Wellington Philosophical Society

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 17, 1884, Page 443

Wellington Philosophical Society

Abstract Referring to the Transactions of the Institute, Dr. Buller stated that the wished, having said so much in praise of the annual volume, to call attention to what appeared to him a very serious defect in it. He referred to the extreme paucity of articles relating to the Maori inhabitants of the country, their mythology, their manners and customs, their traditions, their habits of life, their treatment of the sick, burial of the dead, and so forth. The ethnologist of the future will naturally look to the “Transactions” for reliable information on all these points. Newspaper literature is ephemeral, and not always reliable; but the fact that every paper is vouched for by the name of the author is some sort of guarantee that none but well-authenticated facts will be found in the pages of the “Transactions.” Looking to the fact that the Maori race was dying out very rapidly, and that, in all probability, five and twenty years hence there would only be a remnant left, it was of the first importance, from an ethnological or ethnographical point of view, to collect and preserve, while yet there was opportunity, a faithful history of so interesting a people. He (Dr. Buller) had often heard Maoris themselves speculate on their speedy extinction, saying in a melancholy way, that as the Norwegian had destroyed the native rat, and as the indigenous birds and shrubs were being supplanted by the introduced ones, so surely would the Maori disappear before the pakeha. And this was no mere fancy. The abnormal condition of the population—the females far outnumbering the males—was the surest indication of national decay. Every successive enumeration of the people told its sad tale, and the decrease must of necessity go on in a progressive ratio. In Cook's time the Maori population was estimated at a hundred thousand; at the period of our first colonization of the islands at seventy thousand; and his own opinion was that at the present day they do not number, men, women, and children, more than thirty thousand. He knew of districts swarming with Maoris in former years, now depopulated. He had known whole hapus disappear, and he had seen an entire family die out in the course of a year. Twenty years ago he was stationed as Native Resident Magistrate at Manawatu, and he had then under his nominal control and management some 2,500 Maoris. It would be difficult now within the same district to find as many hundreds. In 1866 he was present at Rangitikei when Dr Featherston paid over the purchase money of the Manawatu Block, amounting to £25,000, and there were some 1,500 natives present. It was proposed to pay over to the natives, in a month's time, double that amount, for the Otamakapua Block, and he doubted whether in the same district 300 will be brought together for that purpose, even counting the Hawke's Bay contingent! Last week he was at Otaki, and took some visitors to the Maori church. There, where formerly about 1,000

natives assembled to the ministrations of Archdeacon Hadfield (our present Bishop), it seems now difficult to fill the front seats. In the settlement itself—veritably a “deserted village”—where formerly there were hundreds, it would be hard now to find scores; and, in answer to enquiries on all hands, the response is “kua mate.” And in this connection he mentioned a curious feature in the mortality of the race, namely, that the children and middle-aged people are the first to succumb; the old stock, who appear better able to resist the new order of things, generally holding out the longest. That the race was doomed he had no doubt whatever in his own mind. What had happened in other parts of the world must inevitably happen, and indeed is happening, here. The aboriginal race must in time give place to a more highly organized, or, at any rate, a more civilized one. This seems to be one of the inscrutable laws of Nature. And, if true to our watchword of progress–social, intellectual, and physical—he could scarcely believe that even the most earnest Philo-Maori would deplore the change. He had often reflected on an observation of the late. Dr. Featherston, on their first meeting, just twenty-eight years ago: “The Maoris (he said) are dying out, and nothing can save them. Our plain duty as good, compassionate colonists, is to smooth down their dying pillow. Then history will have nothing to reproach us with.” Accepting these facts, Dr. Buller insisted on its being the absolute duty of the Society to collect materials for the future historian of the race. He said he had gone carefully through the fifteen volumes of “Transactions,” and out of more than a thousand articles on a variety of subjects, only three dozen had any reference whatever to this subject. He then gave the meeting a rapid review of the more interesting of these papers, and stated his own views as to their relative value. Of some of the contributions by Maori experts, he spoke in terms of disparagement, and gave his reasons. Mr. Colenso, he said, had been the most diligent contributor, and his papers were replete with information. But to his mind the best written, most interesting, and most philosophical of the papers on this subject were those contributed by a former president, Mr. W. T. L. Travers. His “Life and Times of Te Rauparaha,” he considered one of the most important contributions to Maori literature yet published. Sir George Grey, when Governor of New Zealand, took advantage of his exceptional opportunities, and formed a very extensive collection of “Poems, Traditions, and Chants,” which had been published without, as yet, any translation. Much of this poetry was highly figurative and beautiful; and he quoted from the preface to that volume to show how difficult a task it was to catch and reduce to writing this oral poetry, the knowledge of which was confined chiefly to the old men and tohungas. Professor Max Müller, whom he had met at Oxford, spoke in high praise of this work, and said that for years he had been looking out anxiously for the promised translation. In addition to these historical records, it appeared to him of the utmost importance to form a complete ethnological collection illustrative of the race, which was becoming every day more difficult and would be soon impossible. He had himself enjoyed very favourable opportunities for doing this, and during many years past, with the active co-operation of Captain Mair, he had diligently employed himself in forming such a collection. There was much yet to be done; but, even now, he ventured to say, his private museum was far more complete than any other of the kind in existence. Besides embroidered mats, carvings, and implements—domestic, warlike, and industrial—to illustrate the former habits of the people, the collection contained some objects of special historical interest; for example the identical human-bone flute on which

Tutanekai played to his lover, Hinemoa, on the banks of the Rotorua Lake, three hundred years ago; the curiously carved nose flute, on which, in ancient times, the tohungas of the Ngatiraukawa practised their sacred music; the genealogical stick by which “King Tawhiso” traces back his ancestry to the earliest of tupunas; and so forth. He had also employed the well-known Austrian artist, Lindauer, to paint life-size portraits of several of the more prominent chiefs of the day, all in Maori costume, and typical faces of both sexes. The work had been admirably executed, and he felt sure that this series of pictures would possess great interest in after times. It must be remembered, however, that individual effort laboured under many disadvantages, and it appeared to him that an exposition of this kind, possessing a kind of national interest, should be undertaken by the Government, and on a far more comprehensive scale. Dr. Buller concluded by saying that it was his intention, during his presidential year, to do his utmost to promote and encourage this particular branch of local research, and he then resumed his seat amid general applause. The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse said he had listened with great pleasure to the address, but was surprised to hear so decided an opinion expressed as to the rapid decline of the Maori poople. He thought this view was scarcely borne out by the official statistics; but that, on the contrary, the Maoris throughout the colony were rather on the increase. The census returns might be accepted as relatively correct, and it appeared to him, from an examination of these returns, that there was a larger percentage of children among the Maoris than among the French. If true, this would go to prove that the Maoris were really on the increase. The subject was one of great interest, and he was glad to hear from Dr. Buller that he intended, during the coming year, to contribute some papers to the “Transactions,” because there was probably no one more competent to deal with the matter. As to the value of the “Transactions,” he entirely agreed with the president. He had long thought that it would be a wise thing to reprint the more interesting of the papers in a popular form for general circulation. The Hon. Mr. Hart said he took the same view as the last speaker. He believed that the general notion of rapid decrease among the Maoris was premature. It had yet to be proved that there was an actual diminution. So far, the statistics pointed to the opposite conclusion. Dr. Newman said he entirely agreed with the president. He had himself on a previous occasion expressed his belief, at a meeting of the Society, that the Maoris numbered only 35,000. He thought Dr. Buller was probably right in placing the number somewhat lower. On all hands were proofs of decrease, especially in the Hawke's Bay district, with which he had been more intimately connected. He had no faith in census returns. Even Mr. Bryce had told him that these enumerations could not be relied on, as every chief was anxious to make his following appear as large as possible. Dr. Hector said it could not be denied that this very important subject had hitherto been neglected. Although, however, comparatively few papers had appeared in the “Transactions,” he was not aware that any had been rejected. He took the opportunity of saying this, because a Hawke's Bay correspondent (Mr. Colenso) had lately complained of unfair treatment in this respect, whereas his papers (which were not on Maori subjects), had only been delayed, not refused; and it seemed to him unreasonable to make this a ground of complaint against the Institute. He entirely concurred in the views put forward by Dr. Buller in regard to the Maori race. The census returns were quite delusive, as he had satisfied himself by careful enquiries in various parts of the country, and he gave the meeting several instances in point. As to the urgent necessity for collecting a history of

the Maori people, he was quite in accord with the president, and would suggest that the minutes of evidence in the Native Lands Courts should be carefully preserved, on account of the historical information they contain. The Hon. Captain Fraser said he thought the decay of the Maori people was by no means so rapid as was generally supposed. He also demurred to some of Dr. Newman's observations, and that gentleman immediately replied. Dr. Buller said in general reply, that his conclusions were not based on the evidence of any particular locality, but were drawn from a pretty extensive knowledge of the various native districts. He had instanced the Otaki district because it was at our very doors. But other districts with which he was equally familiar—Kaipara in the far north, Waikato, Rotorua, Taupo, Wanganui, etc.—all told the same melancholy tale. These districts were populous when he first knew them, and now the natives might be counted by dozens where formerly there were hundreds. As to Maori census returns, they were mere approximations and very often misleading, as he could state from personal experience. He was much struck with the rapid mortality as disclosed also by native titles; and he mentioned several instances within his own professional knowledge, where, in a certificate of title containing from 50 to 100 names, from 10 to 15 per cent, had died off in an incredibly short space of time. Amalgamation of races had been talked of, but this would not save the Maoris. The half-castes were undoubtedly a fine people physically, but he had noticed that when they married back into the Maori race the offspring had no stamina, and seldom reached maturity. He quite agreed with Dr. Hector about the value of the Land Court evidence if carefully arranged and collated. He had succeeded once in interesting Judge Fenton on this point, and circulars were then addressed to the various Judges, asking them to hand over their note-books for public record, but he had never heard the result. For his own part, for twenty years past he had been carefully preserving everything of the kind. First Meeting. 9th July, 1884. Dr. Buller, President, in the chair New Member.—S. Kohn 1. “On Changes in the Hataitai Valley,” by J. C. Crawford. (Transactions, p. 342.) 2. “On Water-worn Pebbles found in the soil in the Hataitai Valley and elsewhere in that locality,” by J. C. Crawford. (Transactions, p. 341.) 3. “On the Punui of Stewart Island, Aralia lyallii, n. s.,” by T. Kirk, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 293.)

Second Meeting. 23rd July, 1884. Mr. R. Govett, Vice-president, in the chair New Member.—Wm. Ferguson.

Third Meeting. 6th August, 1884. Dr. Buller, President, in the chair

Fourth Meeting. 3rd September, 1884. Mr. Martin Chapman in the chair New Members—Dr. Levinge and Maurice Richmond.

Fifth Meeting. 1st October, 1884. Dr. Buller, President, in the chair New Members.—Captain Hewitt and A. J. Rutherford. 1. Notes on the New Zealand Beeches,” by T. Kirk, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 298.) 2. “Description of some new Insects in New Zealand,” by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 151.) 3. “A List of Fungi recently discovered in New Zealand,” by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 265.) 4. “On a newly discovered Lizard,” by W. Colenso, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 149.)

Sixth Meeting. 15th October, 1884. Mr. Govett, Vice-president, in the chair New Members.—Dr. Cahill and W. F. Barrand.

Seventh Meeting. 26th November, 1884. Dr. Newman, Vice-president, in the chair New Members.—Dr. A. Martin, J. D. Treanor, and J. Barnicoat. 1. “Notes on the Ornithology of New Zealand,” by A. Reischek; communicated by Dr. Hector. (Transactions, p. 187.) 2. “Notes on the Dolphins of the New Zealand Seas,” by Dr. Hector. (Transactions, p.207.)

Annual Meeting. 13th February, 1885. Dr. Buller, C.M.G., F.R.S., in the chair New Members.—A. Cook, E. Tregear.