The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1879.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 440, 2 July 1879, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1879.

A more miserable specimen of humanity could not be imagined than the Maori who stole the clothes at Hawera on Friday last, ami was sentenced to six months imprisonment in Wanganui gaol, at the Carlyle Court, on Saturday. When the nows first reached ns that a Maori had been arrested, we rejoiced, as wc anticipated seeing a powerful, bounceable fellow—but it would appear that To Whiti has not as yet got the whole of the natives into his way of thinking, hence this half-mad looking creature has been selected to do the trial trip in the matter of pilfering-. Id et it not be supposed that wo do not still rejoice in the arrest and sentence of this native; for, if mad at all, it is a madness that can be cured by a few months residence in gaol, combined with the healthful exercise of the wheelbarrow and shovel. Tamati, no donbt full of the glory and power of To Whiti, set forth with the understanding that if anything went wrong, it would soon be righted—and so carried away was ho by the supposed power of the prophet, that we believe he requested, after his arrest, that someone kill him, so that he might have the satisfaction of rising again in three days. There is nothing very surprising of some of the native race being led to believe implicitly in such schemers as Te Whiti, for do we not find even our own countrymen flocking around unknown hypocrites, who hold out that they are spiritual beings ; and there are plenty who seem only too eager to take np tho cry and follow. But all these things have an end, and after a few more natives are dealt with by the law, we fancy the Maori will wake up and exclaim, “ Too much the humbug; you, Te Whiti.” However, by the native finding out that Te Whiti is only an imposter, will not make our case any better, for there is nothing to prevent some other fanatic, in a few years time, setting up in the same line, and of course similar difficuliies will occur. Such an example should be made of Tc Whiti that would completely put a stop to any further fear of prophets rising up amongst the natives, and wc trust that Government will not loose sight of this.