Waitca Hot Springs.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4529, 4 December 1884, Page 4

Waitca Hot Springs.

(To the Editor.)

Sib,—As these valuable springs are only known to a very few people, excepting Maoris, I consider it my duty for the benefit of the sick, maimed, blind, and public generally, to give a little information re their wonderful curative powers. The springs are very numerous, and vary in temperature. They rise in the flax, along the bank of the river, one or two run into it, and in some places you may see them bubbling up in the river, the sand at the bottom of the riverin such places being almost too hot to walk on when bathing. The Piako natives come up tho river in canoes certain times of tho year to catch eels and bring their sick children and old men suffering with rheumatism, etc., to bathe in some of the springs. They lay them on rushes and flax mats in the water and cover them with blankets, very often for hours, with a tent over to keep the sun off. .Last year a native—Bom Tihi, from Whatawhata—who was working for the A.A.C. the opposite side of the river, and who did not know of the springs, came over to Mr Strange's house, on whose estate the springs are, for seme lard or ointment for a burnt child a year and a half old. He said the injury had been done a week ; its head and face were in a frightful state; it was all one great sore; they were afraid it had begun to mortify ; it was swelled behind its earfe; one of which was nearly burnt off. Mrs S. gave the parents some salve, which was applied for a day or two; but as it did not improve, Mrs Strange took them to the Hot Springs to wo,sh tho child ; the water took the swelling down directly and cleansed the Hore perfectly; it looked as fresh as if it had just been scalped ;'tho child's head was quite well in a week with only the one bathing. I could name many othor instances of sores being cured, but. they would take too much space. It any of .the animals on the farm are lame or galled with the harness, they are bathed with the spring water. Two horses had their eyes injured with titree, and had cataracts growing over them. After bathing them two or three times the skin fell clean off. A friend, MrM'acCormick, while harvesting, had a straw run into his eyo, leaving a small mark on the iris, which nearly blinded bim. In a little while a white film appeared to be growing round the mark. Afraid of losing his eye, and suffering great pain from the inflammation, he tried the springs, as a last resource, before going to Auckland. After the first bathing it was easier. Ha, applied the water every few" hours, and in a fewdays it was quite .coll; oven: the mark ot tho cut, was ko'io. Weak and inflamed eyes have- also been cuiud in a very short time. There are a great many wonderful springs. \\:r:i^b!_ acois _: Sildanij hav_ bt_i_. kuuv/a to cure the blind. Moreover, they have no disagreeable smell arising from them. There is a nice fourroomed cottage, pleasantly situated near the springs, whore any families or persons wishing to try them could obtain accommodation at a small cost. - The distance by road from Piako Railway Station is about twelve miles, and eight from Te Aroha,—Vebitas.