MAORI VISITORS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 81, 2 October 1924, Page 5

MAORI VISITORS

ARRIVE IN LONDON

INCIDENTS ON THE VOYAGE.

<PRO 3£ OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

*r t, r,r LONDON, 2nd August. 1*„ . \t W- Eatana and his party of torty Maoris from the communal village between Marton and Wanganui arrived safely in London yesterday. There are twelve girls, twelve boys, and the remainder are adults. As they sat at dinner last night in a small hotel near Paddmgton Station they all looked very' happy and certainly none the worse for their long journey. All went well on the voyage from Sydney to Durban, ihe.captain of the Barrabool showed every consideration ■ for the party. They had a special section of the ship to themselves, and were allotted a gaily to do thiir own cooking. The crew of the Barrabool and the Australian and New Zealand passengers "appreciated the Maoris • company, and there was plenty of music, and concerts were held to the delight of all. A couple of days were spent at Durban, and then the South African passengers came on board. Amongst these were certain Rhodesians with limited understanding and deep-rooted prejudices with regard to the colour question. Certain unpleasantnesses occurred, and the New Zealand and Australian white passengers rose in anger, and threatened dire consequences to the offending South Africans. Nothing really serious happened, but the atmosphere from thattime onward was not so pleasant. The Maori party kept more to themselves, and there was not the same happiness and friendliness which existed during the passage across the Indian Ocean. The members of the Maori party, however, enjoyed the perfectly calm voyage, and express the highest appreciation for the kindness of Captain Bidwell, his officers and crew, and of the Australian and New Zealand passengers. Mr. J. X, Campbell (Assistant Secretary of the High Commissioner's Department) went down to. the King George Dock to meet the party, and Major R. Dansey was one of the first to welcome them. They are now comfortably housed in the Western Counties Hotel; a private hotel not more than a few minutes' walk from Paddington Station. For the next few days they will spend a very quiet time. Their programme has yet to be made up. They intend to visit the Empire Exhibition, of course, and arrangements will be made for giving concerts. They hope, also, to visit the United States, and possibly other countries before returning to<New Zealand. :.

ACHES AND ACRES.

Several London papers record the arrival of the Maori party. The "Daily Express" has the following,"which seems to be a very restrained and sensible account of the famous faith-healer.

"Tahu "Wiremie Ratana., a wealthy Maori faith-healer and miracle man, arrived yesterday in London from New Zealand with his family and thirtythree Maoris, most of whom he is said to have oured of disease or disablement. The party includes a fine Maori orchestra of twenty-four young men and girls, and a troupe of Native dancers. These will perform in England, but no faithhealing will be attempted; "Ratana, who is .about fifty years of age, is a man of fine physique who claims kingly descent. Ho has never yet granted direct interview with any whito man, and has never been photographed. Through Ratana's disciple and secretary, P. T. Moko, who acts also as interpreter, he conveyed a greeting to a 'Daily Express' representative who sought him yesterday. Mr. Moko, a man of education, speaking fluent English, said that Ratana only heals Natives personally, but he treats white people by correspondence. " 'Since 1921 he has received 165,000 letters from Europeans all over the world, and 10,000 of these people have written to say that they were cured,'continued Mr.' Moko. - 'Ratana'c letters contain instructions in faith. He does not massage, and touches his followers rarely.' He began healing as a result of an experiment on his own child, who accompanies him on his visit. She ran a needle into her knee. Doctors failed to remove it, but after much prayer by Ratana the needle came out. In eight months he became so famous that special trains had to be run to bring Native patients to his door. The patients left behind stacks of crutches and sticks, and even spectacles were discarded. The great Maori is believed to have another mission in England. Having saved his people's aches, he is trying now to save their acres. He will probably negotiate with regard to compensation and the restitution of certain Maori lands taken from his countrymen."