NIPPED IN THE BUD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2555, 28 October 1890, Page 2

NIPPED IN THE BUD.

The Maoris, like most native races, seem to be especially prone to superstition, and every now and then for years^ past we lind one or another among them sotting up m the r6le of a prophet or an apostlo of some newfangled religion. The Pai Mariii and Hauhaumovements detached thousands of them from a, nominal adhesion to the Christian faith, and there are thousands who at this clay regard the utterances of liewi.as those of one who is more than an ordinary mortal, and entitled to speak with the authority of inspiration. But llewi is a man of ability Jt , which is more than can be said of his imitators, and imitators he has of. an inferior type, such as Mahuki^ the native who started a little trouble up at Te Kuiti the other day by posing as: th 6 prophet of a brand new faith. He. is the same man it appears, who somel years ago, with forty followers attacked I a survey party under Messrs Hurst-i house and .Newsome (the surveyors^ named, if we remembered rightly being* stripped of their belongings, and tied up, to trees) and attempted an invasion? of the town of Alexandra. .* Captured! by the armed, Constabulary,';tne'offend ders wer^ tried and sentenced to terms;; of imprisonment. The lesson, ho\v-j ever, was not a sufficiently severe one? (M«huki; bad . a year u\ gaol) andf having made his debut m the capacity; of a prophet^ he proceeded to annex a] quantity of Government stores at Te; Kuiti arid to conduct himself m jv manner which gave uneasiness ■to thej settlers. ' The Government met the. , difficulty promptly and .'w.ejl,. at onee 1 despatching a force of police, and a de-, tachraent of the Permanent Militia to; the scene; On reaching the place it' was fotind that all ihe Maoris iuipli-! cated except Mahuki himself had re-i turned to Te Kumi. ■ 'Mrfihuki was* promptly arrested, as also; subsequently! were ab6ut twenty of hiss people who^ were implicated m • bis proceedings.; They ar,e described as fanatical youths) who appeared' to desire to pose aa martyrs. They will, no doubt, speedily Be brought to trial and will learn that! their new prophet is a fraud and a; delusion by the practical results of the; escapade into which he, has led ,them jwhile as to Maliuki himself, it is io bei $oped that the sentence will be suffi-; 'ciently severe to act as a deterrent to! those who may wish to come out m the character of prophets and disturbers of ■ the public peace. We are glad to see; 'that all the rightminded Natives of the; locality .thoroughly approve ,of the! action of the authdritiesj and, we^ heartily congratulate the, Native; .Minister —-Mr .Mitchelson—upon the; promptitude and energy which he has! displayed m nipping m the bud an in-j cipient trouble which otherwise! handled might easily have developed! nto snri ous proportions. * , I