CLAIMED HE WAS GOD

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXI, Issue 15211, 28 November 1942, Page 4

CLAIMED HE WAS GOD

FRACAS AT ROTORUA Electric Telegraph.—Press Association ROTORUA, Nov. 26. Evidence called by the police revealed that religious frenzy occasioned by- the preachings of a Maori who claimed that he was God, was at the bottom of a serious fracas at Waiotapu on October 26, between seven Maoris, the police and military provosts. As the result of a pitched battle, one Maori died and [ another received a fractured skull, while Police Constable Kilgour suffered a fractured skull and several other police and Maoris were severely injured. Six accused appeared at the Rotorua Police Court charged with causing actual bodily harm, assault, resisting and obstruction of the police They were Rehu Reihana (19 years), Micky Reihana (18). Ray Reihara (36), Tim Reihana (31', 'Ken Reihana. (25), brothers, of Taupo, and Henry October (aged 29) also of Taupo Witnesses testified that the de ceased, Rahu Reihana, who was killed m the fracas, set himself up as God and declared that he had power to destroy any person who tried to resist or arrest him Family differences had arisen o\ er Rahu 1 a threats and claims, and as a result' the police were called to eject, some troublesome members from a forestry hut they were illegally occupying. Constable Kilgour tried to reason with the Maoris, but was savagely attacked and battered about the head with a baton His two companions were also attacked. A second police par+.v proceeded to the scene nith instructions to use violence as a last resort. 3ho Maoris resisted violently with woodet* batons, and in the resultant fight, Rahu Reihana received a fractured skull and died, while Ken Reihana received a. fractured skull, but has since recovered Concluding the police evidence was a voluntary statement taken in custody from Ray Reihana as spokesman for the partv. It said all had made up their minds to plead guilty and regretted the whole affair. He explained that at the time, all had keen seized with a feeling that they themsoßes could not understand and this had caused them to do it. They knew they had done wrojjg. All the accused who were present pleaded guilty and were committed to the Auckland Supreme Court for sentence.