The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-02-06
Intemperance Amongst the Maoris.

In New Zealand. an ohcih known rs the " Co
loniaI Analyst, f" is required 10y law 20 make periods
cal analyses Of the liquors offered ~ sale in the
public houses A late papsr from Chris,eharoh in
that colony states that the analyses made a short
time ago we're very satisfactory; contrary to popular
belief, adulteadon seemed 10 be anpraciiced. Bat
the writer goes on to say that " had tho collectors Of
the samples for the Colonial Analyst Disguised tbem-
selves as Maoris. and under that mask boaghtspirs
AZ the public houses in 0taki. wangnui, Pstea.or
anywhere else on the West Coast. they would have
procured liquors well deserving the RAms g Are
water" There Is a law against the safe 81 aphin TO
natives within certain districts. but hks a good many
other laws. il is in such a " mixed " condition IS 10
be practically unEorkable and remsinsa dead letter
Law or no law. from one end Of the North Island TO
the other. spirits are sold in the most open manner
to the natives. aud drunk greedny with deadly effect.
for as q rule. they are the vless deCoctiSos thaa can
be imagined. destroying body aud mind. breaking up
the constitutions Of the victims, aad preparing abe
way for all kinds Of disease. or course. The more
respectable publieAns sell better liquor to their Maori
customers; but even aduiteraied spirits Ssoduce a far
worse effect upon natives than upon EaroPeAns, Tue
Maori's physical stamina will not stand The test OF
intoxicating liquors. and the moral weakness for
which he is conspicuous renders him incapable Of re-
sisting the fascination Of strong drink. IL Is lamenta-
BILE 10 witness the Maori youths and girls hannting
the taverns in frontier towns. b~esOtting themselves
with drink whenever they get a few sbillings to
spend, neglecting useful labor. aud becoming prema-
ture wrecks Of hunan beings This goes on eontinu-
ally, but the natives, Ike a good many bsr9Pean
laborers, have periodical "barsts,'' during which
they - knock down " all the ready cash in their poe
session. These 81 bursts - take place chiefly when a
tribe has sold its land to the government or a private
- = -A1a -
BILE scenes of debauchery frequently occur on such
occasions, Of which let otaki and Foxton bear Wit
ness. Drunkenness is common amongst both youag
and old Maoris. but the young people are most adj
dicted to il, and the chiefs bitterly beweiI the hnet.
They use their influence to check the vice; aud while
many of them do not practice what they preach,
others give example as well as precept. Ere the as
sembly met for its last session. the chiefs in the
wanganui district got up a petition TO the Native
Minister, which was numerously signed, praying
that the sale Of liquor to the natives might DO quite
prohibited. l do not know what formal reply was
made to the memorial; bat no action was taken. aud
drinking goes on as before. Tbelar9e native meet.
ings which are held now and again are usually ac-
companied by much drunkenness despite tue efforts
Of the chiefs TO prevent il. A great meeting Of
Kingites was held at Tie Kuiti, in the Waikato, some
months ago. Rewi forbade any hquor whaieset 10
be brought upon the ground, and the prohibition
was supported by the authority OF the eadngchiefs;
nevertheless. spirits were ~smuggied in, and a fright
full orgy ensued. For many hours heathensm in its
blacklist form reigned in n Christian land. Rewi is
one of the chiefs who rigidly abstain from drink,
unlike his royal master Tawhiao, who is wholly en-
shaved by the pleasures of the cup and Of the harcmS
but the influence of even the most distinguished
chiefs over the young men has departed to a great
extent. What. indeed, is there TO maintain III Under
the old system a chief gained his rank aud power ia
battle, amid " the bloom and the beauty, the splenA
dor Of spears;'' but war between tribes has ceased,
and no fresh path to distinction has been opened TO
the youth descended from a line Of barbarian heroes,
and eager to qualify himseif for the ppEsr which the
tribe bestowed upon his war-like ancestors. Tho
government may give him a salary or an Office, but
cannot confer upon him moral influence