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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8332, 15 January 1907, Page 5

Revisiting after twenty-two years' absence the heart of the North Island —the great pumice tract and thermal regions—the impressions of the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), as confided to a reporter of the Auckland Herald, are i interesting. Asked if the Maoris seemed to be increasing, Sir Robert said: "I cannot understand our last census. Either the previous censuses were wrong, or this census is somewhat inaccurate. Wherever I go in native districts the natives seem hardly [half what they were twenty or twenty-five years ago. The Maoris at Tokaanu are not, I should think, half the number they were, for example, in 1885—twentytwo years ago. And they do not fxjem to engage in farming operations as they did then. Some of therri, I understand, have sold timber on their lands, and this is giving them a private revenue, and has had the effect of making them cease to live an industrious life. I was told that the Maoris used to have sheep running near Tokaanu, but that the high price of sheep induced them to part With their flocks, and now there is no stock on their lands, which are becoming overgrown with manuka and fern.". On April 29th, 1906, the poultry of this colony totalled 3,191,604 birds, comprising 2,784,269 fowls, 281,999 ducks, 771,101 turkeys, 44,300 geese, I 2,613 guinea fowls, 173 pea fowls, 52 ostriches, and 1,097 "not specified." In 1901 Victoria, with a population (1,201,070) much greater than ours, had 3,619,938 • fowls, 257,204 ducks, 209,823 turkeys, and 76,853 geese. Dividing New Zealand's poultry among the provinces, 'we find that Auckland comes first with 735,502 (including the ostriches), Canterbury next with 696,033, Wellington third with 471,589. Wellington tops all districts but Canterbury,in ducks. Slightly over 1,000 of the total head of poultry belong to the remote Chathams.. Gout is really a spec'al form of Itheu atiam, caused by excess uric acid in he blood. Whether your gout is acute or chronic, Eheujio will cure yon. Al stores.

CABLE NEWS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.