TUAHIWI.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 34, 17 March 1914, Page 2

TUAHIWI.

LARGEST PA IN' THE SOUTH. The rim. from Kaiapoi to the native settlement at Tuahiwi is a pleasant one of about four .miles. But if one expects to see a pa of the old time one is bit: terly disappointed, • for Tuahiwi, the largest native village in the south, is exactly as any other township. In the mornings, perhaps, there may be a few Maoris taking their ease by the roadside—asleep. ■ Perhaps an old woman with her grey, hair flying loose may tramp barefooted from one house to the other. For the most part the road is empty. Tlie men are at work, the women about their household duties, and the. children at school. That is as a general thing, though it can be quite otherwise when a tangi or what passes as a tangi in these days is in progress, or when the Land Court is meeting in Kaiapoi. Then Tuahiwi is empty. In all there are about 200 in the village—all, even the half-castes, claiming allegiance to the Ngatahu tribe. The pure race, it is said, is diminishing, but the half-castes are increasing. The men are given credit for being good workers, though perhaps some of. them are a trifle irregular in the intensity of their efforts. Qne Maori is declared by the local farmers to be the best worker in {he better labourer than 55Z JBluTopeant |k few keep cows and

supply the factory with milk, and those who are interested say that many more could take to this with profit to themselves. As churchgoers they are very regular in their attendance; in fact, better than an average English congregation. Already they are rebuilding their houses, putting up places that have all modern conveniences, and slowly are winning a good reputation as careful workers and good citizens. Two years ago Tuahiwi suffered under a bad outbreak of phthisis. An examination of the school children showed that the attainments in proficiency were not so high as they might have been; this was attributed -to absence and irregular attendance consequent upon illness. The local school committee applied for • an inspection into the health of the native children, and this request was granted, Drs Finch and Blackmore being the medical officers who did the work. It was found that many of the children suffered from pulmonary complaints. Quoting from a newspaper report of the time:"lt was rather an alarming fact that about 50 per cent, of the pupils of the school were, on a clinical examination, infected."

The Government of the day awoke at last to the merit of many long-made promises as to care of the Maori race. A skilled nurse was got down from the North Island, and treatment was commenced. Dr Henry Crawshaw took on the work —a labour of sheer patriotism and professional duty, as the poor payment set out in the Estimates shows—and attended each week to give treatment.. There was some opposition, but it could not live in face of the results achieved.

Each Friday, with Dr Crawshaw, she worked, weighing, painting, advising.' And results have shown that it was all worth while. The improvement in the health of the children has been wonderful. To-day four girls and thirteen boys are under treatment, and' the results are still encouraging. It may be added that the Government supplies all tuberculin free.

It is good, for the man or woman who has doubts about the reality of religion, to look into the work in this district of Mr and Mrs Fraer. The approach to their house is tonic to the tired city spirit of the reporter, who is not used to being welcomed by a cockatoo that sits free on a wire fence with saffron crest erect; nor the three goats, six stately geese, six swans, and two eager dogs. They may talk of their work; but they do not talk of themselves. To them more than to anyone else is owing Te Waipounamu College, for native girls of the South and Chatham Islands. Practically forgotten, by the little world of New Zealand, they have fought through lean years of disappointment—once the college had only four pupils —always hopeful, always assured that the work was worth doing. To-day they can look at a pa that has improved under their hands, at children whose health grows better, ait a college which has achieved success and will go further. The spirit of the church is not dead, and will not die while such men and women labour on unthanked, nor asking recognition, in parishes like St. Stephen's, which offer nothing save much labour and the knowledge of good work done honestly.