THE MAORIES OF THE SOUTH ISLAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 342, 5 September 1868, Page 4

THE MAORIES OF THE SOUTH ISLAND.

' The following letter appears m the Otago j Daily Times, of the 28th ultimo, written by j Abraham Hononi, Maori missionary at Riverton m the province of Southland : — Sir— The Rev. Mr Stuart haa just drawn my attention to a letter m your issue of yesterday with the sensational heading of " Hauhaus m Waikouaiti," and as I have only returned from a visit to that and the tbe other Maori settlements of thia neighborhood, 1 am able to -Speak with aome authority reapecting their {religions condition^ On reference to the prophet who has been amongst them. I have to say that the name is not Solomon, but Tamaheroa — that he is not from the North Island, but from the Maori settlement of Arowhenua, Province of Canterbury : and that he is not of the detestable Hauhau faith. In fact, his mission was to put his brethern on their fuard- against that aaperstition, as he had card that its miasionariea were likely to visit them m the course of the summer. To » deputation from Die Otago settlemeut, wbo came to ask him to visit them, he replied, "There is but one Saviour, and him the missionaries have preached tb you ; I have no other gospel, and if ye did not believe them you will not believe me; and with these words he sent them away. In reference to the procession, 1. have to say that it is their custom m going £o worship, which they do twice every week' day and three times every Sunday, to march eingle file and bare headed from their assembling house, and on entering the church to walk twice round the forma before sitting down, and on retiring to do the aame, with the addition of walking thrice rouud the church. They read the Church of England service, and join m the responses with a heartiness which is deafening. lam sure that there ia no dancing m the church, and, that the bowing to the lighted matches is ai alauder. At the conclusion of the servioe, on reaching the assembling house, there is a general lighting of lucifers, but it is for indling the pipe. . I am satisfied that- if the prophet had been of the Haubau superstition Mr Rosa, with whom I lodged, would have known it, and have communicated it to me. I have reason to believe thst they require all wbo join them ia worship to conform to their ways as regards the procession to the church and m the church, though they excepted me on the ground that I waa a man of known souudness, and a missionary. On my remonatratiug with them about it, they urged that it helped them to_ secure order. . .. __ In conclusion, I have to aay that I found the Maoris at all tha settlements as sheep without a shepherd. They are wholly left to ignorance and superstition, ,- aiid m the many evils which follow iv their Wake. Schools are a clamant necessity. I am glad to learn that the Synod of Otago, some eight mouths ago, authorised the Mission Com-, mittee to obtain a missiauary to labor among them ; but till a suitable one is secured, I am quite prepared to visit them once or twice a year m the service of the Gospel— and oftener .if 1- could conveniently leave , my. family and the Riverton Maoris, to whom I] am especially appointed. — I am, &c, """" Abraham Hononi, Maori Missionary at Riverton.