H.—26a

11

I t-hink it would be an improvement if Maoris were compelled to register the births of In my opinion. Maoris marry too young. Through the registration of births, information oould be obtained as to the ages of the parents. When they get married so young, the children cannot be healthy and strong. . ...,., ' the Maoris are ignorant as to the meaning of this writing-down of their names. 1 think it would do a lot of good if a few hundred leaflets were printed, giving the result of this Maori census, with explanatory heading in Maori. If such can b<j done please send me some, and I will set that they are distributed to every settlement in this district _ I came across seven old Maoris—two men and five women—who, I think, ought to get support of some kind, either by old-age pension or grant of rations. Mr. Pepa Kirkwood, sub-enumerator for part of Raglan County, states, — The Natives living at Tihirua are in very good health. Their children attend school. The people are engaged in milking for the creamery. Their potato-crop was entirely destroyed by 3 lg The Natives living at Te Kamupene, Onewhero, Takahikahi, Paharakeke, and Whangarapa have very bad houses. The existence of that state of affairs is due to the fact that the title to their land is vested in trustees, the result being that the people individually do not feel any inducement to make decent kaingas for themselves. It is desirable that something be done to improve their tenure of the land. These people depend upon flax-cutting as a means of subsistence. Iheir children do not attend school. Their potato-crops have all been destroyed by blight, including seed supplied by the Government. " . I have to state that all the people rendered every assistance in supplying the information required by me in connection with my work. Mr. J. H. Phillips, sub-enumerator for part of Raglan County and part of Kawhia County, states, — In accordance with your instructions, I have visited all the Maori kaingas and camps in the district allotted to me for the purpose of taking the census, and in every case I found the Natives very willing to give the information required. I did not notice any sickness worth mentioning amongst them. The children generally appeared to be well nurtured and fairly well clothed. The Natives appeared to be anxious to get their children educated at schools. I found that a great many of the people were working for Europeans, and that to some extent will account for the small amount of crops and stock at some of the kaingas. I fear that they will have a very hard winter in this district owing to the almost total failure of their potato-crops through the blight. Many ot them are now selling their stock to provide the means of buying flour, be., while others contemplate shifting to the harbours in order that they may be able to get fish and pipis. Mr. T. 0. Turnbull, sub-enumerator for part of Kawhia County, states, — The people have no potatoes. Their crops were badly blighted, and not worth digging. Most of the Natives are engaged in cutting flax. Some are road-making, and others are getting shell--1 There is no sickness worth mentioning in my district, with the exception of colds. I had no difficulty in getting all the information I required from the people I ™ited. The Natives at Te Taharoa are very anxious that a school should be erected there. Ihey have about forty children of school age. I may remark that the people on the south side of Kawhia Harbour are of a better class, and are naturally well informed. Mr R. L. Mainwaring, sub-enumerator for Waipa County, states,— In taking this census I experienced the greatest difficulty in finding the Natives' camps, as owing to the nature of their employment—potato-picking, flax-cutting, &c—they are continually moving e^tiyee j gaw appeared t0 be in remarkably good health. This, I think, is due to the fact that from the high wages they earn—from 10d. to Is. per hour—they are enabled to live on eood wholesome food; plenty of beef, flour made into dumplings and boiled with meat, puwha and water-cress with bread. Even men over sixty years of age can earn 10d. an hour for twelve hours per diem at the flax-mills. I did not see a single case of sickness, and only one of blindness—at Tuhikaramea—but this woman, to my knowledge, has been blind for many years. I had no trouble whatever in obtaining all the information I required, no doubt owing to the fact that I was well known to nearly all the Natives. _ It will be at once recognised that the acreage under crop is altogether out ot proportion to the copulation This, I think, is due to the fact that so many of the Natives are permanently engaged working at the different flax-mills and other work, such as draining, clearing ti-tree, and milking on shares or wages for farmers. t . Should suitable employment fail them during the coming winter, then I fear that there will be terrible distress amongst the Natives, as they have no potato-crops to rely upon. Mr. G. te P. Wilkinson, sub-enumerator for Awakino County, states,— Speaking generally, the health of the Natives seems to be good. With the exception of a few cases'of rheumatism and influenza, and one of asthma, there is no sickness calling for special mention I only heard of one case of fever. About twelve months ago Mahoenui was visited by the mumps but "with that exception there has been no epidemic during- the past year.