Tohungas.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 38, 14 February 1901, Page 2

Tohungas.

At the Police Court yesterday, Harcta Paratiti was charged with having, while practising as a tohunga, caused the death of Tami Rauahi. A remand until next Tuesday was granted. The old woman, who is very hard of hearing, seemed the least concerned of anybody as to tho case, and demanded to be informed why it was not gone oh with there and then. Tami’s death is said to have been caused by the dipping process during the period of illness. The patient was a married man,

Napier, last night. In sentencing Honi Poti, found guilty of practising witchcraft, Hjs Honor said: “ The existence of these practises has beon a serious evil among the Maoris, an evil to which the attention of the Legislature and the Executive had been specially directed. In the present case there seems to be evidence of very substantial evil results from your actions. You are not being tried for manslaughter, but it seems clear that by your pretence of magic powers you have taken advantage of tho superstition of several Natives to make them abandon proper doctors and submit to your quackery, with disastrous consequences. It is not a case for probation, Probably if you were released on probation you would say, and the.. Natives would probably believe you, that you had invoked some of your gods or spirits, and made tho Court decline to send you to gaol. If you, or any other of your kind, come in tho future before a judge, you may to reckon on being much more severely dealt with.” [The sentence was six months’ imprisonment.]