G.~ 2

3

With the exception of a few cases of low fever prevailing within Kawhia, Eaglan, and Waikato Counties, none of my sub-enumerators have reported any epidemic sickness amongst the Natives when the census was being taken. The ailments from which the Natives suffer are consumption and pulmonary diseases, and rheumatism, amongst the middle-aged and old people ; and the almost universal hakihaki amongst the children, I have to record my thanks to Mr. George Brown, licensed interpreter, of Auckland, who kindly found me Natives to act as sub-enumerators for Eden and part of Manukau Counties, and Great Barrier and Waiheke Islands. The Europeans in Auckland with a knowledge of the Maori language, to whom I offered the work in the first instance, refused to act, because of the small payment allowed. Had it not been for the assistance rendered by Mr. Brown in supplying me with suitable Natives to do the work, I should have had to proceed to Auckland myself and make the arrangements that he made for me. Before closing this report, I would like to make a suggestion regarding the printing of the Maori census-books in the future, with a view to the reduction of the labour at present entailed on enumerators in getting out the details required to make up their returns to send to Wellington. The information regarding persons alone that is to be abstracted from each page is as follows (wcfepage 1, book No. 6, Manukau County, as an example):— Maoris, males ... ... ... 5 M. F. „ females ... ... ... 4 Under 15 ... ... ... 1 2 Half-castes, males... ... ... 1 Over 15 ... ... ... 5 4 „ females ... ... ... 2 Now, if this was printed at the bottom of each page, leaving blanks for the figures to be filled in, a great deal of time and an enormous quantity of writing would be saved. In my own case, I may state that my returns are contained within seventy-eight books ; each book has twelve pages, so that, assuming that each book was full, I would have to write out the above lines of words, figures, and letters 936 times ! It will be easily seen, therefore, the amount of clerical work alone that would be saved by printing them on each page. I would also suggest, as a further improvement and saving of time and labour, that each enumerator be supplied with a number of printed forms similar to those used by me, showing the totals under each heading in the "summary" on each page of the books. Having abstracted the particulars from each page of the book he could then fill in the printed form, and gum the latter on the outside of the book. All the information contained in that book could thus be seen at a glance by referring to the cover outside, and his final returns could thus be made out with despatch. I enclose herewith the schedules from which I made up my final returns for your information; and I am also sending by to-day's mail all my census-books for your inspection. I have, &c, Geo. T. Wilkinson, Government Native Agent. The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington.

No. 5. Mr. E. S. Bush, E.M., Tauranga, to the Undeb-Secbetaby, Native Department. Sic, — Eesident Magistrate's Office, Tauranga, 20th May, 1891. I have the honour to forward by to-day's post the books supplied for census purposes of Natives resident in the Counties of Tauranga, Eotorua, and Whakatane. My return also includes sixty-nine persons who reside in the Taupo County; these were included in my sub-enumerator's return by arrangement; they principally reside at Ohaki, and small settlements in that locality. There are forty-five males and twenty-four females, of whom thirty are male adults and fifteen under fifteen years. Of the twenty-four females twelve are adults, and twelve under fifteen years. The total of Natives in the three counties is as follows: Whakatane, 3,748; of these, 1,261 are male adults, and 679 males under fifteen years; 1,104 female adults, and 652 females under fifteen; there are also seven females whose ages could not be ascertained. Tauranga, 1,473 ; being 544 male adults, and 264 males under fifteen years ; 421 female adults, and 244 females under fifteen years. Eotorua, 834; being 329 male adults, and 138 males under fifteen years ; 277 female adults, and 92 females under fifteen years. This gives a total of the whole of the Natives in my return 6,124. This number is a decrease of 538 from the last census, and, 1 think, may be accounted for to some extent as follows: Error in Urewera return of at least 250, now admitted by subenumerator, who compiled that portion of the census on both occasions. Absentees on railway and other works, 100 ; and further absentees digging kauri gum at Tairua and other places, fifty. These figures account for 400, and as the return generally shows a considerable excess of males to females, and considerably less male children than males, and the same with regard to females, the position demonstrates that the Natives have decreased in numbers to the extent of 138. Allowing that thirty-eight of these have migrated to other parts of the country, 100 are still left unaccounted for, which I presume must be put down as those who have died since the last census was taken, four years ago, which is equal to 16 deaths per 1,000, or 4 per 1,000 per annum. The general health of the Natives has been fairly good, no serious epidemic has affected them. Taking into consideration their irregular and careless mode of life, the mortality does not appear to be excessive. Only one case of violent death has taken place, so far as is known. Some six Natives, however, have lost their lives through eating alleged poisoned bush-honey .^ The subenumerators only report one case of supposed leprosy at Te Awahou, near Eotorua. This disease is termed ngerengere by the Natives. This man (Ereatara) has no family. I have to apologise for the delay in forwarding these returns, which have been completed some time, except so far as referred to Torere. The delay in this case was caused through the transfer of teachers. I ha\e, &c, The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington, E. S, Bush, E.M,