Are the Maoris Dying Off?

Evening Star, Issue 8267, 12 July 1890, Page 1 (Supplement)

Are the Maoris Dying Off?

A contributor to the ' New Zealand Herald,' who has had thirty years' experience of the race as a Government medical officer, and may, therefore, be held to apeak authoritatively, thus deals with the question "Is the Maori'dying out?":—"1 am of opinion that, taken as a whole, the Nativ racy is decidedly diminishing In number*. ■i.e., while increasing in some localities it >;; decreasing in others, and that the instance:: of decrease predominate largely over those of increase, As to the causes of decrease, 1 wholly coincide with Dr Thompson (vi<l,\ Thompson's 'History of New Zealand') in old times, r.nd Dr O'Carrol's (Tavanaki) modern opinion—that ' alcohol hj a very unimportant factor in the beforc-uaiued dimimshment.' Comparatively few Maorin drink to excess, and, if they do, only for short interval!:. The dipsomaniac, or habitual tippler, is unknown raciu; them, and the terrible proclivity for "fire witter" evinced formerly by the North American Indians, anil which, together with email-pox, ultimately decimated that noble, race, is wholly wanting. But. 1 think tho/o;is rl oriijo -Malt may be found principally in the oeiiera' adoption by the Natives of blankets and other articles of .European clothing, v, .hereby the race lias become effeminate, so to fpeak, and much more susceptible to the influence of disease than heretofore. I" the old times the primitive costume consisted of two articled of clothing only, a 11 vx mat or 'pake' over the shoulder?, and anoiher similar fabric round the loins. Clothing was not much thought of or usee, in fact. From constant exposure the skin und s-yitem became inured to changes' of temperature, and consequently in a great measure insensible thereto. f.L;t with the advent 0? Eurcr.cans, eIol!:e:j, e:nbv;-e'ng the whole body, were worn 1 y day eu well aa night, and the use of the comfortable but deadly blanket became universal. The Maoris, relieved from their aopreheieiors of intestine warfare, descended from their healthful pah*, in ekvated r itr.aticns, to the more fertile, but less salubrious, plains and valleys. The blanket and other a:tieles of European attire came more and more into use as the people became^civilised fr). And with comfortable oloth.'ijo, little incentive to li\bor, and none to fight as heretofore, New Zealand lias become a veritable Capua to its formerly hardy and energetic son'i. They still, however, retain many of their old customs and habi.v-s, which, being quite incompatible with the prer-x-ut '.tiito of tilings-, militate heavily against u;em. For instance, they still inhab't the terrible ' /'-hart pv.iii,' <r-- dwelling house, young and old, asthm.iv.-, r>lit,hi:.o"v.l. and seroiulou:- : men. womei . aed enildron all sleeping in the same ;-.■,."rl.'.ieni, ail. breathing the .same viteited, probably disease-laden atmosphere. No>- have they now as heretofore the power of resistance begotten, of their h;rdy outdoor oej;i\iar.iou* —cultivation, fight.":.;;, or what i.e.:. With enervated constitution? they are oniric to withstand their unhealtliful surroundings. Among sneb Natives v. ho live r/i thus described, a gni !■.!■< decre,r-r is i.-ertainly going on—and : . .-. ~nder. Their children are Jew, are ' < ,i\ eickiy, and iva.stly succumb to any ailment ; the adults die comparatively y..ung, of pulmonary or serei'uloua diseiv.:'. 1 here fs auotl er rod.:, however, to t'li.'i ijiKst/i ;••, tu which ihe prao;ices ami amenities of civili:;ed life liave Oeen adopted in a mcasuse, together v, iih clothing, etc., etc., and under aieh circumstances theNative population docs not diminish, but increase;'. I may mention Mohaka, a settlerunt in H«who's l>:=v, as an of this kino, and there are othrrrv"