Kōrero: Religion and society

Prime Minister Peter Fraser and fellow members of the Cabinet pay their respects to MP Toko Rātana at Rātana pā, near Whanganui, in November 1944. Rātana had succeeded his father, T. W. Rātana, as leader of the Rātana church and had been the member of Parliament for Western Māori since 1935. Toko Rātana had led the discussions with Labour Party leader Harry Holland in 1931 which resulted in the Rātana candidates becoming associates of the party.