THE TOHUNGA EVIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 982, 31 August 1903, Page 1

THE TOHUNGA EVIL.

REPORT BY CAPTAIN MAIR.

The report of Captain Gilbert Mair, Superintendent of the Maori Councils, was- presented to tht House on Tuesday. Captain Mair says he does not think the Maoris themselves : are capable of putting down the tohunga evil. The tohungas are the. curse of their race. They do incalculable harm, and mors stringent steps should be taken to put an end to the evil. As to the general state of the Maori people, great good lias resulted from the es • talvlishment of the councils. Some of the native villages are models of cleanliness-. The councils show a disposition to show authority that is not bestowed on them by the Legislature. As an evidence of their ev-. ident desire to assist the councils, the Maoris have subscribed considerably over £IOOO to the councils’ funds. Generally speaking, they readily pay the dog-tax, ; except that to all the northern councils the position of the dog-tax is unsatisfactory.; Captain Mair then refers to a grievance felt in. districts iwhere Europeans are living in the midst of natives. The Europeans refuse to pay dog-tax or restrain their pigs, cattle, or horses from destroying crops belonging to the natives. On this subject Captain Mair suggests that the Maori Councils should have the powers generally exercised by local bodies in such matters, su>bject to proper regulations. Add.tional power should also, he says, be given to' the councils for the suppression of the liquor traffic and the supplying of tobacco to children. Another matt-er of great urgency is the protection of the cemeteries of ijh£ Maori people from persistent destruction and desecration by Europeans, , “