WAITOA HOT SPRINGS. [FROM THE NEW ZEALAND FARMER.]

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 87, 31 January 1885, Page 7

WAITOA HOT SP RINGS. [FROM THE NEW ZEALAND FARMER.]

The above Springs are situated m the middle of the Thames Valley, nine miles from Te Arolia and about thirteen from Morrinsville. Tiion^U they are as yet very little known to the general public ther« is every reason to believe that they vrill become, when bettor known, a great public benefit. Already these hot springs have been pio'.ed to possess extraordinary powers of healing ; and haviag been an eye-witness to some of the almost iniruciuous cures effected by their means, I think it my duty to make known what I have seen. Although witlrn i uch a shor distance of the already well-known Aroha Hut springs, they . differ from them very much, for, strange to say, the Waitoa Springs are in rather low "wet ground, and have not that strong smell so noticeable in the former ; ami though particularly good for rheumatism, pains, stiffness, etc., they are also a sure cure for weaknesses and dis- 1 eases of the eyes. For instance, about ! two years ago a friend of mine (a Mr MeOormiek) met with an accident, and in some way hurt his eye with a straw ; soon after a white spot the size of a pin's head appeared, and gradually increased in size and began to cover the eye. In great consteration lest he should lose his sight, he tried the springs, having heard that a horse had been cured of the same kind of thing by means of the spring water alone. The consequence was that, after bathing it constantly for a few days, the white substance was entirely removed from the eye. This is only one case in proof ; but if needful j several other instances might be quoted. The same spring, for there are others j near by used for different purposes, has also been known U> cure sore backs in horses when all other remedies had failed, as well as collar galls and very ba<l wonnds caused by ti-tree stakes, in both horses ami cattle. Mr Frederick Strange, the fortunate owner of Ayleshury farm, on which these valuable springs are found, has not has yet done much to provide accommodation for visitors to the springs, but there is a comfortable four-roomed cottage near by, which could be made available for any one wishing to try their curative qualities at a small cost. There is one spring which the famdy bathe in themselves, quite close to the Waitoa river, with hard clay banks all round it, wiiich flows over a very hard ledge, only 18 inches wide, into the Waitoa. I may also add that last suiamer a lot of Maoris from Whatawhata were camped on the opposite side of the river. One of their children about eighteen months old, fell into the fire and burnt all its hair off and one side of the face. When the father Hone Tihi, found how badlyinjured the child was he went to Mr Strange's house for assistance, ami when his daughters saw the child its head was covered with a piece of rag, which was adhering firmly to the head with blood and discharge, and there were large spellings behind the ears. They brought the child over to the springs and bathed it in the hot water — the result being to take all the swelling down and leave the head a clean, bright red colonr ; ami after being thus treated once, the head healed rapidly. i have been told that wounds and sores washed in these waters lose, to a gieat extent, all feeling of pain except a tingling sensation when the water is first applied.