MAORI SUPERSTITION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1132, 12 August 1913, Page 4

MAORI SUPERSTITION.

THE GLADSTONE INQUEST

Contrary to the expectations of the Carterton police, the Coroner (Mr J. T. M. Hornsby) and Dr Mathiesou, the permission given by the natives on Wednesday to hold a post mortem examination on the body of Pita Kawana (Peter Cowan), was withdrawn on Thursday, and the doctor was not permitted to approach the body, which was lying in the church. Evidently the natives had reconsidered their decision, for when the coronial party arrived they were lined up in full force, some 200 strong, men, women and children. A chorus of lamentation was continually kept up, giving a weird accompaniment to the talk between the Pakehas and the natives. The trouble to overcome was the native superstition that no man could enter Paradise if his body was mutilated after death, and that if any part of a man’s body was taken away by another, that other was endowed with all the virtues and bravery ot the deceased, and deceased was damned elernallly. Consequently the task of allaying these fears was no light one.

Up to the time of the arrival of the Coroner, Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, affairs wore a very ugly aspect. The women declared that they would throw themselves across the dead body, and would rather die than that the doctor’s hand should open the corpseMr Hornsby, having ascertained the trouble, addressed, by means of an interpreter, some very quiet, but very firm, words to the natives. He said he was there as the King’s officer, with the King’s papers, to ascertain how and in what manner Peter Cowan died. If it became necessary to use force, force would undoubtedly be used. He might have to go away now, but he would come back with a force that would enable him to carry out the King’s commands. That would mean that the Maoris, who had always been friends and law-abiding, would be breakers of the law and the enemies of the King. It would mean that many of them would be put in prison, and he hoped they would not get into so sad a position. The work that the doctor would do was for the benefit and safety of the living ; otherwise men, women and children might be poisoned, or killed in other ways, and no word said. He would give them a few minutes to think things over.

One by one the people gave way. There remained only one man, and he presumably was under the influence of liquor. He denounced those who bad given way, and threatened to prevent the doctor from doing anything to the body. “Cut me open,” he cried in a half-frenzied way, “but cut up Peter Cowan’s body ? Not much!”

The Coroner, after some further parley, asked if this man spoke for the whole people or only for himself. The reply was that the man spoke only for himself. “Very well, then,” said the Coroner, “unless he desists and leaves this place at once, I will have him arrested and taken to prison. That settled the trouble. The recalcitrant gave way, wept and retired.

The post mortem was then held, and disclosed the fact that a cyst on the left lobe of the t liver had ruptured, setting up general peritonitis, death ensuing from syncope. The inquest was held in lh.e church, and a verdict returned by the Coroner in accord with the medical testimony.