The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3853, 30 June 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1875.

A question possessing much interest to the inhabitants of the Colony—especially to the early settlers—as well as to a large proportion of the population of Great Britain, is briefly treated of in the census return for 1874. One of the favorite aspirations of religious and philanthrophic societies in Great Britain, is to colonise savage countries with European populations, without exterminating the aboriginal races. This was a pet idea when New Zealand became a British Colony, and it was shared in by many early settlers with the Aborigines’ Protection Society at Home. We know of no instance in which those kindly desires can be said to have been fulfilled. So invariable appears to be the law that savage races disappear when in contact with civilised, that physiologists have busied themselves in weaving a variety of theories to account for it. Very possibly greater success might have attended the plans of the philanthropists had they taken the initiative in New Zealand, as may be almost said they have done in Fiji; but unfortunately their colonising efforts were forestalled by pioneers in whom the vices peculiar to civilisation predominated ; and who, utterly reckless of the well-being of the Maories, introduced habits which no efforts of men having a sense of responsibility as to their duties to their savage fellows could uproot. This has always hitherto been the stumbling block in the way of, conserving a Native race. Unscrupulous traders appeal to the grosser pas-

sions and appetites of the savage to further their own purposes, whether of gam or sensuality, and no moral teach ing can stay the inroads of resulting disease. Perhaps the most successful eflort yet made to preserve a native race, and to civilise them, has been in the (sandwich Islands; but even there their numbers have been fearfully reduced. In the census returns for 1874 an attempt has been made to ascertain ?T bers tbe Mh° r i population, which has been supposed to be annually decreasing. It is said by some writers that there is reason to believe a rapid thinning of their numbers had been taking place prior to the occupation of the Colony by Europeans. This, however, must be a mere matter of conjee-

tuve, as we are even yet without reliable data concerning them, and have altogether to depend upon traditional information given by the Maories themselves as to their previous condition. It is much more certain that, since the colonisation of the country, there has been a rapid decrease of Native popuJ 1 a _ t^°i n > although the census returns of 1574 give a higher number than previously estimated. In 1867 the prob?bio saori5 aori P°P u lation was set down at 3 1 8 ’ 5 4° i 1871 at 37,502 ; while I 8 7! the returns place them at b,470. As, however, the last census was taken during a time when opportunity was afforded for acquiring more approximately correct information than at the previous periods, it is not to be assumed as a

fact that the Maori population hag increased; but that in all probability the earlier numbers were incorrect. That depopulation has taken place to a large extent is certain. Most probably the Maories are scarcely one-fifth of the number who peopled these islands when first visited by Europeans. The problem now to be solved is whether the decrease is still going on, or ■whether it has received a check. The Registrar endeavors to find a clue to this by comparing the ages of the Maories of thirteen tribes, whose numbers are well ascertained, with “ the settled and increasing population of England,” These tribes comprised 31,645 Maories and halfcastes living as Maories, of whom 6,079 were boys and 5,225 girls under fifteen years of age. The males over fifteen numbered 11,209 and the females 9,132. It thus appears that there were 2,931 males above the number of females. In England in 1871 the proportion of males under fifteen to the whole population was 18.09, and of Maories 19.21 ; and of females under fifteen, 18.03 in England to 16.51 Maories. The Registrar arrives at the conclusion that

The existence among the Maories of a higher proportion of females under 15 (ultimately to become wives and mothers) to the’ total female population than obtains in England, the numbers under 15 to the total females being respectively* 36,39 per cent, among the Maories and 35.13 per cent, in England, might at first eight lead, to the belief that the decline in the numbers of the race had been arrested, and that even an increase might be expected. It will, however, be manifest that if there are causes in operation which increase the mortality of the adult Maories, without increasing the mortality of the children, the actual proportion of children to the whole population would be thereby much greater, and an appearance of productiveness shown which did not really exist.

The Registrar inclines to the opinion that causes exist tending to tubercular disease and consequent mortality among adults, and that probably a decrease in their numbers is still going on.