THE MARUIA SPRINGS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 2 March 1912, Page 2

THE MARUIA SPRINGS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —This morning I stumbled, across another remarlciablt ; case of healing,, showing the virtues of the Maruia. Ho-* Mineral Springs; and 1 fieg for space to mention aijd comment,. on.it on behalf- ot all Nel'soniaris or!ot}iers who may happen to suffer from rheumatic troubles. _ In town I chanced to meet with my friend Mr John Bain, of Toi loi Va*ley, Nelson,- who has recently returned quite a new' man from a visit tc the thermal springs. He went to on January 15th, suffering badly and», as it seemed, hopelessly, from rheumatism; and he returned.liome on Tuesday, February 27th. When he went away he was quite unable, t'o ,w f alk unassisted, and had to be' helped* each day across the riverbed from'; the Accoinmodatipn Houses to the free public baths. . He' says he took.altogether while there 144 hot baths, and. drank a gallon pf spring., water each day. ■ .Hp.perceiyed. no effect for fully three weeks; but then he suddenly commenced to improve, ;and continued to get better rapidly, so that within a month he could walk as well as ever." He was at Maruia five weeks altogether ; and when "I met him in the. street this morning I was surprised to him .riding on his bike. The thing struck-me as a kind of miracle of lieal- | ing, similar to a number of cases I have collected during the last, few years ; and facts like these should possess special interest for the Tfturist Department, as well as for many local sufferers. Mr Baiii says about 25 visitors were at the Springs when he and his family were there. : .The bathing facilities he spoke of as being ''all right"; and l}e said, "I reckon everything up there was cheap; bar the. tucker." They had n few sn'oW storms, and it was. a bit cold ; but otherwise the weather wfis fine, uud,the scenery lovely. He complained, however, of thb'lack .of good roads/and railways. The Reefton' people were alive to the situation, and have how nlade a good trap road from their siije;; but going from .'Nelson .the rpad .connectionsare still unfinished* and tjie riverbed lias, to be crossed a, number, of times. . JSut,iortnnately, tho water channels are all very shallow, owing-to. the riverbed bc : ing about-a mile wjdo in that part ofthe spreading valley. Eventually, said he. the railway-must go up that, valley from Murehison, and right on over the Lewis Saddle into Canterbury, thus tappmg many miles of splendid., country. His own remarkable experience of healing was attributed by .Mr Bain solely to taking persistently tlieyhot baths-and drinking the mineral water. It is quite clear that his complete and surprisingly quick cure was due entirely' to the heaihig virtues of tho Mineral Springs. ■Many others have said the same thing, and i.I would like to press these incoiir testable tacts uuoii both the general pubHe and the Government authorities, i hey would go a'long way towards-in-ducing t-hfe authorities to spend :-in t his promising portion"pf the back country a proper proportion of the money voted I tor public woi'ks; and Nelson plight have a new and 1 important health resort. The housing accommodation at the Maruia Springs is still ..very- inadequate. People have to take their own tents, or ejse huddle together in" two buildings. The evenings'ark spent in various forms of social .'entertainment. Wet davs and Sunday nights ( 'are celebrated bv some sort'of meetings. I am, etc., t JOSEPH TAYLOR. Nelson, March Ist, 1912.