"RUA, TE KAISER.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2688, 7 February 1916, Page 6

"RUA, TE KAISER.

TROUBLE WITH THE MAORI PROPHET

MAY RESIST ARREST By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auoltlantl, February 5. The "Star's" Whakatano's correspondent telegraphed this morning: "Grave anxiety is felt by settlers on the outskirts of the Urewera Country on account of the Prophet Rua, who has taken the title of Kaiser, and prophesied that the other Kaiser will meet him shortly at Whakatane. Some credulous followers believe him. Rua is using the fact to influence them to assist him in avoiding arrest. I learn on the best authority that meetings held throughout the Urewera agreed to roBist by any means the arrest of Rua, who was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment for supplying liquor to Natives. No doubt the situation is grave, since it is known that there is a fair number of rifles in the possession of the Natives. The rifles have been used for pig hunting. Half-fanatical Maoris have been obtaining a considerable quantity of liquor. At the meeting referred to over three hundred handed in their names as Rua's bodyguard. It is certain that any attempt to arrest him will be met by force. "Two Native constables left here yesterday to try to persuade Rua to accept arrest quietly. They have to travel 65 miles over rough tracks. Nothing can be known till Monday. It is generally believed here that trouble— possibly very serious—is brewing." The correspondent states that he is in a position to speak with authority and vouches for the facts, which are stated to he absolutely reliable. NATIVE CONSTABLES RETURN WITHOUT HIM Auokland, February 6. No further details are to hand to-day of the antics of the "Prophet" Rua, who has taken npon himself the title of Kaiser, and is resisting arrest in connection with his' recent conviction in the Urewera Country. Two Native constables have returned to Tane Atua after an attempt to bring Rua in. They were told by Rua's followers that he refused to come) and were asked to leave without delay. They did so, to avoid trouble. A correspondent states that the followers of the "Kaiser of Urewera" number over 300, pledged to resist his arrest. CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS CONSTABLES DID NOT REACH THE PROPHET. By Tolefrrapli—Press Association. Auckland, February 6. The "Herald's" Whakatane correspondent telegraphed to-night:—"Great excitement has been caused through the circulation of sensational and false rumours concerning the 'Prophet : Rua. The constables who were sent to arrest Rua did not get more than half-way to their destination, owing to flooded rivers. Constable Cummings states that he does not anticipate any trouble in arresting Rua." SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROPHET BIG FOLLOWING AMONGST THE NATIVES. 'Colonel Porter, Commandant of the National Reserve of New Zealand, who is at present in town, is very.well acquainted with the Rua cult in the Urewera Country, and gave some interesting notes on the "prophet" to 'a representative of The Dominion last evening. Rua, he says, has at present a very large following all over New Zealand, and his adherents, strange to say, include many Maoris of the welleducated class. Furthermore, this following represents a very solid cash book. "Do you really think there may be sorious trouble?" the Colonel was asked. "There may be, and then, again, there may not. Rua may elect .to become a martyr, and sacrifico himself to the law. I had to deal with Rua myself in 1905, when-we had trouble with him on the East Coast. There was some talk of Rua making trouble, but he eventually retired with his followers across the boundary into the Urowera. His present headquarters are at Maunga Pohatu (' 'Rocky Mountain' ), where ho has established liis new Zion City. His cult is known as the 'Elevated Hand' (Te llinga Tu), from the custom of its adherents of holding up the light hand when at their devotions. Properly speaking, Rua's sect are of 'Te Wairua Tapu' i 'The Holy Spirit'), . but 'The Elevated Hand' is the more familiar name. "Rua claims to be he of whom Te Kooti prophesied that there would arise amongst their number onewho would abide by the laws of God and the laws of the land. He also calls himself Hephzibah, a Scriptural name from the Book of Isaiah, in the Bible —rather curious, too. The verse—the fourth verse of Chapter 62 —reads:— " 'Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken ; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate;'but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulali: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.' " Colonel Porter added that Rua had been putting it abroad that the Kaiser, if he won the war, would restore to his followers all the land they lost. "Do you think that German influence may he'hehind Rua's present attitude?" Colonel Porter looked doubtful. "Well—l don't know—it may be, or ii may not —it's not impossible." Sixty years ago aluminium was worth £3 an ounce. It is now worth, in normal times, about 3s. a lb. Humming-birds are so called because of the "humming noise made by the vibration of their wings in flying. During the five months' siege of Paris in 1870-1, three million letters were sent out of the city by balloon. Baboons possess a remarkable instinct for finding water, and have been used for that purpose in South Africa. European red ants attack other kinds of ants, carry off the workers to their own liests, and detain them there as slaves. Judge: "You are charged with assault and battery. What have you to say?" Prisoner: "Not a- word, yeronner. It was sayin' too much got me into this scrape." Beards were once taxed in England. Sarah Bernhardt is of Jewish descent. The great canal of China is 2100 miles long. Edison began his career as a. nowsboy on a railway.