The Star. (PUBLISHED DAILY.)

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VIII, Issue 1355, 10 July 1886, Page 2

The Star. (PUBLISHED DAILY.)

SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1886. THE MAORI DIFFICULTY.

It is by no uieaus easy, even approximately, to ascertain what is the real object of tho present agitation on the part of the Maoris. The apparent and most probable reason is that they strongly object to having their rates collected by a Government agent, appointed against their will, who sticks to a thumping commission, and and delays payment for months. This would be a substantial grievance in the case of a body of European tenants, and in such matters white men and brown fool very much alike. Bu6 although this is the first, it is also tho most superficial reason, and there is a graver one below. A body of credulous natives, who would swallow such a story as that which is said lately to have been accepted by them from Te Whifci, may be prepared to enter upon ridiculous and even mischievous courses. The story we refer to runs as follows : — Many of the Maoris^ att r i bute_ the "volC(inic~*oui,bursls at Tarawera J3o]ejy__jto_ T\3 Whiti's influence; arul lie, naturally enough, accepts the homage thus paid to his supernatural powers, notwithstanding the fact that they might appear to be of a Satanic rather than of diviue origiu. Some of his followers, however, " wanted to know, you know," how it had come about that Te Whiti h;>.d allowed more Maoris than Pnkehas to be killed ; and seemed to think he bad raised, but could not lay the devil he had thus called to his aid. It was explained, however, that the nirety-four Maoris, who had been smothered in the eruption, belonged to tbe very tribe which, in the last Maori war, fought against the Maori

patriots, on the Pakeba side ; and hence their punishment. The explanation is certainly ntat. Seeing that the aged tobunga or medicine man, who, at Wairoa, lived for four days under mud and ashes, without food, has since died, it would seem that those Maoris who attributed the outburst to him, will now be forced to admit their error and agree with their fellows on this coast in attributing the " bust-up " to Te Whiti. If, therefore, we decline to believe that the non-payment of rents is tho sole or even the chief cause of the disturbance, it is simply because of the large amount of superstition and fanaticism which is intimately mixed up in the affair. Besides, it is wellknown that some such course of action has long been talked-of and planned, but that hitherto the deriples declined to obey the prophet's Leiieafc.