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New Zealander, Volume XIX, Issue 1974, 16 September 1863, Page 2

A coon deal of excitement was created In town a night or two since by the report that “ 1500 Maoris” from the Thames and Fiakau districts were congregated on Mr. Chamberlains’s island, Ponui. The fleet of canoes, 15 in number, was seen by the Eev. Mr. Lanfeab, who reported the circumstance; as it appears to us, discredit is sought to be thrown upon the statement of that gentleman, for no other reason than this—that when the Sandfly reached Taupo, twentyfour hours afterwards, the “ fleet” was not in sight, and that some natives informed the official who was sent down to make inquiry, that two of the canoes which were specially noticed by Mr. Lanfeah, and each of which carried about 18 men, were engaged in the peaceful occupation of “ fishing.” Whether the “ Ministers” whose agents are busy in circulating this counter-state-ment, really attach any credit to it, we are unable to say ; if they did, however, it would be exactly of a piece with the vaunting imbecility which has marked their dealings with this Native difficulty, and of that incurably blind determination to depreciate and undervalue the Maoris as opponents on their own chosen fields, which has already proved fatal, justly or unjustly, to so many reputations in this Colony. The number of the Natives carried by the “ fleet” has been of course greatly exaggerated by rumour. The fifteen canoes were reported to have had one hundred men in each. This was simply absurd. The four tribes that occupy the Thames district could not number fifteen hundred souls, if every man, woman, and child belonging to them were collected together. There is, perhaps, no question connected with the Maoris upon which greater ignorance prevails than this one of population, and as it may have some interest and be of some service at this time, we place before our readers a statement, which may be relied on as being at least approximately accurate, showing the numbers of the Native population in the Waikato and Thames districts. The statement is based upon an official census, taken with infinite labour and care in the year 1858; a deduction of one-tenth being made for natural decrease and losses in war, it may then be regarded for all present uses as being substantially correct.

Districts. Tribes. I.—WAIKATO. Lower Waikato, from the Heads to Ngatitipa, NgatiMaungaroa ... - mahuta, Ngatipou, Ngatinaho, &c. Central Waikato, f :om Paetao to Ngaruawahia - Ngatimahuta, Te Ngaungau, Ngatiliine, &c. 2. —WAIPA. Lower Waipa to Timaru • - Ngatimahuta Central Waipa, from Ohote to Te Kakawa Upper Waipa, from Te Kopera to Mataparei .... Chiefly Ngatimaniapoto Upper Waipa and Mokau, interior • Ditto 3.—RANGIAWHIA, &c. Rangiawhia, Kihikihi, Otawhao, &c. Ngatihinetu, Ngatiapakura, Ngatiinaniapoto, and * Ngatimahuta 4— TE HOROTIU. Valley of Te Horotiu ... Ngatihaua Upper Horotiu, from Whate Whate to Whaotu .... Ngatiraukawa S.—WEST COAST. Sea Coast from Waikato to Raglan Raglan Ngatimahanga Aotea Ngatimahuta, Ngatihaua, Ngatinaho Kawhia ..... Ngatimaniapoto & Ngatimahuta 6.—THAMES. West side of the Frith and hanks of Ngatiwhanaunga, the Piako .... Ngatipaoa, Nga* timaru East side of the Frith and Eastern Ngatimaru, Ngatibank of Thames - - - tamatera 7.—MANUKAU. Mangarei, Pukaki, Papahinu, Ihu- Ngatimahuta, Ngamatoa, Awhitu, Waiuku, Patu- timaoho, Ngatimahoe, &c. .... teata

It thus appears that the total Maori population, friendly and unfriendly, of the Thames and Waikato, numbers about 11,000 souls 5 and that the number of males above the age of 14 years may be reckoned as being about 4,000. If we deduct one-third from this latter number for aged and sick men, we shall have 2,670 as the fighting strength of William Thompson and the King, supposing every available man to have joined. It is known that at least a few have not yet done so.