TOHUNGA GAOLED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 55, 25 July 1914, Page 5

TOHUNGA GAOLED.

OLD MAORI WOMAN. SENT TO PRISON. Per Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. An unusual ease came before Mr. P. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Police. Court, when a Maori, 72 years old, named Mary Aim Hill, was charged under the Tohunga Suppression Act of 1008 with having, between March 30 and July !) oi this year, attempted to mislead Maoris by professing and pretending to posses's supernatural powers in the treatment and cure of disease, and also with causing Maoris to gather round her by practising km their superstition and credulity

Chief-Detective McMabon conducted the case for the police, and Mr. Prcndergast appeared for the accused. In outlining the case, Detective McMalion said that accused 1 , Wlio was a certificated nurse, had been practising for some years. She had become famous among the Maoris on account of her fortune-telling, clairvoyancy and tohungaism. Natives came from far and near to consult her, and many were treated by her, believinf she was possessed of second sight and supernatural powers. She was in tih'e habit of providing them with some liquids which could not be called medicine. These were to be sprinkled on the pillow, or used in some similar manner. Other ridiculous "cures" wore given to patients. Her influence had been farreaching, for so great was tlieir faith in her that many Maoris neglected to call in proper medical aid when it was necessary, with the re-ult that many of the patients died. The Public Health Department had warned her, but she had taken no notice. Such was tar influence that natives suffering from typhoid fever bail refused to go to a bospital, and had died. The magistrate, in giving his decision, said the law provided a penally of £'2s, of six mmiflis' imprisonment. Tf this were an isolated tiaso, he would feel it his duty to take the accused's age into consideration and impose a fine, but the evidence showed that accused must have practised to a sarge extent for such serious results to have 'been obtained. In view of accused's age it would be undue harshness to give tar hard labor. Site would receive six months' imprisonment without hard labor.