MAORIS AND LIQUOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1916, Page 2

MAORIS AND LIQUOR.

STRINGENT LEGISLATION URGED. Gisborne, February 22. From time to time reports have been received as to the amount of liquor that is rinding its way into Maori pas, and in recent cases oil the coast it has been stated that there it is being' consumed even by women and children. The police have been actively engaged in endeavoring to bring to justice those responsible for this state of affairs, but owing to the fact that the natives will never inform npon an offender gTeat difficulty has been experienced in obtaining convictions. After twelve informations dealt with at Opotiki had been dismissed, Mr. .1. It. Kirk, who appeared for all the defendants, suggested to the Magistrate (Mr. R. W. Dyer) that the difficulties of the police would become no lighter until there was an alteration U? the existing law. He said that in his private capacity as a citizen, mid in the interests of the natives themselves, he had already recommended to the Minister for Justice an amendment to the Act making it an offence for a native to he found in possession of intoxicating liquor. At present natives could he supplied at bars with liquor f or onll . sumption off the premises, but it was no offence for them to be found in possession of liquor, and so encouragement was given to unscrupulous persons to obtain it. for them. A further weakness in the Act was that in those districts where Maoris had decided they were not to be supplied at all with intoxicating liquor, there was nothing to prevent them from s-oinc: into hotel bars in the district. Mr. Kirk suggested that the Magistrate mis-lit endorse the representations which he. had made. Mr. Dyer saPd that he entirely agreed with the views expressed. He was chairman of the Kotorua Licensing Commit--tee, which body had already made representations to the Minister in this matter. He would, however, have pleasure in supplementing these representations and those of counsel with his further representations as Stipendiary Magistrate.