MAORI PROPHECY

Hokitika Guardian, 5 July 1930, Page 2

MAORI PROPHECY

FULFILLED FATALITY

TARANAKI DEATHS.

\By Telegraph—Press Association).

ANEW, PLYMOUTH, July 4. An extraordinary coincidence of deaths among leading Maoris of the Atiawa Tribe has occurred in North Taranaki in the nature of the fulfilment of a. prediction made by a wellknown Chief of high rank two years ago. When the findings were announced of the Commission inquiry into the matter of compensation for the confiscation of Maori land in thf

past, and it was proposed that the Ati-

awas be given £SOO annually for all , time, Rangi Wat fine (Watson), one of

/ the best known Maoris in the district. / vigorously opposed the acceptance of the money, on the grounds that monev could not atone for the blood of his forefathers. On several occasions he warned his people that, if money was accepted, disaster would befall the Atiawas, and that, at some time in the future, six leaders of the Tribe would all die within the space of half a moon.

Earlv in November, 1927, Watem died, and his Tangi lasted for many davs.

On Saturday, June 21 last. Jack Taieki. a man of high rank in the Atiawas died at Waipapa, north of Wnitara.

On the following Tuesday, the death occurred, in the New plvfnouth Hospital, of I-lonni. (Jack Taylor), the best-known. Atiawa Chief in the Waitara district. On June 30 then came the news of the death, in California, of Sir Maui Pomare, a' famous Atiawa., born at Urenui, north of Waitara. Then on Wednesday of this week, Ruhia (Mrs White), a Maori woman of high rank, died at the Manukorihi Pa in Waitara. Finally, this morning. Katherine Keenan, the grandneice of the famous warrior Te Rauparaha, and a close blood relation, of Sir Maui Pomare, passed away at the age of 95 years in a pa between Waitara and New Plymouth.

Taking the half moon predicted by Rangi Watene as fourteen days, today would he the finish of the half moon since the death of Taieki, Late this afternoon, the news wns received of the death, near the Bellblock factory, of the woman Pareiri, making the sixth death of a prominent Atiawa within a short time. The Rev. K. Hadfield, who has been working 'amiongist the Maoris for a long period, says that he has never experienced such a phenomenal number of notable deaths amongst Maoris in so short a time.