CORONER'S COMMENT ON MAORI DRINKING

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 177, 17 June 1955, Page 1

CORONER'S COMMENT ON MAORI DRINKING

ts i Fatality Following Party Condemnation of the amount of Ifinking going on in Maori homes in ■fcv » 1 the Tokaanu-Turangi area was expressed by Mr J. W. Durward, distrlct coroner, at the inquest at Tokaanu into the death of Tahupotiki pbVns in an accident at Tokaanu on ipril 10. The inquest into the death Oi Edward Kuru, a second yictim, E&' ' yho died on the way to Taumarunui Hospital, is to be eoncluded at Taumarunui. § .There was no doubt that Downs' tfeath could be largely attributed to lis having had too much to drink, Mr jDurward said. "These parties are be§>ihing too common and are becomt&g a curse to Maori family life," he ©ntinued. "In my opinion it is time Ihe Maori Affairs Department, the Saori Welfare Ofiicers, tribal comllttees and tribal elders did someping.to control the parties." It was ptfrom drinking during legal hours dat the trouble was coming but from |p.m. onwards.

lifatene Morehu Downs, stepPither of deceased, stated in evipce that on the afternoon of April Wh had beerf drinking at the Topranu JHotel with deceased and pers. After closing time deceased |&d his wife accompanied him to his fene where they drank a few bottles i|i beer before going to a party next lior. After the beer at his house he ced deceased starting to come er the infiuence of it, and getting \ merry mood. 5hn Kapua told of the party at jiouse, which went on till about 1 ; A large quantity of liquor was sumed. Witness last saw deceased drinking in the kitchen when he t to. bed at midnight. When he deceased and John . Pirini at :ht neither of them were fit to charge of a motor vehicle. ased's widow, Marara Hohipera , said she accompanied her id to the party and that he pretty full like the rest of Just before midnight she her husband was missing and ing to Matene Downs' place the latter's motor-cycle was umped to the conclusion that sband must have taken it. I i afrald because he was not in ifit state to be riding it. Witness Ijjfjiit to bed and about 3 a.m. learnt k husband had been killed. Iferina Downs, wife of Matene pn is, was also at the party, where jpte was "plenty of singing and ||ty of bottled beer drunk." At 11 ^ while still at the party, she ¥old f|ased not to touch her husband's por-cycle. Bln Pirini in evidence said the p.he remembered of the party was Hpg in the room. Next thing he m remember was when he awoke Taumarunui Hospital, where Must have been lying for several fit He learnt from his wife and plds that he had been in a motor pdent and that he was on a Bor-cycle with deceased, who was fllbert Rangi Ketu, of Taumarunui, Sd that on the night in question he M been driving his car on the To•Turangi Road and had EdKuru as a passenger in the seat. His headlights were on. as about to make a right-hand into a long, open, sweeping when he picked up in the heada motor-cycle travelling in the te direction, toward Tokaanu, rider was definitely on his in t side and in fact was close to gass verge on witness' side

There was no light on the machine. Witness saw that a head-on col lision was going to take place so he pulled the steering wheel hard to the right to try and avoid a collision. As he did so the cyclist started to pull back to his left and collided with the -front of the car. Mr Durward returned a verdict in accordance with the medical certificate, and in summing. up said that three of the people at the party were parents of large and young families, and the circnmstances disclosed were not a good example to the children.