THE MAORI MAKUTU.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 177, 28 July 1893, Page 4

THE MAORI MAKUTU.

TOHUNGA'S FIXED FEE,

A GALLON OF WHISKEY,

The tohunga who is credited by the Maoris with having caused the recent deaths up North had, it is stated, a fixed fee for every case of makutu he undertook to cure. It was certainly according to the English Bcale of charges, to which physicians axe supposed to abide, but was nothing more uor less than >a gallon of whisky. The reported number of deaths was about 50, and if Mr Tohunga managed to drink 50 gallons of gumfiulds whisky in five months he muat truly have been a wonderful man, and fcho surprise ia that it was not the doctor instead of the patients that succumbed. That such, however, was his fee, wo learn upon reliable authority.

In connection with this case, we learn from Inspector Hickson, who haa just returned from his periodical inspection of the Northern districts, that Dr. Hall, oi Kamo, in answer to a telegram informed him that owing to the lengthy period that had elapsod since the burial of the bodies, tha causa of death could not .be ascertained by an examination of the bodies. The Inspector further stated that the tohunga has now left tho district, in which he has been living for some time, and has gone further North, to Kawakawa. The Inspector communicated with the constable at Kawakawa, telling him to warn the natives in that district ot the disastrous results of the lohunga's application.