DEATH OF RUA

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4961, 27 February 1937, Page 6

DEATH OF RUA

"PROPHET AND REBEL." ADVENTURES IN UREWERA. One of the most picturesque figures in recent Maori history, Rua, the Maori "prophet," died at Matahi, near Taneatua, on Saturday night at the age of 68 states the New Zealand Herald. Founder of a strange religious sect, rebel against the liquor laws of the Dominion, and self-styled seer of visions. Rua was for years almost a legendary figure in the fastnesses of the Urewera country. His death recalls the dramatic events over 20 years ago, when at Rua's command, his followers fought a pitched battle with a police party at Mangapohatu, in the Urewera, resulting in the death of two Maoris and the wounding of four constables. Rua was born in the Urewera country and as a young man worked on various farms and sheep stations in the east coast district. About 1905 he , returned to Mangaohatu and set himself up as a prophet. He was not of chiefly rank, but he possessed a strong personality and a considerable gift of Maori oratory. His people, too, lived remote from European civilisation, and it was not long before Rua began to obtain a marked personal dominance. Threats of friction drew the then Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, to Whakatane, in an effort to pacify the rival factions among the agitated natives. Sales of Liquor. In the years preceding the war Rua's influence increased. With gome of his followers he formed a farming settlement at Mangapohatu. They grew their hair long and professed the somewhat fantastic religious beliefs of their leader. However, in 1910, Rua came under the eye of the law. It was learned that he was having liquor brought into Mangapohatu and that he was selling it to the Maoris in defiance of the laws of the country. He was arrested, together with several of his followers, and they were taken to Whakatane, where they were fined substantial sum. But liquor profits proved too attractive for the Maori "prophet." He resumed his illicit operations and the authorities were informed that a further attempt to arrest him was likely to be defined. Accordingly, in 1916, a police party of close on 60 men, commanded by Commissioner Cullen, marched on Rua's stronghold. A Torrid Encounter. When the party reached a plateau in front of Rua's village the "prophet" and his followers fled, closely pursued by the police, and after a brief but determined scuffle Rua and two armed Maoris were arrested. The remaining Maoris eluded the police, and, taking refuge in various parts of the village and in the bush across an adjoining gully, opened fire. Four constables were wounded after the police party

opened fire. Meanwhile Rua, in captivity, was shouting incessantly, "Patua, Patua!"—alleged at the time to be an instruction to his followers to kill and destroy. A, torrid encounter followed. Rua's son Toko dropped dead with three bullets in his body and a rifle bullet shattered the head of Maipa, the "prophet's" own bodyguard. A member of the police party, Constable Neil, was severely wounded, but gradually the natives withdrew, and Rua, accepting the inevitable, shouted to them to cease fire. Trial in Auckland. Eight natives, as well as Rua and his eldest son, were arrested. The police found a large quantity of rifles and a considerable quantity of ammunition in the "prophet's" stronghold, and these were confiscated and brought back with the party, a strong guard being left at the pa after the battle. The arrested men were taken back through the bush to Rotorua, and later Rua stood his trial in the Supreme Court in Auckland, before Mr. Justice Chapman. It was one of the longest criminal trials in the history of New Zealand, occupying 47 sitting days, but eventually Rua was found guilty of resisting the police and was sentenced to twelve months' hard labour, and a further eighteen months' reformative detention.

Man of Many Wives. At that time Rua's farming operations had almost ceased and the settlement was deteriorating. He still took an interest in the religious rites of his own sect, and occasionally displayed some jealousy at the rise of Ratana as a Maori prophet of greater influence. Rua's own religion countenanced, if it did not command, polygamy, and in this respect the "prophet" certainly practised what he preached. He had numerous wives, often as many as a dozen at a time, and, as far back as 1927, he himself estimated that he had 62 children. Rua made his last public appearance in January, 1935, when with his wives and a large retinue, he jour- | neyed 50 miles from Mangapohatu to Ruatoki to join in a welcome by the Urewera people to the then Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, who was making a tour of native land settlement schemes. After the formal speechmaking, in which Rua, not being of chiefly rank, did not participate, Mr. Forbes chatted with him for some time and they parted with mutual good wishes.