NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 244, 9 July 1921, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

Recognition of Ratana’s work has been given by the Diocesan Synod, and public opinion will support the view that on the evidence so far available such recognition is warranted. What the final outcome of Ratana’s healing will be it is too early to say. It is at least certain that he ie far from a charlatan seeking to make money out of whatever power he may possess. Not only does he take no fee, hut he gives food and shelter free of charge to his Maori patients, and throughout appears to be acting only from tho strongest religious conviction. He has simply taken tho words of Scripture literally, and acted upon them, and in doing so hag brought relief and help to many. It is interesting to recall that seven years ago a Church of England committee wag set up at Westminster to go into the question of spiritual healing. It was composed of clergy and. medical men, with, tho Dean of Westminster as chairman and Sir Dyce Duckworth as vice-chair-man. It reported that "faith healing” or “spiritual healing” did not prove on. investigation to bo different from mental healing or healing by suggestion. Suggestion was, however, more effectively exercised by some persons than others. Most of the witnesses wore of opinion that there was a connection between the spiritual healing of the present day and the gifts of healing in the Apostolio Church, and, they regarded those gifts as having been long dormant, but never entirely interrupted. The committee in its report found that spiritual healing, or treatment by suggeetiom, could be expected to remain permanently effective only in cases of what are ordinarily called "functional” disorders. Where organic disease was present resort to such methods was dangerous, in that it might result in postponing until too .late the medical treatment that offered a chance of saving life.

in exactly what claas of cases may relief be expected by spiritual or faith healing? This was discussed by tJi® “British Medical Journal” iu 1914 in commenting on the Westminster Committee’s report. At the outset it was declared that it was generally difficult, if not impossible, to obtain from healers of any kind evidence that could stand the test of scientific examination. To a large extent spiritual healing might bo called the cure of imaginary diseases by the scientific use of the patient s imagination. In patients with dormant willpower and low nerve impulse suggestion stirs sleeping energy into new life. Of psychic influences religious faith was, in the opinion of the “Journal,” the most potent. But almost any kind of mental excitement or shock has been known to cure hysterical paralysis, dumbness from functional aphonia, neuralgia, and epilepsy, and some conditions not so functional. Thus rheumatism has been cured by a railway accident; gout by an alarm of fire. Muco-menibranous colitis, which had resisted every kind of treatment, was cured by the patienit’a house being buttled down. Asthma has been cured by Ihe surprise of a night attack in camp. John Hunter says that agues have been cured by charms, and tumours by the stroke of a dead man's hand. Those instances were all quoted before the Great War, which has provided many more. Cases in which spiritual healing or treatment by 'suggestion has succeeded in curing persons suffering from deadly organic diseases have yet to lie established, according to the “British Medical Journal.” The article from which we have quoted was written in 1914, and wo do not know whether evidence to modify the views expressed has been forthcoming since. In the absence of it the members of the Synod might do well to urge sufferers to make healing by Ratana supplementary to medical treatment aiid not a substitute for it.

A piogrom resulting in ths massacre of 100,000 Jews is a considerable event,

even for Russia. The last outbreaks of note occurred in 1910, and were attributed to the hatred of the peasants against the exactions of the Jewish, commissaries of the Bolshevik Government. How faiths Jews were behind the Bolshevik revolution and how far they were responsible for its horrors is still a matter of discussion. On the principle of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth they had many old scores to pay off against the rest of Russia. That they have profited by the revolution is beyond dispute. The Russian Government to-day is mainly a Jewish Government. The civil administration is stated to be almost entirely in the hands of the Jews, though in the army and navy they have not: the same prominence. Outside of the Government the Jews are practically the only people left in the country who possess anything. As officials or profiteers they have been regarded with equal disfavour in the great districts of South Russia addicted to the pogrom habit. In the 1919 massacres the battle-cry was "Kill the Jews and Save Russia." In some towns these unfortunate people were rounded up in the main streets nnd mowed down by niachinogun fire from which there was no way of escape. Elsewhere they were burnt, alive; nnd in some places competitions were held to see how many Jews placed in a line could bo killed by one bullet—six or seven was claimed as the record. It has been said that every country has the Jews that it deserves, and it cannot honestly be said that Russia has ever deserved better of hers than she has got from her Bolshevik-Jew Government.

It is curious that the high maternity death-rate in New Zealand should have escaped notice until attention was directed. to it by American comment. On the other hand, it. is satisfactory to find that prompt steps are to be taken to investigate the problem. At the end of the month the Board of Health is to meet to go into the matter, and the public will hope that it will be taken up with the same thoroughness and success as in the case of the infant death-rate. Dr. Truby King was so conspicuously successful in saving the babies that many will think the best thing the Government can do is to ask him also to take charge of the work of saving the mothers.. Dr.. King is a busy man now in his Department of Infant Welfare, and nobody will wish to overload him. At tho same time, as the country has -a firstclass specialist in this class of medical organising work, and an enthusiast to boot, it will feel that such work as may be contemplated cannot be better placed than under his direction —always provided that he is willing io enlarge the scope of hie activity to this extent.

The stale of tho City Council’s finances was made fairly plain in the' particulars laid'- before it at. its meeting on Thursday evening. The position in regard to the overdraft is presumably indicated most accurately in the figures for the last completed financial year. On March 31, 1921, the city had a total overdraft of £213,051, but this includes items of capital expenditure amounting in all to something over £143,000. The Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M..P.) supplied details of capital expenditure and other expenditure of n special nature to a> total amount of £156,870. The one item in his list! which is plainly outside the category of capital expenditure is ’ War and patriotic expenses, £8000.” Another item, repayment of the Miramar overdraft of £5170, may in whole or part represent capital expenditure. Excluding both these items, however, there is left an amount of more than £143,000 which, would properly be repaid out of loan. Of tho total overdraft at the end of March there is left, an amount'of about £70,000 which, as matters stand, represents a charge on revenue. Since £48,000 of the existing overdraft dates back to 1914, it is evident that blame for the existing position rests chiefly on those who controlled the affairs of the city nt or immediately before that date. The overdraft is much greater now than it was at the end of March, but the increase presumably is due in the main to further capital expenditure in anticipation of borrowing and to the delayed collection rates.