An Fecho of Te Kooti.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1922, Page 3

An Fecho of Te Kooti.

NATIVE RELIGIOUS SECT AND AN ENDOWMENT.

WELLINGTON, February 4

A clause with interesting historical associations vanished from the Native Washing-up Bill to-day, after the attention of the Legislative Council had been directed to its nature. It vested in trustees for the Ringatu Church some six hundred acres of land, known as Wainiii, in the parish of Wainnana, Bay of Plenty. The Hon., ,T. B. Gow objected to its passage. He explained that the Ringatu Church was a native religious sect, and that the clause proposed to give it an endowment.

Sir Francis Bell said he found that interesting. He had been under the impression that this church was merely a building. “It is not a building,” Mr Gow continued. “It appears to me that an endowment is being given to a certain form of religious belief that is prevalent among a small section of the Maori race.” The member added that the property had formerly been occupied by Te Kooti, the notorious Han Han, who settled there because it was unsafe for him to return to the Poverty Bay district, Where he had perpetrated a massacre Te Kooti had not only been the cause of continued unrest and resought also to establish a religon which would assist in cutting off the Maoris f'rdm the Europeans. Scraps of the Old Testament and odds and ends of ancient superstitions went to the making of his special holy day, observed on the Saturday, was instituted. The land was not given to Te Kooti as an endowment for his religion, hut as a home where he could remain isnfely after his pardon. Mr Gow observed finally that he nothing to say against the religion of the Ringatu Church, but in his opinion the land should go to Te Kooti’s descendants, and not to the sect.

“This Ringatu Church is more than a little vague,” said Sir Francis Bell, after hearing Mr Gow’s statement. “I thought at first that the Ringatu Church meant a church at Ringatu. Tf it means a religion, I think we ought to make a pause before we endow a faith which may, for all we know, he most pernicious.” Mr Gow: It is, sir.

Sir Francis Bell (smiling): I think it oasts doubt upon the devil. The Council struck out the clause.