RELIGIOUS MANIA.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 239, 21 September 1922, Page 7

RELIGIOUS MANIA.

CAUSE OF DESTITUTION. .MAORI EXTRAVAGANCE. Wanganui, Sept. 16. The Maoris deny that there is the destitution complained of in the House of Representatives, and they maintain that they do not deny themselves food and comforts for the sake of Ratanafisin. A Wanganui student of Maori, however, draws attention to the fact that at the recent big meeting at Ratana, bomething like 280 head of cattle, 200 sheep, 160 pigs, 25 tons of potatoes and 20 tons of miscellaneous foodstuffs were taken there, independent of about 4000 Maoris, whose railway fares in many eases amounted to £2 10s. In one case a poor Maori woman arrived carrying a deformed child which she hoped would be healed, and her travelling expenses, including the return journey to the interior of Hawke’s Bay, were £2O Bs. Then, again, within the last couple of months a company of Maoris lias left Wanganui for Christchurch, an invitation having been sent to the great faith-healer to open a church. Most of those were 'men of small means, who should have been planting potatoes at home. It is claimed that this religious outburst is calculated to cause more impoverishment among Maoris han anything else known for years.