A MAORI “MIRACLE.”

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 25

A MAORI “MIRACLE.”

RATANA’S FIRST AUCKLAND PATIENT. “BY CORRAL I HAVE THE ASTHMA BAD.” The curative wonders performed by Ratana, the Wanganui Maori “miracle” man, may leave the sceptic cold and puzzle the logic of the honest inquirer (says the Auckland Star), but it has stirred the soul of Air Tuki Shortland to the inmost depths of its enthusiasm, and, in the language of our American cousins, lie can “enthuse some.” “By corry, he’s the feller to make the lino cure, ’ declared Mr Shortland heartfully as he punched hri chest and invited audit of his deep-breathing exercise. He drew a long pull and a strong pull, and wheezed just tho merest trifle. “Look at that,” he remarked in something approaching ecstasy. For an ordinary performance it was nothing out of the way, but Mr Shortland, who claims to be the first example from the north of Ratana’s “miracle” cures, proceeded to relate how his breathing performance could be classed as a little more than just extraordinary. And two pakeha friends who have known him for many years vouched for the infirmity from which he suffered prior to his pilgrimage to Ratana’s village about a fortnight ago. “I have the good farm at Motatau, near Kawakawa, and milk plenty of cows, but for the past 12 years I could do nothing for the asthma in the chest,” said Mr Shortiend. “Oh, by corry, it was bad. Couldn’t milk; couldn’t lie down at night; couldn’t walk up a step. Oh it was very bad; try all tho doctors, all the medicines. No good. Then I hear of Ratana. ‘By corry,’ 1 say to meself, ‘I go to Ratana. He the feller to cure me. Was I sure he cure me? Y 7 es, I knew he make th 9 good cure.’” So Air Shortland caught the first boat from Whangarei, and after spending a night of anguish and a piece of the next day on the Main Trunk train, he arrived at Wanganui, and headed hot foot, or rather by motor, to Ratana’s village. He was deeply impressed by w’hat he saw on arrival. “Crowds, hundreds, all around. Ha, plenty there with sticks waving them about. Need them no longer, you know. Wonderful cures, all sorts, some blind. They go along to Ratana’s hall, and stand no and say what they want the cure for. Ratana, he a fine feller, tho handsome feller, he just stand on the stage and speak a little, and put his hand out and say he help. No touching; you just give him the asthma, or what you got. He just take it from you. Course, you got to believe right, you know. Oh, yes, you got to believe all about the right things, you know, just tho same as” —and Mr Shortland waved his arm upwards in a comprehensive manner that supplied the remainder of his meaning eloquently, and as his hearer might be pleased to interpret it. His own mind was quite satisfied. “Religious meetings?” No, apparently he saw nothing which impressed him unduly with an v special sense of piety in the atmosphere. He just went along with the rest, and stood up and told Ratana about his astlrma, and Ratana simply took it from him. “He say he help me, but by corry, the first night I feel the lot better, and I begin to walk about alright, without the trouble in the chest. And here I am. Where the asthma, eli? Oh, it the great cure all right! I see the blind man. Eyes look oh, very bad; no see at all. Next day look down tho street and see all the people; see his friends. My corry, very fine ! And the people all very well behaved, you know, and the food ■ —kapai! Some of the meals you get there worth six shillin. My word. Ratana he a very fine feller. No money; no pay. He take nothing, just take the asthma.” Air Shortland is now journeying home to his farm at Motatau, in thg most joyous frame of mind one could picture in a mortal. And with him lie carries a precious slip of paper upon which is typed m large characters, “T. W. Ratana, Wanganui.” “He tell me before I leave that if I get the asthma any more just write him a letter, and he take it away again. No need to go to him again. Lots of pakeha want to to to him at Ratana, But he not care for that. Not want the pakeha to go there with the Alaori. So he just tell them to write to him about their trouble and he help them just the same as if they went to him. He tho very great feller to cure, by corry.”