THE TRIAL OF RUA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3250, 28 June 1916, Page 26

THE TRIAL OF RUA.

COMMISSIONER CULLEN'S EVIDENCE. AUCKLAND, June 20.

At. Rua's trial to-day John Calkn, Commissioner of Police, stated that us he approached Rua, who had informed a constable that he wished to see witness alone, the prophet ran awav. A constable stn

ss li.d with him, and us the latter would not walk witness gave instructions that ho be frog-marched. This was done, and a shot rang out from the gully, where there were no police. He saw one baton only, and there was no flying of batons. Tf Kua had listened to the iirst appeal lives might have been saved. Nothing was said by witness to scare Rua. Sub-inaneotor Johnston deserved great credit for grabbing Rua when he did, otherwise the consequences would have been much worse, Rua's object in trying to escape evidently being to get into the bush.

Commissioner Cullen said ho expected hostilities when he went to the settlement, but ho gave advice to his men not to shoot at any unarmed Maoris, as he did not desire any hostile action on the part of the police. Twenty-two guns, one .303 rifle, and a revolver found after the affray wc:o produced in court.

CASE FOR THE DEFENCE. AUCKLAND, June 21. At the trial of Rua to-day, Mr Lundon, in opening- the case for the defence, contended that, tiio jury had not been told the whole truth, and that they had probably been told very little of the truth, concerning the conflict which occurred at Maungapohatu between a highly trained force on one hand and on the other hand primitive peop.ie, who knew little of civilisation. Native witnesses would be produced as people who had not expected any lighting', but who had sustained a very considerable shock by the unfortunate occurrence. Counsel maintained that the story of the people was very much more to be relied upon than the story of the police. The prosecution had presented Rua as an unmitigated scoundrel, a common takedown, a waster, a man who had' lived on others, and generally a. man of no class. " Even amongst his own people, wo present him," said counsel, '"as a man for whom his people have considerable affection. and esteem. Wo won't present Rua as a rangatira of high birth, and wo readily agree with Mr Tole in his assertion to the contrary, because we like to believe that in tiiis country accident of birth does not count." Proceeding, counsel said that the jury would have the benefit of Rua's own story, which would show that he had endeavoured to live with his people above their surroundings, and that in reality they had within a few years made great strides of progress. Some years ago Rua >iad expressed a pronounced objection to Tohungaism, and up to 1910 he had rigorously opposed the introduction of liquor among his people. Trouble began with an unfortunate meeting at Wliakatane, where tho Natives were persuaded to sell some of their land. They were told that they were on an equality with tho pakehas, .md Rua asked for a license to sell liquor, his object bicng to prevent its clandestine introduction to his settlement. He found that tho laws were not the same for the Maori as those for the pakoha, and the discovery rankled in his "mind. The more a Maori thought over a grievance, the bigger it bocame, and probably it was in that state of mind that Rua unfortunately took to "fire water " himself, his settlement thus being the last in New Zealand to succumb to this habit of a civilised people. It had been said that Rua had nine wives, but was such a record unknown in Biblical history? No visitor had ever come away from Maungapohatu without feeling that the conduct of the settlement was a credit to its leader. June 22. Slow progress was made with Rua's trial to-day, the hearing of evidence of one Maori witness for the -defence occupying practically the whole day. The witness said the "first shot he heard fired came from a black horse.—(Laughter.) A constable with a revolver fired it. lie did not mention anything about the first shot when ho got back to Waimana, because he was afraid of tho police. He denied that any pressure had been brought to bear on him to chango his •statement. He had lately been treated to liquor by the police. June 23. The trial of the Maori "prophet", Rua dragged wearily on to-day, one Native witness " occupying the box for the greater portion of the time. He stated that a constable, whom he identified, fired tho firet shot. July 24. Tho fourteenth day of the trial of Rua was occupied by the evidence of one witness for the defence. It is now evident that the bearing will last well into July. June 25. The trial of Rua was continued to-day, when an elderly follower of the "prophet" was ernss-cxam : ti"d at length by counsel for the prosecution ami the defence. Somo amusing passages occurred between witness and counsel. A Native woman also gavo evidence.