MAORI FAITHS.

Shannon News, 3 May 1929, Page 2

MAORI FAITHS.

93 PER CEN,T : CHRISTIAN

The religious affiliations of the Maori of to-day form a particularly interest-, ing branch of the census, and onewhich has never hitherto been quantitatively investigated by census methods, states the Government Statistician in a report upon the result of the 1926 census.

'Over 93 per cent, of all Maoris recorded their adherence to Christian beliefs. A comparison with the European Census of religious professionsshows that the Maori is by no means a replica of the European in his spiritual beliefs. The Church of England has the greatest number of Maori followers If the majority of those classed under “Missions” be added. , the proportional ' share of the population would be little different from that of European Anglicans to the total European population. The detailed return of adherents of Christian faiths is as follows:—Church of England, 21,738; Katana Church, 11,567; Roman Catholic, 8558; Eiugatu, 1540; Methodist, 4066; Mission (“Mihinate”), 3804; Latter Day Saints (Mormon), 3461; Presbyterian, 638; Followers of Te Whiti and Te Tolm (Eaukura), 375; Maori Church, 90; Seventh Day Adventists, 34; Seven Rules of Jehovah, 71; Salvation Army, 43; Church of Christ, 27; Baptist, 24; Bible Students, 21; other Christians, 220; total, 59,327. The second largest body is that of the Katana Church,, or Morehu,. a church of comparatively recent origin. This is essentially a Maori Church, and is practically without representation on the European side, other than for ,a few quarter-east European-Maoris. The Roman Catholic and Mormon Churches, the latter in particular, have a higher ratio of adherents among the Maori than among the European. Fo: the converse, the most striking cxam : pie is the Presbyterian Church, for which only 1 in every 100 Maoris claimed adherence, as against 1 in every 4 - The fourth church of the Maori in numerical precedence is that of the Eingatu, with which ha 3 been added those returned as “Hauhaus” and those belonging to “Te Wairua Tapu.”4 The main strongholds of tlu; Ringatu Church is in the Bay of Plenty and Poverty Bay districts. "The Anglican, Katana, and Roman Catholic Churches are fairly -well represented in most districts. Methodists are found chiefly in Auckland and Taranaki; and “Mission” Maoris and Mormons in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay. Two-thirds of those objecting to record their religions belief at the census were in the Auckland district, particularly in the King Country.