57

H.—3l

Houses.

I am very pleased to be able to report to you of the steady progress that has taken place in regard to the houses. The Maori has become amenable to reason. The unsatisfactory state of his whare has made him ashamed —in fact, it has caused him to dream of ways and means of putting up houses like his neighbours the pakehas. The customs of his ancestors are passing away. The most of the houses in my district have now been ventilated and floored, and the maraes are all set in order. There is but one pa which I should like to see more improved, and that is Ohinemutu, which needs renovating. Nearly all the people have provided water-closets; a few have held back in putting up these necessary adjuncts on account of the uncertainty of the road which has to be put through the pa. As in previous reports, I have again to remind you that these two pas, Ohinemutu and Whakarewarewa, are still in need of pipes to take away the sewage. The Department would do well if they could get the Government to move in the direction of getting these pipes, because it would be of great public benefit. I would not bother the Government if it were not for the fact that the £30 or £40 which my Council derives from dog-taxes is consumed in the salaries' of the Registrars of Births and Deaths and the policeman. The rest has been used for urgent need in different pas, such as water-supplies, drains, &c. This money ought to have been subsidised by the Government under the Act, but, alas! it was not done. I should not be boasting if I said that we should be able to carry out every injunction re sanitary matters if the Government would give subsidies. We cannot do much without subsidies from the Government, because practically our only source of funds is the dog-tax. The Department had better see that more subsidies are given to us. There are many houses that ought to be burned, and some that ought to be renewed ai Miitata, Te Awahou, Te Kahiku, Te Ruato, Owhata, Te Ngae.

List of Houses, Year 1906.

You will see by the above table that the general trend is to build weatherboard houses. lam looking forward to the meeting of the Sanitary Inspectors at Auckland ; I know much good will result therefrom. I know this will be productive of more good than the Council meeting which has been held within the last three years. Much talk was indulged in, a great deal of food consumed, a great deal of money wasted by the delegates to the Council, without any good resulting. This meeting of the Sanitary Inspectors will cause no loss to any one, and we know something practical will result therefrom. I have, &c, Dr. M. Pomare. Raureti Mokonuiarangi . Sir,— Tuhirangi, Masterton, 12th March, 1907. I herewith send you my annual report concerning the homes for the past year: Pas, 56; new houses, 10; houses renewed, 25; houses passed, 196; houses destroyed, 11; W.C.s, 120. Herewith also find statement of deaths and births for the past year. I am sure, if absolute heed had been given to the lectures that were delivered there would have been fewer deaths. These figures I have gathered myself. Owing to the negligence of the Council no records have been kept of births and deaths. There should be a law brought into force to compel the Council to make correct returns. Adults (deaths), 19; children (deaths), 15: births, 57. I have, &c, Taiawhio te Tau, Dr. M. Pomare. Sanitary Inspector. Memorandum for Dr. M. Pomare. Ruatoki, 30th March, 1907. Herewith please receive items of information called for in your memo, of the 7th March, 1907. The amount of information at my disposal cannot be looked upon as satisfactory in regard to many hamlets; it is meagre in the extreme. It is in this wise: During a recent trip round the

B—H. 31.

TWatrict. New Weatherboard Hopses. New Wiwi Houses. W.O.s. Houses burnt. Houses to be destroyed. Ngapuna Mourea Taheke Mokoia Te Ngae Matawera Owhata Ohinemutu .. Maketu Otupango Otukawa Tβ Awahou .. 5 1 1 2 2 1 1 9 2 1 1 I 1 I 2 2 I II 3 3 4 3 4 2 1 1 Tarewa Waiteti Ngongotaha .. ! 4 2 Total .11 6 11 10 II