Ratana’s Choice

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1081, 19 September 1930, Page 10

Ratana’s Choice

SON CONTESTS ELECTION

Mr. Te Mete Withdraws

THE choice of the followers of the Maori “prophet,” Tahu Wiremu Ratana, in the by-election in the Western Maori constituency, has definitely gone to a son of the leader, Mr. Toko Urn Ratana. The first announcement of this development of the campaign was made this morning in Auckland.

Mr. T. U. Rat ana unsuccessfully contested the Western Maori seat against Sir Maui Pomare at the General Election. The selection of Ra t ana’s son as the representative of the faction in tlie election lias resulted in the withdrawal ot one of the original candidates in the election, Mr. A. H. te Mete, of Tauranga. * Interviewed in Auckland this morning, Mr. Te Mete said he had been negotiating with the leaders of the Katana movement for several weeks, seeking to gain their support. “Since the leaders of the movement have chosen Katana’s son to represent what is really the Ratana Party, J have decided to withdraw from the contest,” Mr. Te Mete said. Mr. Te Mete was assured of a considerable amount of support in the Tauranga district and he had already received indications from many natives in the southern areas of the electorate that liis candidature was favoured. Instead of standing as an Independent, Mr. Te Mete made efforts to receive the support of the Ratana movement. The leaders of the faction would not give a definite answer until the question had been discussed fully and some natives believe that their decision was rather unnecessarily delayed. TOURED THE WORLD Mr. T. U. Ratana is a young man and a member of the Whanganui tribe. He was a member of the party of Ratana Maoris which toured the world several years ago. While the headquarters of the Ratana movement are at Ratana Pa, a few miles from Wanganui, the sect has many followers in Auckland Province and. at one time, there was talk of removing the

headquarters to Te Kuiti. Tahu Ratana earned his reputation as a

“prophet” by his remarkable cures of seemingly hopeless cases of illness by faith-healing but. in recent years, his endeavour has mainly been toward advancing agriculture among his followers. The Ratana Church is officially recognised as a religion. Apart from Mr. T. U. Ratana’s candidature, the contestants in the Maori election are now Mr. P. te HurinuiJones (Independent), ot Te Kuiti; Mr. Taite (e Tomo (Reform), of Taupo; the Rev. R. T. P. Haddon (Reform), ot New Plymouth; and Mr. H. H. Plahana (Reform), of Tauranga. Mr. Te Tomo is the official Reform Party candidate and Mr. Jones is receiving the support of the Young Maori Party, Princess Te Puea Herangi and, apparently, a number of United Party supporters. Mr. Tumate Mahuta, brother of the Waikato King, Te Rata Mahuta, is not taking an active part and nothing more has been lliard of the candidature of Mr. Rima Wakarua, of Waitotara.