The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, October 6, 1908. TOHUNGAISM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 438, 6 October 1908, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, October 6, 1908. TOHUNGAISM.

Some time ago we directed public attention to the fact that a couple of toh ungas were carrying on their pranks at the native settlement of Motuiti. A stir was created, and the self - constituted evil spirit expellers were deprived of their maua. But superstitious practices die hard among the Maoris as with - the allegedly highly-civilised pakeha. We do not deny that numerous pakeha toh ungas are extorting money from the credulous and simple by means of palmistry, electric belts, etc., etc. But we have these slim charlatans under fairly close surveillance. Not so the xMaori tobuuga. A case has been brought under our notice, which should be probed by the authorities. We are informed that a young Maori girl at an adjacent pah, whose lungs were slightly affected, was under medical treatment, with a reasonable prospect of being cured, when she was taken to a tohunga, and the workof the medical man undone, with the result that she has now passed over to the Great Beyond. We are given to understand that two tohungas are plying their nefarious calling in this district, and steps are being taken to bring them to book. Tohungaism is still rife in this district.