THE DECLINE OF THE MAORI RACE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 13

THE DECLINE OF THE MAORI RACE.

WANGANUI, March 8. A Herald representative obtained valuable information concerning the decline of the Maori race, and the steps suggested to be taken to improve its condition, from. Mr C. W. Grace, a teacher in the Pomoano School, one of the most successful institutions in the colony, in connection with which the Government over 12 months ago started a village scheme, which is now threatened to be dropped. The natives have sent a pathetic letter to the Premier appealing to him to continue the scheme, saying : "We are dying fast, and want you to show us how to live and work, so that we may not all go do.vn to the gi'ave." Mr Grace says the proportion of deaths of natives and their suddenness is apalling, often only one or two in a family of 10 children surviving ; and he says nothing else can be expected so long as newly-born infants are allowed to breathe poison in the wharepunis, void of ventilation and reeking with tobacco smoke, whilst large numbers of infants are annually taken away from their mothers and adopted by women ignorant of the need of cleanliness, of foodj and surroundings. Mr Grace says had a portion of the money devoted to education been spent on bringing the nati\es out of pahs and getting them to hou^e themselves in well- ventilated dwellings, to attend to pahs' cleanliness, and to be constant and intelligent toilers, more real good work would have been done. The land is the place for the Maori, and intelligent activity, wholesome surroundings, and the ever-present knowledge that he is subject to a law that can reach and strike him are factors that alone will save him from rusting out. It is stated that a ladies' bowling club has been formed at Rotorua.