NATIVES AND LIQUOR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1071, 18 July 1912, Page 4

NATIVES AND LIQUOR.

Tlio case against Mrs Campbell and Wm. J. White, for supplying Hiugawaku Tuparou, a Maori, with liquor for consumption outside of licensed premises, was continued before Mr A. D. Thomson, S.M., yesterday afternoon. _ Mr Innes appeared for defendants, sergeant Willis prosecuted, and Mr W. Monat interpreted. . . . Maliauariki, un old Maori, in continuing' liis evidence, stated that none of tlio bottles bought were opened before they left tll ßuiha Ilcta, a young Maori girl, stated that Hingawaka lived in the same house as she did. On the 27th of April she saw die bag in which the liquor was. The bag belonged to Hingawaka, but she did not know to whom the spirits belonged. This bag was kept in Hingawaka’s room. At night he brought the bottles out, and she and others partook of the whisky they contained. On the evening of the 29th (Monday) Hingawaka again brought out whisky.

To Mr lanes; Witness was 15 years of age, and knew the taste of whisky—this, however, was her first taste of that liquor. She drank about a quarter of a pint cup without water, and as a result she became drunk. She had seen the bag with (ho bottles open in Hingawaka’s room. ■ The next witness was Pataha Hotoroni, who had been in White's hotel along with the previous male witnesses. His evidence was corroborative, with the exception that lie did not see any bottles of liquor handed over. On May 25th he had entered Hingawaka’s (tlio tohunga’s) sacred room, and he saw (ho flask of whisky (produced).

To Mr Innes: The sacred room was in Hota’s house, in which nobody had been living since May 17tli. This sacred room and (ho dining room were adjacent. llnilia Heta, recalled, stated that llingawaka had made the room in which be lived “tapu” (sacred). Nobody entered it till Hoierini did on May 17tli, when witness’s sister died, Wiinia Heta, a- Maori woman, the mother of Ruilia, remembered- when the tolmnga returned on the Saturday to her house. She saw the bag be carried, but not the contents, until Hingawaka, brought the bottles out in the evening. Again, on the Monday, when ho returned lie curried a bag, which he placed in his room. Later she saw him open it and bring out two bottles of whisky, and after the whisky had boon consumed, beer. To Mr limes; The rohunga was her guest, having come to her house to treat a member of the family. This concluded the case for the police. Mr limes, for defendants, submitted that, the licensee of an hotel was not liable for the offence committed by a servant.

His Worship reserved his decision on this point. In the case against Mrs Campbell, formerly barmaid at Mr White’s hotel, Mrs Campbell, in giving evidence, stated that she never supplied the natives with liquor for consumption outside the bar. Mr White had particularly informed her that she was never to soil liquor to the natives for outside use. She had, however, taken liquor into another room for them.

To Sergeant Willis: Witness never encouraged the Maoris around the bar, consequently they had a set on her. On the day in question there was a bigger crowd of Maoris in the bar than usual, and one had thrown a glass of schnapps in her face, owing to not being able to pay for it when she demanded it. Tsipa Royal, a Maori who lives at Ohau, also gave evidence for (he defence. At the time in question he was staying at Motuiti, and sleeping at the same house as Hingawaka. In the bar, witness, llingawaka, and another Maori had throe or four drinks. From tlio bar they went to another room and had more drinks. After this all went to Motuiti. Nobody could have taken any liquor out of the hotel without Ins knowledge. At. the house whisky was produced, hut this Heta, sour, (the owner of the house), had brought, but witness knew not. from where. All the liquor was finished 'on Saturday. On Monday again witness, Heta and the tolmnga wont to Foxton and visited White’s hotel. Drinks were consumed at the bar, but no liquor was taken out of the hotel. He never saw anv liquor at (he pah on Monday evening. To Sergeant Willis: On the journey Pome on Saturday some of the. occupants wore drunk, but he was not. Under Ins charge the trap was'not, upset. One of the men. however, had fallen out. He did not know where the whisky consumed at the pah on Saturday evening was produced from. ..... , • . His Worship, m giving judgment against. Mrs Campbell, stated that, the cajo was a fiorioiiH one. There no doubt that the. liquor had been purchased at Whites hotel. Defendant was convicted and fined £5 on each charge, with costs £2 10s 6d.