The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DECEMBER 18, 1901. THE MAORI RACE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 293, 18 December 1901, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DECEMBER 18, 1901. THE MAORI RACE.

Our Auckland correspondent telegraphed as follows last night :—A thoughtful and deeply interesting article on “ Tiie Progress of the Maori Race ” appears in the Star, dealing with the subject from the historical and ethnological point of view. It shows that all dark-skinned races of ancient times have been swept away by the advance of the Caueesiau. This is borne out by fate of the Mexicans, the Peruvians, and the Indians of North America. The article goes on to say that the Indians of North America, in spite of the reservations and efforts of philanthropists, have been shouldered off and partly exterminated by the pale faces. The aboriginals of Tasmania have become extinct, and the Australian blacks are fast following in tlleir wake. The wave of civilisation is sweeping over the islands of the South Pacific, and Fijians and Kanakas are fast dying out everywhere. The Caucasian is ousting the darkskinned races. Plague and pestilence, rum and gunpowder, and iuterueciue wars have swept off’ myriads of aboriginal natives in all parts of the world. There is one noteworthy exception from this almost universal law of the survival of the fittest, which is full of hope for the future. New Zealand, which lias led the way in the solution of so many social problems, challenges tho pessimistic doctrine of final extinction of the darker races. The Maoris, whose numbers were until very recently on the decline, are exhibiting new and extraordinary vitality. ±Tio latest census returns show that the Native people are increasing in number. An interesting problem is in process of evolution under the ej’es of persons who take an interest in ethnological science. Is it possible that the Maori, protected from European vices and paying due heed to sanitary science, even of an elementary character, will practically disprove the theory which condemns him to extinction, and so reverse a fallacy which lias so long been accepted as a fact ? Men like the Hon. j Carroll, Dr Pomare, and others, whose judgment and experience are unassailable answer “ \ r es ” Maori have taken a long stride in the direction of advanced civilisation and progress, and the outlook is cheering alike-to both races.