MAORI FAITHS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 96, 27 April 1929, Page 8

MAORI FAITHS

93 PER CENT. CHRISTIAN

LARGELY ANGLICAN

The religious affiliations of, the Maori of to-day form a. particularly interesting branch of the 'census, and one which has never hitherto been quantitatively investigated by census methods, states: the Government Statistician in a Report upon the result of the 1926 census. Over 93 per cent, of all Maoris recorded their adherence to Christian beliefs.' A comparison with the European, census of religious professions shows that the Maori is by'no means a'repliea of the European in his spiritual beliefs. The' Church of England has the greatest number of Maori followers. If the majority, of those classed under "Missions" be added, the proportional share of the population would be little different from that of European Anglicans to the total European population. The detailed return of adherents of Christian faiths is as*follows: Church of England, 21,738; Eatana, Church, 11,567; Eoman Catholic, 8558; TBingatu, 4540; Methodist,,4o66; Mission "Mihiuare'..'), 3804; Latter Day Saints (Mormon), 3461; Presbyterian, 638; Followers' of Te Whiti and Te Tohu (Eaukura),, 375; Maori Church, 90; Seventh .Day 'Adven-. tist, 84; 'Seven, Bules; of Jehovah, 71; Salvation Army, 43; Church of Christ, 27; Baptist, 24; Bible Student, 21; other Christians, 220; total, 59,327. , The second largest body is that of the Eataua Church, or Morehu, a church of comparatively recent origin.' "This is essentially a Maori Church, and is practically without representation, on the European side, other than; for a few quarter-east European-Maoris. ; The Eoman Catholic and Mormon Churches, the 1 latter in particular, have a higher ratio of adherents among the*.Maori than among the European. For the cbn: verse, the most striking example is the Presbyterian Churchy for which only 1 in every 100 Maoris claimed adherence, as against lin every 4 Europeans.. The fourth church of the Maori in numerical precedence is that of the Eingatu, with which has been added those'returned at "Hauhaus" and those bolonging to,.<•'■ To Wairua Tapu.f ' " The main strongholds of the Ringatu Church is in the Bay of Plenty and Poverty Bay districts. The Anglican, Eatana, and E'oinan Catholic Churches aro fairly well represented in most districts. Methodists arc found chiefly in-Auckland and Taranaki; and '-'Mission 1' Maoris and Mormons in_ Auckland, and Hawkes Bay. Two-thirds of those- objecting to record their .religious beliefat tho census were in the Auckland district, particularly in tho King Country. :■