MAORI MIRACLE MAN.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2143, 28 December 1920, Page 6

MAORI MIRACLE MAN.

ADHERENTS CROWDING IN« REMARKABLE HAPPENINGS AT RATANA. LONG TRAIL OF AFFLICTED. [Special to The Sun.] MARTON, December 27. When Tahu Wiremu Ratana gave" up dairying and wheat-growing, over 12 months ago, to devote his whole time to ministering to the sick people of his race, he had not the remotest idea that he was to gain notoriety to the extent he has. But whether the happenings at Ratana Maori village. where the "miracles" of the sicß being made whole are being performed, are due to psycho-suggestion or the direct immediate Divine re* ward of faith in the Almighty's power to heal, is causing a great deal \ of thinking to be done, particularly as so many Maoris attribute their respective healings to the power and faith of Tahu Ratana, the "miracle man." Certain it is that, for months past, there has been a long, long trail of sick and suffering -Maori humanity to Ratana, where the "miracle man" resides, and, while many have been able only to crawl in with the aid of/sticks, crutches, etc.. they have gone away walking without artificial assistance, and < singing the praises of the agent through whom the alleged wonder* ful works have been performed. During the past week, the in« comings of healthy, as well as invalid, Maoris have been phenomenal, over 3000 having assembled to spend Christmas Day at Ratana, and to par* ticipate in the opening of the nevf Undenominational church which Tahu Wiremu Ratana has built of his own accord, and mostly with his own money. The assemblage was probably the most interesting ana the largest of any Maori gathering* along this* coast for years. Fouf large marquees, 130 smaller tents, a large meeting-house and Tahd Ratana's big "private dwelling, were all used for the accommodation of the visitors, representing practically ,every tribe in the North Island, and even then hundreds were obliged to sleep in the open. The large gather* ing was unique, in that there was A complete absence of liquor, and the conduct and general behaviour of - the crowd is considered to be beyond reproach.^

' Feeding the Multitude. Of course; the feeding of such &V multitude was a task of a herculean •• nature, yet it has been performed in a most liberal measure. Sone of Tahu Ratana's -wealthy *usins rendered assistance in provisioning the larder, and some idea of the healthy Christmas appetites enjoyed by the majority of the visitors may' be gauged from the fact that the daily consumption of food included eight bullocks, 20 sheep, 20 pigs, and 350 large loaves of bread. Fifty tonj of potatoes, six tons of sugar, dozen* of boxes of butter, 1500 dried sharks. , 15,000 fresh and smoked eels, dozens of sacks of mussels ana pipis, 30 bags of mutton-birds', and 1400 tins of biscuits, besides bundreds upofl hundreds of tins of jam and fruits, several hundred turkeys, ducks- and geese, were drawn on to supplement the daily ration. The transport of . the Maoris, the live stock and the huge quantities of stores over the railway line will swell the railway revenue to a very substantial extent

Modern Conveniences. a dry period, T*ahu* arranged for supplies of artesian water, and for four days last week motor lorries were engaged in taking artesian water from . Turakina to , Ratana, about 20,000 gallons having been transported to the feasting rendezvous, where it was stored in a Hugh concrete cistern, large enough for a swimming pool. The encampment has been efficiently lighted by electricity, and there i$ brilliant illumination each night. In addition to eight old-fashioned Maori kapas, a large steam plant has been installed for steaming potatoes. Ten Maori butchers are engaged in kill* ing and preparing meat for the ovens. The hygienic' side is not neglected, all rubbish and food left from the dining tables being cleaned up after each meal and cremated. Religious Services. The opening of the church took place on Saturday, and was most im-»

pressive, every denomination, in» eluding the Salvation Army and tho Mormons being represented. The religious arrangements were under control of the Rev. R. H addon, of the Taranaki and West Coast Methodist Maori Mission.-A Roman Catholid priest celebrated mass for Maoris of . his faith at the conclusion of the combined Protestant service. On Christmas afternoon, Tahu Ratana held a special service, covering a period of four hours. He claimed * that 100 sick and infirm Maoris had been cured by faith in God during that time. Healing by Faith. Among the visitors who are very ill is a native woman, who was conveyed by motor-car all the way from Gisborne, via Wairoa, Mohaka and Napier. It is alleged that she was suffering from cancer, which rendered her incapable of eating, and that she was in a critical condition when she arrived. Ratana stimulated her faith, and to-day she v was able to eat a good square meal, and showed great signs of improvement. All the Maoris, and also the visitors and missionaries, are greatlx impressed with the alleged miracles and manifestations. A meeting of the Maori Council was held to-day, and it was unanimously decided to support the suggestion of Tahu Ratana and to appeal to all the tribes to abandon tohungaism for the True Gou, and to ask Parliament to legislate so that the preaching of the doctrine of tohungalsm might be a punishable offence. The big meeting breaks up tomorrow, and the troubles of the railways officials will commence. H6w they are going to lift 2000 Maoris and convey them over the northern and southern lines in one day is a task which the transport officials never anticipated. They say that they cannot provide anything like the rolling stock required. The Maoris planned for 2000 to leave tomorrow, and 1500 the next day, but it is extremely doubtful is arrangements can be carried out. The religious fervour of a good ; many of the younger men was overshadowed by the racing spirit, as a large number left for the Manawatu races this morning.