THE RUA TRIAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14049, 20 July 1916, Page 8

THE RUA TRIAL.

"PATUA!. PATtJAI" A MAGISTRATE'S REMINISCENCES (Special to Herald.) AUCKLAND, {his day,; At tlie Rua trial yesterday interesting reminiscences were given by Helycr ' Widdowburn Bishop, Stipendiary Magistrate, "bT Christchurch and senior magistrate of the Dominion. From 1870 to 1876 he was translator and occasionally interpreter for Sir Donald McLean, then " Native Minister. Tho witness saii that the meaning of the words said to have been uttered by Rua, "He pu era ho kino," was, "Those are gur.s — they are evil." , Th©- meaning 0 f "Patua ! patua !" was u Kill! kill!" Witness related three occurrences in which he was concerned in the early days of Hokianga. During the year 1877 tliere was a tribal disturbance at Ponaketere, and as an . armed party approached the pa a mi»n rushed out in front of his people and said, "Patua! patiia !" at the same tnn° giving a kind of war dance. Immedi ately shots were fired, and two oi the natives were killed. Another instate of tho use of th© expression occurred at Otaua (Hokianga). As one tribe, rushed out .calling "Patua ! patua!" a, free exchange of blows followed, result-* ing in a death. vA 'third occasion was/ini fell© early 80's, at Waihou. A settlement was established in the valley of Hokianga river by a woman who set up as a prophetess. At first the enterprise, was perfectly harmless, but later assumed serious dimensions^ The witness ;\vas magistrate for tlie district,, and because of trouble arising from plurality of wives, he thought it should be nipped in the bud. He was given a free hand by Mr. Ballance. He took A party through th© dense bush, and reached the environs of tlie settlement eatfly in the morning. Their object was to effect a surprise, but one of the women gave; the alarm. A great hubbub ensued,and the "proplietSss" came out, calling. V^?atua! patua." A row commenced. All sorts of weapons Weije, used. One -man., .got seven pellets in;liiin, and oth-' ers hurt in varfohs 'ways. They" £> Crested abpiit 26. „ 0 , .j&O^te&^Ctohstable Sinner, of Hokianga, ih 'thi 'Witness b<s&, 'absolutely de Hied the tfeit Kp fired the first shot; ifrom: ta rev&W^v|k:j3we ; $r& that he did riot Scarry & re^jrer, l-bgly a Jfifle. _.'■', ' : 'h. ' "^''.-V--'^ . '.• Inspector .Sheehan t p^ijlVely -thajb^h© did 'vioi- firefe* shot i»gatau Witness: ■ did not 6sj£jr'-&pta airia his :revolvier was. ney<&- reimWed frottiits esse. . ■"Y „, Y'^'-Y. . The f also , th© $olie©^va^<Jed ftb the^'raei^he' : s&y .Constable nsici'iih^r^ 'exohaiife his 'ye-* volyei ' for'i»;.sriße.".-'. r Y-. :i^.. YY iCrd&^xaminea J by Witn€ls «aid that whil© on'T&.-^ra* ho kept .Constable Skinner in sight and wituess did not se© -him fire -a* shot. It was not true' that native wdrhen Vrer<jf forced to sleep oiiteidp withbut/bktfk^ts.Robert , William Dyer, Stipendiary Magistrate, g«v© ©videpcJe as tb'fEe cbh,* viefcions which h© imposed upon pri ! - in the Whakatan© Police Court in 1911 and again in 1916. Witness stated positiy&y that li© told -Hua Uhat . hewas making a great piistake if he, thought h© could "figttt 'the law, as ho would findjbhe law stronger than he.