H.—3l

40

Privy accommodation at the individual homes proceeds as a routine measure. Thanks to the aid of the Native Department, many such conveniences were erected in the Waikato district, in the hope that a recrudescence of dysentery might be prevented. There was 110 recrudescence. Vast improvement is also taking place in the northern districts. Strict supervision will be called for, and personal touch will be necessary to retain the confidence of the race and so obtain the results hoped for. Several water-supplies have been installed in the pas, subsidies being granted to demands considered most urgent from a health point of view. This has materially helped to reduce the enteric incidence. The improved supervision of our Native schools, thanks to the activities of the Director of School Hygiene and her staff, together with the continued sympathetic care exerted by the teachers, is an important factor in the improvement noticed in the younger generation. The extension of the Dental Hygiene Division's services to Native schools, recently commenced in the East Coast and Bay of Plenty, must also have its effect felt in the future years. The distribution continues, through Native schools, Health Inspectors, nurses, and Maori Councils, of pamphlets (in the Maori language) on various ailments, such as tuberculosis, typhoid, dysentery, influenza, skin-diseases, &c. I have good reason to believe that the information given is closely studied and followed. There is but one Maori paper of note, the Toa o Takitini, issued monthly, and this, too, has been used for the same purpose. Two dailies —one in Hawera and one in Wanganui —began publishing columns in Maori, and received material from this Office. Unfortunately, after a few months, publication of the Maori columns ceased. Much clinical work was done by myself when appealed to, partly to regain the confidence of the Maori in medical science, partly to obtain further information on disease-incidence —especially tuberculosis, cancer, goitre, and trachoma—mainly, however, to undermine the insidious activities of tohungas, herbal doctors, and unqualified nurses. The improved housing and the better economic conditions prevailing from the continued individualization and consolidation of land-titles, and the agricultural, pastoral, and dairying activities which this has enabled, assist materially in the marked improvement of to-day. Statistics will reveal this as a record year, and, judging from the absence of epidemics, one can hopefully anticipate further improvement in the current year. Maori Health Councils. A number of these Councils still continue to do useful work, and they are well deserving of praise for their unselfish endeavours to improve the conditions under which the people live. These Councils chiefly labour under the lack of finance. Fines they can levy for breaches of by-laws, but this has led to the anomalous position of the most law-abiding Council districts being the poorest. Judging from the number of mongrel dogs which roam the pas and escape taxation, I consider it unfortunate that the privilege of collecting the dog-tax should have been taken from the Councils. Its restoration, especially in areas where the County Councils find it too expensive to collect, would be welcomed. In the Wairoa district alone six water-supplies were installed from money so collected —a saving to the Department and not missed by the County Council. The mass of public inertia is reduced in proportion to the number of Councils which actively function. It is pleasing to note that the Ratana element, which once harassed and obstructed the Maori Councils at every turn, now seeks representation on the Councils and Village Committees, and assists in their work, the misguided element having become more amenable to reason and to the wishes of the Department. Population, Births, and Deaths. The following figures show the population, births, and deaths for the past ten years. A steady annual increase in the population is revealed. There was a record number of births, while the deaths show a fall of 218 on the previous year.

Maori Population, Births, and Deaths.

Natural Increase. Year. Population. Births. Deaths. . — Number. Per Cent. 1920 .. .. .. 49,776 1,006 913 93 0-87 1921 .. .. .. 52,751 1,056 842 214 0-41 1922 53,231 1,442 913 529 0-99 1923 53,642 1,181 762 419 0-78 1924 .. .. ... 53,983 1,246 773 473 0-88 1925 .. .. .. 54,669 1,716 867 839 1-55 1926 .. .. .. 60,773 1,536 919 617 1-02 1927 .. .. .. 64,375 1,495 1,033 462 0-72 1928 .. .. .. 65,050 1,845 1,124 721 Ml 1929 .. .. .. 65,983 2,216 906 1,310 1-99