HEALTH OF THE MAORI.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18897, 12 January 1927, Page 8

HEALTH OF THE MAORI.

A'MARKED IMPROVEMENT. [TKB PEES 3 Special S«rvlce.! AUCKLAND, January 11. The health of the Maoris of New Zealand during the past year has been very good, Native people having experienced no serious epidemics in that .time, according to Dr. P. H. Buck, Director o£ Maori Hygiene. Most of Dr. Suck's work is in tho North Island, as in the South Island tho Maoris, who number 6nly about 2000, live under conditions practically idontieal, with those of Europeans. . "There has been a steady improvement of the living conditions of the Maoris in various villages," said Dr. Buck, "and health problems have'been solving themselves to some degree by the individualisation of lands, and the breaking up of the communal system. The Maori Health Councils throughout the country have been doing a good deal Of work, and in many districts, notably Tauranga, Arawa, and the King Country, these bodies have been instituting water supplies. "The improvement in Natives'health in many villages has been due largely to the practical work of the district nurses. Over 20 nurses have been employed in the more populated districts working, under the Department of Health. They go round the villages and lecture to the mothers and others, instructing them in infant feeding, invalid cooking, the care of the sick, etc." By exercising a careful watch over the villages as regards sickness, these nurses have also been able to nip in the bud epidemics in the nature of typhoid.