MAORI FATALITIES

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 50, 27 August 1921, Page 9

MAORI FATALITIES

THE CULT OF FAITH.

A seven-year-old Maori boy at Whakataki, the son of Cameron Hawea, a labourer, died on Tuesday, after being ill for two or three weeks (saye the Waiiar&pa Age). His parents had not considered it necessary to call in a doctor, and on Tuesday morning the boy became suddenly worse, dying that wening. , The father, a man of about 30, also died yesterday morning from tuberculosis. . =' ' i At the inquest yesterday, by the Coroner (Mr. E. G. Eton, J.P.), Dr. Cowie stated that at a postmortem examination he'found a ruptured abscess ol a tubercular nature . which was the cause' of ■death. ' ;

Other evidence showed that the whole family, including the grandfather, who had been troubled with his legs; went to visit Ratana at Marton. They were introduced and the family history ires recorded to the healer* He dealt with the case in the usual manner, abjuring the family to return to their homes and to have faith, and that all would be well.

' The Coroner, in bringing in a verdict of death from ruptured abscess and tubercular peritonitis, pointed out that, if medical aid hod been summoned in time the abscess / could have been removed and the life of the 'child prolonged. He impressed upon the Natives the necessity of calling a doctor or taking patients to the hospjtal in any case of sickness. If they . neglected to do this the result might be very serious. On returning to Masterton, Mr. Eton communicated with the health inspector, and requested him to visit Whakataki to fumigate the house where th« patients had. diod; and also to make a thorough inspection of the Maori settlement, which appeared to him to require attention from a sanitary point of view.. .