THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC AND THE NATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1851, 17 May 1884, Page 3

THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC AND THE NATIVES.

A correspondent writes :— lhe liquor traffic is becoming a matter of serious consideration among the natives of the King country, and the determined manner in which they are going to work to oppose the sale of liquor in their midst, cannot fail of gaining the sympathy of all right thinking people. Though it is very questionable whether the natnes would have seiiously troubled themselves to shut out this ruinous feature of our civilization, had ifc not been for the philanthiopic efforts of Mr C. 0. David and Mr Hill ; etil! now that they have been well impiossed with the importance of the subject, and the necessity for active co operation on their part, they have set towoik with evident determination, and as an earnest of the sincerity of the leading people they have enthusiastically embraced the doctrine of temperance, so far as the prohibition of the sale of liquor is concerned and largely signed the petition to the Governor. Though the nalisition of their object i 3 a tiling much desired, and though there arc few appaient obstacles in the way, still I am not over sanguineas to the ultimate success of the movement. It is too much hUe making the natives sober by Act of I'ailiament, and it is a generally accepted conclusion that this cannot be- done. An attempt has been made by the leaders of the present movement to represent to the country, that the natives on the other side of the confiscation line have now come to abhor liquor, and that they are of a strictly temperate turn of mind. This is not so, and, if it weie, their reformation must have been very speedily and very miraculously eflected. I \enture to say that at the least seventy-five per cent, of the natives, men, women, and ohildren, are at present more or less addicted — I might s.iy devoted — 'to liquor, and how these people are all going to be made sober by a dictum of the Go\einor prohibiting the sale of liquor in their midst, is not easy to comprehend It may tend to a modification of tlio supply, but it certainly will not make them a temperate and liquor despising people. A visit to Cambridge, Kihikihi, or Alevandra, or any border township during the visit of a number of mti\ es, or a short experience at native meet.ng3 even in their own country will pio\e to the disinterested observer the futility of any such attempt as that now being made to successfully cope with the liquor demon in native circles. In order to make the natives of the "king" country soberly inclined much more is wanting than at present is sought to be effected. Their minds must first be prepared by a strong conviction of the wrong and the absolute ruin of such an indulgence. They must be shown that there nre other ways of enjoying life besides those offeied by the publican, the advantages of a little parsimony must be demonstrated, and the sad abuses surrounding the transactions arising from sittings of the Land Court must be remo\ cd." And until they are thoroughly convinced of the impropriety of their present mode of life, and possessed of the determination to dunk no more, there is little use in endeavouring to keep liquor from within their reach, for where it is required it is always obtainable. Of late years it cannot be said that Christianity has made much material progress among the natives ; indeed, in this respect they at present seem to be almost entirely neglected. Missionaries are despatched to the South Seas, but here in New Zealand there still remains a very wide field for their operations. The Blue .Ribbon Army, of which so much has been written and said, seem, in the furtherance of their cause, to be altogether unmindful of the natives ; whereas, I consider that with such an influential organisation much good might be done in bringing the natives to a state of sobriety.