RUA OVERSTEPPING BOUNDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 323, 24 February 1910, Page 5

RUA OVERSTEPPING BOUNDS

THREAT TO KILL EUROPEANS.

HIS FOLLOWING DAMAGING PRO

PERTY

By Telegraph.—Press' Association

Wellington. Last Night. Rua, the Maori who exercises spiritual away over a large mini nor of l'ivwera is reported to have Income aggressive towards European sutlers at Waiotahi, in the Bay of Plenty. Mr. Larry Lewis, a larmer at Waiotahi, informed a representative of (lie Opotiki Guardian that on Friday Rtia and a crowd of Maoris rode past his property. One of Mr. Lewis' employees sang nut. "There goes Rua on a blask torse." Others replied, ''No, Rua always rides a wihte horse/' Someone called out, "It's Rua all right. I saw him going down on C&lit horse on Thursday."

The Maori "prophet'' seemed to o:i----sider that he had been treated impudently, and talked about killing the whole of the wihtes on the place. A wahine handed him a parcel containing a gun in two parts, and Rua attempieil to adjust it. One of his followers approached the house and smashed ail the glass in the lower sashes by throwing sticks, and then attempted to damage the milk cans. Rua fixed up his gun, but did not use it, and departed •with his rfetinue in the direction of Waiamana. The matter was brousrht under tlip notice of the Hon. Dr. Findlay (Minister of Justice) by a New Zealand Tinn's representative, who asked if the I.istice Department considered it necessaw to take special steps to deal with 1 lir matter. "I have called for a rmliee report on the whole thing/' stated Dr. Findlay. "So far Rua has been allowed no more indulgence than any other person, European or Maori, and he wili have to be dealt with like anyone els'\ Tf he breaks the law the public may be assured that Rua will be allowed no license."