Incredible Credulity.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 6, 2 October 1907, Page 7

Incredible Credulity.

MAORI "PROPHET" AND HIS FOLLOWERS. Rua, tho Maori Evangel of latterday Tohungaism in tho Dominion, has figured very prominently, as a fairly successful type of . tho • political tohunga during tho past twelve months. Ho has boon, and, unfortunately, still is, a'shining' example of that species of tohungaism which has for its special and immediate purpose the frustration of the ..efforts of tho "pakeha" to civiliso and educato.tlio Maori. Most of his doings aro by this' time familiar to tho public, his recorded exploits having been of sufficient political gravity to liavo induced the Government to legislate in the direction of suppressing this relic of barbarism altogether. _ If, however, there bo any conservative person .or persons who aro desirous of'perpetuating tlio oxistence of the tolmnga as a picturesquo reminiscence of the " good old days," let him or them reflect vory soberly upon an hitherto unrecorded result of Rua's career as the Messiah of his race. • Tho Holy City of Ruaism is a small. place, in the heart of tho LVowera" Country, named Maungapohativ From this centre of activity Rua prcachod tho gospel of his peculiar'religion"to tho credulous Natives of the Urowera. His disciples wore their hair long, and cultivated patriarchal beards. The tenets of his belief were, as will roadily bo imagined, convergent upon one object—the ultimate extermination of the obnoxious _ " pakeha." Among other things, he laid particular stress upon tho sacred obligation which devolved upon his followers of withdrawing their children from the pernicious influence of a modern European education. Tho result was tho total collapse of two 'flourishing Native schools, Waimara, and ICokako, and a serious falling off in tho attendance of two others, Wai-o-weka and Iluatoki. Rua next enunciated tho remarkable doctrine, that an important essential in his sehomc of salvation consisted in the rigorous observance of tho following rule: — No follower of his was, on any account, to appear in society dressed in tho same clothes as had been worn at meal times. Beyond the fact that the strict observance of this rule necessitated, in some cases, an addition to tho wardrobes of tho " elect," this provision docs not appear to possess any inherent capacity for producing evil results, if tho wardrobes aforementioned wore conscientiously added to. but the pity of it is that they were not. Consequently, many a little Maori, who had dined in his 0110 and only suit, was compelled by his parents to dispense with it on leaving the wharo. The appalling results_ of this foolishness can easily bo imagined. In ono district alone, about 40 or 50 young children died from exposure. Could credulity go much further? It is to be sincerely hoped that it won't. The days of tohungaism, with its vicious concomitants, belong to the past, and any recrudescence of tho evil must bo drastically suppressed.