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The child mortality is very heavy, how heavy is not ascertainable in the absence of registration of births and deaths. When the method often adopted of artificially feeding the children is considered, the wonder is not that so many die, but that so many live. Since it has been made illegal to supply liquor to Maori women, the children receive better attention than hitherto, and the once common scene of a drunk woman carrying a babe is now happily rare. In order to reduce infant mortality, I think an attempt might be made to establish a nursing home on the lines of the St. Helens Hospitals, but adapted to suit Native customs. The cost of such an institution in Taranaki could be borne by the Maoris themselves by a percentage on their rents. In a few years their rents will be increased, so that such an impost would not be felt. In the days when the Parihaka influence was supreme such an institution would have been scorned ; but now the appreciation of its benefits would, I believe, justify the establishment of such a home in a small way. The information relating to areas under crop is not as complete as it might have been, as the Maoris of some localities refused to give the information needed. The numbers of stock are, I believe, fairly accurate. In the environs of Hawera it was noticed that some of the larger families have but little land on which to farm, and it is their wish to have their areas added to out of some of the leased areas as those leases, which do hot carry a pre-emptive right of renewal in the lessee, expire. The Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington. J. B. Jack, Enumerator.

10. THE WHOLE OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, INCLUDING STEWART ISLAND. Sir, — Magistrate's Office, Christchurch, sth April, 1911. I have the honour to forward to you herewith a complete summary ofjthe census of the Maori population in the South Island recently taken by mc. The figures show an increase since the 1906 census of 341 persons, the increase being made up of 85 male Maoris, 155 female Maoris, 48 male halfcastes, and 53 female half-castes. Ido not, however, think that this can be taken to prove a natural increase to the extent indicated. I am very decidedly, however, of the opinion that there has probably been a slight natural increase, and certainly no falling-off. I have examined and checked the books and closely analysed the figures, and I have come to that deliberate conclusion as the result. By a comparison of my returns with those of 1906, it will be seen that the most noticeable increase is in the Counties of Sounds, Southland, and Wallace. The return for Sounds in 1906 was 80 persons ; my return shows 214. I did not have the oversight of the Sounds returns in 1906, and I have no material at hand to enable mc to check the localities then visited. I am, however, satisfied, from my knowledge of the locality and from my general acquaintance with the Natives residing therein, that my return is accurate. I assume that the sub-enumerator in 1906 overlooked some of the places scattered in and out of the many bays where Maoris reside. I placed a special launch at the disposal of my sub-enumerator, so that every facility should be given to cover the whole of the ground. Southland has jumped up from 93 to 157. I attribute this increase to the fact that the subenumerator has probably included a number of half-castes not enumerated in 1906 because they were not living as members of Maori tribes. Very little discretion is shown by sub-enumerators in distinguishing between half-castes, and it is quite impossible to check their work in this respect. I incline generally to the belief that only a very small percentage of the half-castes in the South Island can be truly said to be living as members of Maori tribes. I specially referred to this aspect of the matter in the report which I furnished with my census returns of 1906. I see no occasion to alter the opinion which I then expressed. What I have said about Southland applies in a lesser degree to Wallace, where the returns have risen from 276 to 327, the increase being mainly with the half-castes. Half-castes very largely predominate in Wallace and Southland as compared with the rest of the Island. In all the other counties the figures call for no special remark. Taken on the whole, the health of the people has been fairly good. There have been no serious epidemics, and the main trouble has been pulmonary, as it always has been. Natives throughout the South Island live, as a rule, under conditions that are vastly more favourable to good health than used to be the case. A great deal of credit for this must be given to the work of the Maori Councils, the leaders of which, both by precept and example, have striven hard, and with considerable success, to induce a higher standard of regard for sanitary conditions in the kaingas. Of late years I have noticed with extreme regret, a growing habit of excessive indulgence in alcohol in many districts in the Island. I will not specify these, and lam glad to say that in some places there is nothing to find fault with in the matter of drinking. In those parts where the habit has almost become a scandal the excessive indulgence is mostly with the middle-aged women and the very young men. Recently some very bad cases were brought under my notice where several young men were the subjects of prohibition orders and repeatedly broke their orders. They were really mere boys, one of them being only sixteen years of age. This is most deplorable. When instructing my sub-enumerators I sent a circular to each one, asking him when he forwarded his returns to give mc all possible information as to the drinking habits of the people. The result has been somewhat interesting, and the information is thoroughly reliable. Some of the sub-enumerators, who are intimately associated with the Maoris, deplore the present condition of things, and appeal for something to be done to improve it. They recognize, as every one must do, that it means utter ruin to the race. Unfortunately, the fact that the women are able to get drink, and to indulge in most unseemly carouses, shows great demoralization on the part of those who procure it for them. It has been found very difficult to enforce the law prohibiting the supply of liquor to women. The men, and especially the young men, purchase it and convey it to lonely spots where it can be consumed with impunity. Many of the more thinking Maoris, male and female, are doing all they possibly can to minimize the evil. Every one having the benefit of the race at heart will wish them all success. I have, &c, H. W. Bishop, Stipendiary Magistrate.

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