Mr Rata seen as church’s kind of M.P.

Press, 7 May 1980, Page 2

Mr Rata seen as church’s kind of M.P.

PA Hamilton | The Ratana Church had' given what. amounted to a subtle directive for its Northern Maori electorate members to vote for Mr M. Rata, in the coming Parliamentary by-election, said all source close to the church! presidency yesterday. ji The source, who has, direct links with the pro-1 phet, T. W. Ratana, but who declined to be named be-il cause of the low political! profile chosen by the church 1 presidency, said Mr Rata was the church’s kind of i politician. A definite statement onji the by-election was not.: forthcoming from the church h because of the delicacy of a ■ situation in which three re-, maining Maori members of'i

l Parliament, who were also 1 Ratana members, remained in the Labour Party. But there’ was general dissatisfaction with the track record over the last 40 years of Maori politicians in the Labour Party. I The source likened the i Ratana Church to a “sleeping dog” in Maoridom which i would rise to a vital issue 'such as the Northern Maori ■ by-election. ! Auckland alone had 15,000 members in the church and there were many more throughout the north to Te Hapua. If Mr Rata’s Mana iM o t u h a k e Independence movement won the north much pressure would be put on the remaining Maori politicians as to whether to stay in the Labour camp.