should be removed, more especially when it was operating in an oppressive manner. The speaker deprecated the remarks of some oE those who had spoken and said they were aware that under the British flag the liberty of the subject was jealously guarded. A voice: "You try and bring in a bottle and see

British laws gave them the right of protest. He would support the effort to remedy the position.—Applause Mr Tammadge said their position was a mass of negations; there was nothing positive, and the situation was entirely opposed to the much-lauded British freedom. The position was ridiculous ano and should be recognised as sijch by tt,e authorities. Mr Moorhouse spoke as to tfce position from a new comer's point of view. He said nobody could possibly realise the state of thinga existing, without living in the district, and the interests of settlement were being prejudiced by the operation of the obnoxious Act.

The Chairman then read the motion preparatory to putting it to the meeting, when Mr Boddie said he would like to see the motion extended to indicate what was desired when the restrictions were removed. At hisuggestion the words: "and the district placed under the same condition with regard to local option as other parts of the Dominion," were added to the motion, which was seconded by Mr Darbyshirc and on being put to the j meeting was carried unanimously. I The 1 d.airman requested those pre- ! 1 v.].•••:; :• aviiig iq contribute each a I smail amount to defray the tost of en:/ao r 'l:..L' the Ha:!. A fair amount was ' 0 d and was handed over by the Hal- Prs to go towards the iuis'j to pruui-ic the movement in favou'- of having the : etsi ielions removed. .