MAORI “MIRACLE MAN.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16330, 20 January 1921, Page 7

MAORI “MIRACLE MAN.”

WONDERFUL CURES CLAIMED. A party of northern Ala oris, ret urning from a visit to Ratana, the Alaori li miracle man,” who has been attracting the lame and the halt from all parts of tho North Island to his lxcine near Marton, is at present in Auckland. About fifteen Natives from the Far North, some from Hokianga, and sonic from tho Bay of Islands, mode tho trip. Improvement in the health of all of them was claimed by the party, but the two most conspicuous cases were those of an old man who ; was described as having suffered for j almost twenty years from rheumatism, j and a- young man. a returned soldier, | who had been partially paralysed as j the result of an accident suffered after ; his discharge from the forces. ; The statement made with regard to | the elder man. who despite advanced ! ago, was full of vitality, and showed i signs of having possessed magnificent- ; physique in his younger days, was that. after twenty years' constant use. he i had discarded crutches following upon one treatment by the miracle man.” His medical history, as detailed for him I by members of the party, was that he • contracted rheumatism shortly after the ! visit of the Duke of Y T ork to* New Zeaj land. His disability was not connected j with that- event, which was merely used to date the occurrence. The rheum atj ism first manifested it-self in one leg. j then the other limb and other portions jof the body became affected. The j patient had taken to using crutches, l and had been unable to walk without i them. He claimed to have had nredij cal .attention without receiving any ■ benefit from it. j WALKED WITHOUT CRUTCHES. ! The old man paid a visit to Ratana. ' who told him he could walk without the | crutches if he only tried. He did make the attempt, and with great difficulty I managed to bobble a few steps. A re- ; Jative who was present went to his assistance, believing that the old man ; would fall. Ratana. however, forbad . any aid to be given, and ordered UiO 1 uatient to continue walking alone. This i he did, and after three days’ stay at | Ratana’s homo left or. his return jour- | ney, abandoning his crutches and olivnh- | ing aboard the train unaided. It was ! stated that while the patients remained ; throe days tlie only treatment they ro- ■ ceived was on the evening of tlieir J arrival Tho old man, evidently proud : of his improved condition, was prepared j lo show liis walking powers to anyone t who wished to see. He was located at j a small boardinghouse in Victoria Street. On being asked for a demonstration. he rose from the bed cn which he was lying and hobbled about the ream, pausing now and then for a rest, and showing more freedom in action as lie exercised his limbs. After opening and shutting his hands, and manipulating the joints to show liow supple they were, he insisted on shaking hands to prove the strength of his grip, which proved to be a firm cue. j GRADUAL WORKING OF LIMBS. ; ’llie second patient, ir was explained, had received severe injuries through falling into a fire. He had Tost portions of the fingers of the righo hand. For this injurv Ratana did not profess to be able to do anything. The injured man had also suffered partial paralysis of the left side, both arm and leg being* affected. Ho had been in tho habit or using one crutch. This he had left bell ind him in the custody of Ratana. and showed that he had no difficulty in walking without- it, though he limped | considerably. IT is arm, which was bent and stiff, had not boon straightened, but it- was slated that ho had gained freedom of movement with it. Tie was I instiucied to keep on working ir. with I the promise dial u gradual recoverv woula result. AIT those who went io Ratana with 1 similar injuries or disabilities received pfn.structions of the same kind. Tliey Avere told to keep on working the injured limb until freedom of movement was gained* being promised a cure if they, persevered. At -he same time they were instructed to repeat certain passages of scripture. Ah a result of Ratana’s ministrations it was stated that there was at his home a great and growing pile of crutches, left there by patients who had no further use for them, while he was also stated to possess a great collection of spectacles, left by others who had been treated for eye troubles. Members of the party told how the. elderly patient, on leaving, started to walk from the car which took him to Marton on to the railway station, following Ratana. He covered part of the distance, and then Ratana, seeing that he was becoming tired, sent ahead for a luggage truck, on which the remainder of the journey to the train was made. MAORIS DEEPLY INTERESTED. The work which llatana has done has impressed the Maoris doeply. A young man, a returned soldier, who was looking after the patients during their stay in Auckland, said the Government might very well do something to assist the work that was being done. He said all sorts of commissions were being appointed- Why, therefore, did. tho Government not set up a commission to investigate the work Ratana was doing ! among tho Alaoris, and help if it proved ! worthy of assistance? He also said ! numbers of pakehas were attempting to j enter Ratana’s settlement, despite j notices warning them off He suggested I that the Government might help to I keep away the pakeha who attempted to force himself in unwanted- Many Natives were travelling from the far North to visit Ratana. They were more eager, he said, than those from nearer at hand. Tho Maoris of Taranaki, he declared, f till followed the ! cult of Te Whiti, and were not impressed with tlie religious convictions of Ratana. who was 1 Presbyterian. The expense of the trip from North Auckland, he said, was heavy, and here also the Government might help.