WASTE OF MAORI LIFE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1556, 27 September 1912, Page 6

WASTE OF MAORI LIFE.

A PITIFUL STORY. (By TuloErdpn.—Pfesn Atfoctßltonl • Auckland, September 28. The "Herald's" l Tuuilial'unui correspondent telegraphs:—An,incident that reveals too clearly the pitiful waste of life that goes ou among the fine Nativo net of this country occurred here last Week. l)r. Ilowhrd, of Tautntirunui, w&s difcited by the Health Department to go to Tawatd, near tho House Boat on tho Wanganui River, to visit a Maori kaingd afflicted ivith sickness. Accompanied by tho liov. J, E. Ward (Maori missionary) as interpreter, ho went down by special boat, and found a Shocking state of affairs existing, Threo youitg Natives, aged respectively 5, 15, and 17, had already died, and were buried, lio burial certificate being necessary in tho case of Maoris, and a number of others were huddled to. gether in a stifling whare, without a chimney, with no ventilation, and with a fire in ii kerosene tin to keep them warm. The first thing the visitors did was to knock a couple of boards off iho roof to admit air; then to throw the kerosene tin with its contents out of doors, the Natives meanwhile offering no objection, hut on tho contrary assisting them. After this the doctor treated tho sick persons with antiseptics, and cava them medicine. A Native Council, cstflb. lislied some years ago, wero expected to see to tho health of the Maori kaiflgas, and wero permitted to collect certain taxes for tho purpose. Tho facts recorded abovo would show that their efforts, if they ever made any,, havo met with littlo success.