RAWEI, THE NATIVE EVANGELIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 29 June 1893, Page 18

RAWEI, THE NATIVE EVANGELIST.

(Daily Times.)

We have received a number of letters, expressing the diverse opinions of the writers as to the necessity or otherwise of Rawei producing credentials that would completely establish confidence in his present mission. These have been called forth by a very proper opinion expressed by the writer of "Passing Notes" that any stranger' coming to a city and making collections for a philanthropic object should give proof of the bonafide character of his mission, It is not sufficient that the person should himself give particulars of his antecedents, and of the object he has in view. He should be armed with written credentials. In Rawei's case we were not quite satisfied after he had commenced his work in Dunedin that he had done all that was necessary to warrant the public placing entire faith in him. An interview with Rawei yesterday, during the course of which he produced letters from a former employer in a good position in Sydney, and from the colonel of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, together with account which he gave of his life during the past few years, have satisfied us, as it did some local clergymen who were present at the interview, that Rawei is a perfectly honest, straightforward young man, doing his best to raise funds for ameliorating the condition of life of the people in his native village of Pipiriki, on the Wanganui river. Ho has only been engaged on his present philanthropic mission for about 10 weeks, and has shown us the books in which he keeps an account of his receipts and expenditure, tho collections and money for admission to his evangelistic services being^kepb separate, and separately banked until they reach a sum that will suffice for his purpose. We need only say that any want of confidence we may have had as to Rawei has been entirely removed. We do not think it necessary to publish the letters we have received.