TRIAL OF THE MAORI "PROPHET"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2803, 22 June 1916, Page 5

TRIAL OF THE MAORI "PROPHET"

CASE FOR THE DEFENCE 1 OPENED.

By Telegraph—Press As'siciation.

' Auckland, Juno 21. _ At the trial of Rua to-day Mr.:Lundon, in opening the case for the defence, contended that the jury Had.-not-been told the whole truth, ana that, they had probably been told-very , little- of the truth concerning the conflict which occurred at Maungapohatu between a highly trained force on the one hand, and on the other •hand a' primitive ; people who - knew little' of civilisation. , Native witnesses wouldbe produced as people who had "not expected fighting, liiit who had Sustained very considerable shock by the unfortunate occurrence. Counsel maintained that tho story of these people was vfery much more to be relied upon' thnn the , story of tho police. Tho prosecution", had'presented llua as an unmitigated scoundrel, a common "take down," a waster, a man -who lived on others, and generally as a man of no class even amongst- his own people. • "We present him,'' said counsel, "as a man for whom his people have considerable affection,. and : , esteem. -Wo don't present Rua as a ran'gatira .of high birth; and we' readily; agree with Mr. Tole in his assertion to the contrary, because we like to ■ believe that in this country accident, of /birth does ' not count."r . " . .

Proceeding, counsel .raid that the jury would have the benefit of,- Rua's' own. story, -which would show that lie had ondeavoured to lift his people above their' surroundings, and-that in reality'they had within a few years made great strides' of progress. Some years ago Rua- liad expressed pronounced objection to "Tohungaism," and up to 1910 he had, rigorously opjxised tho introduction 1 of liquor among his people. The trouble began with an unfortunate meeting at Wh'akataho, whon the Natives were persuaded to sell somo of their land. -They were told that they were on nn wth the pakehas, end Rua asked a license to sell liquor, ibis object, being to prevent its clandestine introduction to his settlement. He found that the laws were not tho same for the; Maori as for the pakeha, and the discovery Tankled in'his mind. Tho more a Maori thought over a grievance tlie bigger it' became, and probably it was in that, state of mind that Rua unfortunately took to "fire water!' himself, his settlement thus being the last in New Zealand to succumb to this habit of civilised people. It had been said that Rua had nine -wives, but' was ' such ' a -record unknown in Biblical history? No visitor had ever come away from Maungapohatu without feeling that the conduct of the settlement was a credit to its leader.