THE RATANA MOVEMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2839, 29 January 1925, Page 3

THE RATANA MOVEMENT.

POLITICS IN PLACE OF RELIGION. THE REAL OBJECT DISCLOSED. A good deal of prominence has been given to what has become known as the Ratana movement in New Zealand, and this has again become more pronounced since the return of Ratana and his party from •their visit to England and Europe (says the “Taranaki Herald”). The movement, in its inception stage, was a religious one, but, according to a prominent native, it has now lost much of its religious character, and degenerated into a huge political organisation. Prior to the last election Ratana and his son and their “underlings” carried with them wherever they went a box of books (some of them bound), which throws some light on how the Maori people were unjustly dealt with by former Governments of New Zealand in regard to the purchase of their lands, which were bought according to longitude and lattitude and consideration for the same was principally hoop-irons, red blankets, etc. These hooks Avere full of grievances which Governments of the Dominion had from time to time promised to remedy.

Some time before the last election Ratana told his people that the end of his mission to cure the soul Avas fast approaching and that in the future he Avould devote himself to the cure of the “soil.”

A few Aveeks ago numbers of Taranaki Natives Avent to Ratana to accord the “saviour” of the Maoris a fitting “poAvhiri” (Avelcome) in true Maori fashion by the waving of leaves and branches of trees before the advancing party. According to |he ancient, custom this is the Avay of welcoming a. conqueror or an illustrious stranger. These visitors (o Ratana. have hoav returned and many Ratanaites were present, at the customary meeting held at Wnitara on a recent Sunday by the To ifhiti-ites. Four of Ratana’s agents were also present, and apparently very active.

Alter the customary speeches by the To Whitis, these Ratana agents practically monopolised proceedings. They recounted the story of Katana’s travels in England, Genova and Japan, and recited the grievances they had in regal'd to being ignored by the British Government, for Avliicli they blamed Sir Maui Potnare. This led to their going to Geneva and to the League of Nations, lm(, on arrival there they found themselves forestalled and the presence of Sir Janies Allan there persuaded them they could not expect justice from that quarter. This Avas said to he responsible for driving them into the arms of the Japanese, avlio received them cordially and treated them avcll, telling them they came from the same stock and were the cousins of the Japanese. The Ratana agents gave out. that an understanding had been reached with the Japanese, and said in their oavh Avords at Waitara “Kua marenatia te iwi Maori kite Tiapani.” (“The Maori people are Avcdded to the Japanese people.”) The failure of the New Zealand Government ot. redress their grievances, and the cold shoulder given them by I lie British Government, together with the fact that the intervention of Sir James Allen prevented them from getting a hearing at the League of Nations, has, according to the Ratana agents, driven them as a last hope to look to Japan for the salvation of the Maori people. Another aspect of the activities of the Ratanaites at Waitara Avas sliOAvn by their anxiety to get local Natives to sign their Book of Covenant. This book Avas closed some time before the last election, and there Avas no power on earth to reopen the hook, Avliich they call the “Book of Life,” and disaster Avas promised those avlio Avould not sign it. What that “disaster” is likely to be is not altogether clear, but the more astute among the Natives hazard the guess that it may he intended to mean exclusion from participation in the lands AA'hicli thev expect to be restored to them by the mighty hands of their neAV-found “saviours,” the Japanese. The idea of an “understanding” with the Japanese, such as the Ratana folloAvers suggest, is not taken seriously by those outside his cult. Already there are signs that Ratana’s hold on his folloAvers is Aveakening in Taranaki, and many have recently broken away from him. They regard the Treaty of Waitangi as the only covenant they have made and to which they Avill ahvays be loyat. Any grievances they have they expect to he remedied according tfl the terms of thaf treaty.