EUROPEAN SURGERY RESTORES SIGHT TO MIDDLE-AGED MAORI.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18785, 14 June 1929, Page 6

EUROPEAN SURGERY RESTORES SIGHT TO MIDDLE-AGED MAORI.

(Special to the “Star.”) AUCKLAND, June 13. Kekua te Whao. residing in the vicinity of Lake Waikaremoana, Northern Wairoa, whose sight had been long very indifferent, went blind some years ago, and he has been an object of pity amongst his people at that pa Thanks to modern European research arid surgery, he is now able to see: When the heavy bandages were re. moved from his eyes at the Auckland Hospital a few days ago, Kekua, who is about fifty years of age, knew once more the realities of the world about him, for he was lifted from the realm of blank darkness. It took a deal of persuasion to induce this man to allow himself to be brought to a big strange city and per mit a specialist to remove the cata racts which had grown across his eyes and had caused blindness, but the wisdom of good Native friends prevailed The venture was an ordeal to a Native who was almost a recluse and was quite unfamiliar with the English language, now generally in fluent ust amongst his race. * Kekua’s joy when he could see the doctor and his surroundings was in tht nature of a shock, mingled with unspeakable gratitude. In the next bed at the hospital he identified another Maori man. His supreme pleasure, however, was to behold the face and form of a “kotiro,” no other than one of those ministering angels, a Maori maid, who happened to be a nurse. Sweeping away the prejudice and folly that adheres from past recognition of “tohungaism,” Kekua te Whao, when he returns to his people, will be a living tribute to the skill of the European medical - profession.