FANATICAL MAORIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25090, 4 December 1942, Page 2

FANATICAL MAORIS

POLICE OFFICERS ASSAULTED PRISON TERMS IMPOSED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Dec. 3. Five Maoris from the Rotorua district —Ray Reihana, aged 36. and fiis three brothers, Tim. Rehu, and Micky, aged 31, 19, and IB respectively, and Henry October, aged IB—were sentenced by Mr Justice Callan to-day to six months’ imprisonment for assault, causing actual bodily harm, and assaulting, resisting, and obstructing police constables on duty. His Honor Said the case was an unusual one in this country. The Maori youth, October, was a brother-in-law of the other four. Another brother, Rahu Reihana, had been ill, and after recovery had behaved queerly, going among other Maoris and of his family, saying that he was Uod and had the power merely by looking at people to cause their deatn. This created considerable trouble among the Maoris, particularly in the forestry hut where the Maoris were accommodated. Because of complaints from the forest ranger, constables went to Waiotapu camp to tell the Maoris to leave the hut. “No one anticipated the extremes to which the Maoris would go,” said his Honor. The constables were unarmed, and met very defiant Maoris, who assaulted them.” One constable received severe head injuries. The police left, but returned later when the Maoris again showed fight, Deing armed with pickets from a fence. Severe injuries were inflicted, and Rahu Reihana died. His Honor said the Maoris were previously of good character, and they had acted under the influence of one with religious mania.