RATANA GOES NORTH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 62, 31 March 1937, Page 13

RATANA GOES NORTH

New Pa at Matamata WANGANUI "PERSECUTION" Acting on the Biblieal injunction, •'But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another," Ratana, head of the Ratana church, and selfstyled "divine" healer and "monthpiece of Jehovah," has announced his intention to forsake Wanganui and live at Matamata. A statement isaued by his secretary, Mr. Martine Tane, says that Wanganui had always received the principal share in the business of building and maintaining Ratana pia and that Ratana had taken the lead in assisting deserving causes there with parties from the pa. These services had been rewarded with rebuffs and insults and allegedly unjustified legal processes had been com» menced against him. "With the fullest knowledge of all the circumstances, Ratana, on his departure from Ratana pa, will withdraw the whole of his interest, business and patronage from Wanganui," the statement says. A tract of land for residential and agrieultural purposes has been given to Ratana by the Matamata Maoris, and a staff from Ratana pa is now erecting buildings to accommod'ate the visitors who will attend the April meeting, which has been previously held at Wanganui. It is claimed that Ratana pa is the largest Maori pa in New Zealand, comprising about 200 residential buildings of various sizes and styles, and a concrete Ratana temple, the Ratana church, hall, dining hall, stores, billiard saloon engineering shop and garage, power-house, printing office, post office and museum.