MAORI POPULATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 January 1938, Page 12

MAORI POPULATION

INCREASE IN TEN YEARS. Between the censuses of 1926 and 1936, the relative net increase of fullIdcoded Marois was more than double the rate of growth of the European population, according to ?- summarised return issued by the Government Statistician. In a footnote to the report it is stated that, the most rapidly-growing section of the population’ is that of part-European and part-Maori origins. In 1926 there were 45,429 full Maoris, but. in the following 10 years the number had risen to 55,915, an increase of 10,486, or 23-1 per cent. On the other hand, the relative increase of the European population was only 10.9 per cent. The third main division of the population, race aliens, increased by 10.4 per cent. The statistician points out that although the section comprising those of pure Maori descent can only lose by external migration, the European population gains from this source. More striking is the decrease in the ratio of Maoris to part-Maoris. However, conclusions should not be drawn too finely, as there is reason to believe that the proportion of pure Maoris is somewhat overstated in census returns, and the greater increase in part-Maoris may partly be due to more correct statements in the later census.

In a schedule of returns, partMaoris are shown to have increased from 24,351 in 1926 to 38,138 in 1936, an increase of 13,757 or 56.6 per cent. For general statistical purposes. European-Maoris of less than halfMaori blood were classed with Europeans and Maori-race aliens- In the race-alien section it is shown that Chinese have decreased from 3086 to 2579, while negroes, Syrians, Indians, and Polynesians, mainly Samoans show increases.