The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-23
MAORI EMPEROR
 RUA IS CURED

Rua, Maori prophet" polygamist and "moonshiner," sometimes called the Maori emperor"-aIthough un- justifiably, it appears-has just been | convicted by jury at Auckland, New Zealand, upon certain counts after a trial of extraordinary length. Rua, his pretensions to divine powers, his temple and stronghold at Maungapo- hatu, in the wild and almost inaccessi- ble King country" in northern New Zealand; his fight with policemen several months ago. in which several
 men were killed or wounded; his pre- vious defiance of authority-all this constitutes one of the most interesting chapters in the history of New Zea- land.
 Proclaimed Himself Messiah. ! Rua first attracted attention about 10 years ago. He set himself up as a
 sort of Messiah in the Urewera dis trict, which is near the bay of Plenty, on the North island of the Dominion. This region, somestmes called the King country" from old Maori usage, is a sort of government reservation. It Is inhabited by the most primitive of the aborig1nals of New Zealand. Incl dentally it adjoins the famous geysers and hot lake resort of the Dominion Rotorus-which is quite the equal of the Yellowstone park. The Urewera district is very rugged, covered with forests and thick undergrowth and is well nigh trackless.
 Aided by Cunning and Glibness. Rua was slave born. but he broke Maori tradition by assuming the pre- negatives of chief. and in addition he mixed with native superstition smat- tering of Christian belief. He was glib and cunning, and before long he had a strong hold upon the minds of the untutored members of his race whom a kindly government permitted to live considerably remote from the more enlightened Maoris in order that they might be protected from the evils of civilization.
 At Maungopohatu, a native hamlet in the center of the King country" he posed as g. savior, and he was at tended by a bodyguard, Here, al- though by birth a slave and therefore entitled to but one wife, he took unto himself spouses variously estimated at from nine to 14. and he built, or rather had built. a circular temple of considerable ingenuity of design and construction. for the Maoris are good architects. In cupalo of this struc- ture he professed to communicate with the Almighty, and below him customarily sat a dozen Maoris, called after the Twelve Apostles.
 Moozashining Ills Downfall
 It was "sly grog'' selling, or moon shining" which got the prophet into trouble. To make liquor on ones premises without permission and then to sell it to natives is against the law, and when Rua was convincted of hav- ing done this he had to serve a Jail sentence. Several indictments upon the same score were hanging over his head when he was released and r. turned to lMaunghapohatu, but upon his being summoned to Auckland to answer to them he defied the authori- ties.
 Finally strong force of police was sent to Maunghapohatu. Rua and his henchmen put up a desperate fight. Two rMaoris-one of them one of Rua's numerous progeny-were killed, and a number were wounded fin the rifle fire, and four policemen were wounded. Rua, after a resistance with teeth. fists and feet, was captur- ed.
 Rua's trial occupied 47 days, there being 87 witnesses. many of whom were Maoris. Justice Chapman. who conducted it, remarked in summing up that it had been the longest trial in Australasia and possibly longest in British jurisprudence next after the famous Tichborne case. Rua was con- victed of resisting the police, but was acquitted of having used seditious language. On two other counts the jury disagreed.