H.—26a

19

I am pleased to say that the Maoris are becoming more and more temperate regarding the consumption of alcoholic liquors, another result of the good work being done by the Marae Councils. Many, however, are still under the influence of the Parihaka "prophets" Te Whiti and Tohu, and it is a significant fact that these disciples are among the least prosperous of their people. I might state, also, that they entertain antagonistic ideas concerning the government of the country, and also use their best endeavours to dissuade other Maoris from accepting European principles. Furthermore, 1 may mention that several of my sub-enumerators experienced great difficulty in obtaining the necessary census information from these particular individuals, retarding them considerably in the execution of their duties. In the agricultural statistics you will observe that there is a substantial increase in the acreage of land under cultivation; there is also an increase in the number of live-stock, with the exception of pigs, there being here a slight decrease. In concluding this part of my report, I beg to state that I have every confidence in the gentlemen whom I appointed to act as sub-enumerators. Several of them were known to me personally, whilst the others I accepted upon the strong and favourable recommendation of persons of position and repute in the respective districts; in the majority of cases they were thorough Maori scholars, and well acquainted with the nature of the people with whom they had to deal. Therefore I can confidently assure you of an accurate taking of the Maori census in the districts intrusted to me, and that the same has been as expeditiously conducted as possible. I have, &c, F. -H. Phillips, Enumerator.

Extracts from .Reports of Sub-Enumerators. Parinui Kaluga. There are a great number of apple and quince trees at this pa, and the Natives have already utilised apples for jam-making. I also saw apples in process of drying, and I should say, from the taste, they will be a complete success. The kitchen-garden, in which were grown carrots, two or three kinds of cabbage, onions, marrows, &c, looked as though more than ordinary attention had been paid to it. Owing to this garden, the food here was of a better quality than at any other pa I visited on the river. Wanganui. The Natives as a whole are in a healthy condition, with the exception of a few aged persons, who are frail and weak from old age. I noticed one case only of a serious nature, a young person being affected with leprosy, ngerengere, but he was about to be removed to Somers Island for treatment, on Dr. Buck's (Native Health Officer) authority, who was up making investigations on the patient the day previous to my arrival there. I made full inquiries as to the general health of the Natives, and found in all cases that there was no epidemic of any serious nature, and in conversation with Dr. Buck, who has been making special visits to the kaingas in this county of late, I learned that he also reports favourably on the general health of the Maoris. The Sanitary Inspector of Maori Kaingas, Hori Pukehika, was also met by me on his general round of inspection of the pas. This officer has done good work in the way of keeping the Natives and kaingas up to sanitary condition. I found nearly ever pa I visited to be very tidy, the inhabitants clean, and the general appearance of their dwellings of European style. The Natives on the whole I found to be very temperate; the drunken habits that were once common seems to be a thing of the past, only in two kaingas did I see liquor freely drunk, and that among the young people only. In a good many cases I found the Natives taking the example of their pakeha neighbours in the way of being industrious. Some are sheep-farmers, others cultivate their land for grain purposes, while others are engaged in various forms of labour, under their pakeha brethren. Many of the children that could attend school were attending, where the school was convenient. One school (Native) on the Wanganui River was once one of the largest-attended schools in the colony, but now I am sorry to say that the attendance is so low, that the school will eventually be closed down. The teacher informed me that this was owing to the children having to go away with their parents to where they could obtain work to get a livelihood, as their mainstay, the potatocrop, was a failure. I would recommend that some provision should be made for these people in the way of providing them with some kumara-seed to plant for the coming planting-season, as the potato, I think, will be hard to cultivate for a few seasons to come judging by the great extent of country that is affected by the potato-blight. I was informed by the Natives on the Wanganui River that they sprayed their potatoes last year—with no good result. I found in most of the kaingas that the Natives were mostly living on bread and biscuits. To see potatoes in a kainga was a rare thing, and what few there were I was led to believe cost £1 10s. per sack. lam glad to state that a good many of these foodless Natives are employed in some work or other by the Government in co-operative works on roads and railways, by which employment they are able to keep their families from starvation. In the eastern end of this county I find that the potatoes were not so badly affected. In Opaia especially I found that the only trouble with the potato-crop was the effects of the frosts. I had particularly long tramps on several occasions to find some of the Maoris, they being camped well back in the forest country with their families, felling bush, roadmaking, or flax-milling. I found the Natives very industrious and eager to secure work. The district, comparatively speaking, is poor, and the Maori has to compete against his pakeha fellow-labourer, which means bringing wages down to a bare living-wage. I should like to see steps taken to compel the Native