DEATH OF RUA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 93, 14 January 1919, Page 6

DEATH OF RUA

REPORTED FROM UREWERA RESULT OF EPIDEMIC The Whnkntane correspondent of the "New Zealand Herald," writing on Friday last, stated that" the influenza' epidemic made an appearance in virulent form Urewera country, where it is .reported that there are over one hundred cases. Several deaths among the Natives at JMangapohatu have been recorded, among them Rua, the notorious prophet. No official information had so far come to hand. Rua Tapunui Hepetipa, whoso oeath is reported, achieved notoriety as a Maori "prophet." Born just o\er fifty years ago of an undistinguished family, ho. readied the zenith of his infliiencp over a section of the Urewera Natives in the years 1908 and 1909. In those days he lived with his followers chiefly at Mangapohatu arid Waiiti, in the heart of the Urewera country, and took to himself a plurality of wives. He affected European clothes, but wore a profusion of hair and a beard. These hirsute- adornments, however, disappeared in recent years. His religion was.a slightly modernised form of Hauhauism.

Rua was wont to declare that he did not preach' "Maoriland for the Maoris," but was really,Europeanising Maori customs and ways'. He objected to being called a tohunga, or prophet, claiming to be above both in his desire for tho betterment of his race. At the Mangapohatu pa he erected a circular temple, and therein lie used to officiate as' "high priest," though of late years the temple was put to more practical use as a wool store; When Rua's mana, was strongest he came into conflict occasionally with tho Government in. respect of rights lip demanded. . On one occasion, in March, 1008, Sir Joseph Ward, who was then Prime Minister, met him in- conference at Whakatano, and made it clear to him that the Government was supremo in New Zealand, and would do what was right by the/Maoris. "But," Sir Joseph Ward pointed out, "there cannot be two suns shining'in the sky at the one time." '- In later years Rua's influence began to wane, but he still retained several faithful adherents.

intimately,, in May, 1915, he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for sly. grog-selling, and convicted and ordered to come up for'sentence if called upon in respect of five other charges. In the following November he was summoned to appear at "Whakatane in respect to those charges. He failed to attend the Court, ,and was fined £50 and costs- in his absence, and to varioijs short terms of imprisonment totalling nine months. Efforts to induce Rua to', surrender himself to justice having failed, a police expedition, under,the then Commissioner, Mr. J. Cullen, set nut at the end of March to apprehend him. The armed police party of about sixtj Teached ! the "prophet's", stronghold at Mangapohatu on the morning of Sunday, April 2, 1916. The taking of Rua was followed, by "bloodshed, his followers and the polico exchanging shots,-the firing proceeding for about twenty minutes. Two of the Maoris were killed, including Rua's younger son,. Toko, aged 22, while four of the police and two or-three Natives were wounded. ■ Rua was charged with resisting arrest on April 2, and on a previous occasion, at "Wai-iti. His trial at the Auckland Supreme Court lasted forty-seven days, from June 9, 1916, to August 2. He was found guilty of "moral" resistance at Waiiti, and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, to. he followed by eighteen months' reformative treatment. Before the expiry of the latter term, a few months ago, Riia was released on the. recommendation of the Prisons Board.: He returned to the Urewera country, and. in the closing stages of jthe war was reported, to have been instrumental in inducing many young Maoris to enlist..