DESTITUTE MAORIS AT ROTORUA.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 76, 26 September 1908, Page 3

DESTITUTE MAORIS AT ROTORUA.

THE CHIEF JUSTICE'S OPINION. " There is no doubt that a considerable number of Maoris had hard times recently," said Sir Robert Stout yesterday. "There were individual cases of hardship. One old woman, whom I saw, had nothing but watercress and salt to live on for six weeks. Some men had no work, and the failure of the potato crops and the lack of fish in the lake helped to make their plight unenviable. It is absurd to say the trout have not destroyed the kura (small crayfish) and other fish in the lake. It is ridiculous to say that the trout have not interfered with the food supply. The fish were once a great source of food. I remember seeing, years ago, the beach covered to the depth of a foot with fish, enanga. and others, that had been washed ashore. Of course some of the Maoris are well off, but some have been affected by the trout destroying a food supply ; there is not the slightest doubt about that." Sir Robert mentioned that the Government offered work to some Maoris at Butorua, to\ tide then 1 over their difficulties,.