MAORI CENSUS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 115, 21 May 1881, Page 2

MAORI CENSUS.

The Census returns show a remarkable falling off amongst the Maori population, from Oeo to Waitotara, during the past three years; the decrease being more than one-fourth. The enumerator (Captain Wilson, J.P.), in his introdtictory remarks, attributes the decrease to the "constant travelling to and from Parihaka during the last three years," and through the natives being " exposed to severe weather in winter. The women and children being weakest, and worst clothed, suffer most." The enumerator further states : — " In nearly every place I learned that barely one-fourth of the women were child-bearing. This tends to cause the rapid decrease of the race." The Census this year was taken by hapus, whilst in the year 1878 the returns were given from the settlements. In one instance (one of the hapus — tbe Ngatiporua — being about 70 miles up the Waitotara .river, and a canoe not being available), Captain Wilson does not think the rlfcttn" quite reliable, and states that he is of opinion 25 more women and children might be added. All thoße who were away at Parihaka or other places are included in the appended returns. The total Maori population in 1878, from Wahamoko to Waitotara, was 1272; whilst in 1881 the number was only 914. Allowing for any possible discrepancies, there is still the alarming decrease of about one-fourth of the population in three years. The following tabulated statement will be found interesting : —

n&nAuu&u xv haihuuhuuhu. (Ngatvruanui Tribe.) M. F. Totl. faikatu 26 35 61 laupokonui 34 35 69 )kaiawa 27 13 40 Uaipaipa and Okorima 66 56 122 tfawhitiwhiti 21 22 43 174 161 335 WAINGONGORO TO TONGAHOE.* (Ngatirtianui Tribe.) tfgaronga 22 13 35 iiteonetea 23 15 38 Putake 20 16 36 faiporowhenui ... 38 38 76 Hatengarara 31 26 57 134 108 242 TONGAHOE TO WHENUAKURA. (Pakakohi Tribe.) tlokoia and Manutahi 59 49 108 )toia 12 13 25 lukatere 21 19 40 92 81 173 WHENUAKURA TO WAITOTARA. (Ngarauru Tribe.) iVhenuakura 23 22 45 'iraunui 31 9 40 'apatuku 27 23 50 ihupuku ... ... 24 15 39 105 69 J74 SUMMARY. WAHAMOKO TO WAINGONGORO. fear. Men. Boys. Women. Girls. .878 ... 167 74 145 67 .881 ... 139 85 108 43 WAINGONGORO TO TONGAHOE. .878 ... 113 30 92 31 .881 ... 104 80 84 24 TONGAHOE TO WHENUAKURA. .878 ... 108 49 98 46 .881 ... 74 18 61 20 WHENUAKURA TO WAITOTARA. .878 ... 88 41 87 36 .881 ... 76 29 52 17