Reluctance To Seek Medical Advice Shown by Maoris

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1942, Page 5

Reluctance To Seek Medical Advice Shown by Maoris

Comment by coroner at Hawera inquest. Obvious reluctance on the part of certain Maoris in the district to obtain medical attention in cases of illness was viewed with concern by those interested in Maori health, said the coroner, Mr. A. Grant, J.P., at an adjourned inquest at Hawera yesterday into the death of a Maori child, Marlene Davis, aged 17 months. Those interested in the safeguarding of Maori health would have to continue their effoi'ts to overcome this reluctance, he added. The inquest was adjourned from last Friday because a witness required to give evidence of identification failed to attend. His evidence was heard yesterday .and Mr. Grant gave his finding m accordance with the evidence of Dr. W. F. Buist, who conducted a , postmortem examination on the body, that death was primarily due to lobar pneumonia. . "There is no direct evidence in this case of the influence of tohungaism, said Mr. Grant, "but the district nurse employed by the Health Department, Mirika Wehipeihana, stated that tohungaism appeared to be operating fairly freely in the district. There have been cases where patients have been removed from hospitals and allegedly given treatment by tohungas and have ultimately died." Admittedly some of them might have died in any case, but that did not disguise the fact that the patients were not given a fair chance of recovery.. Tommy Ngatai, Auroa Road, Otakeho, said he was an uncle of Marlene Davis and on July 19 had, in the presence of the coroner, viewed the body and identified it. Reprimanded by Mr. Grant for his failure to attend the court on Friday, Ngatai replied that he did not have the rnoney for the bus fare, and when asked why he had not communicated with Constable B. Warren he said he was too busy. "If this happens again you may find yourself in serious trouble," warned Mr. Grant. "You can't humbug the court in this way."