King Countrty Chronicle Saturday, September 6th, 1913 MAORIS AND HEALTH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 600, 6 September 1913, Page 4

King Countrty Chronicle Saturday, September 6th, 1913 MAORIS AND HEALTH.

The Email pox epidemic which has of late been rioting among the native settlements of the North Island has drawn particular attention to the conditions of the natives with respect to various diseases. There can he ire doubt that a grave dancer exists as a result of inefficient methods in respect to the reporting of cases of sieknesr in Maori settlements. Whore tinsettlements are in isolated dte'.ri.-ltt apart from European settlement: the 3anger is confined to a certain extent. In the case of the King Country. Ivmvever, European settlement has spread so extensively that practically all the Maori settlements are in close touch with Europeans. During the past few months deaths among Maoris of this district have been fairly frequent, and typoid has eiaimed several victims. It is unusual for Maoris to call in medical aid in cases of sickness until the patient is in the last stages of disease, and no provision whatever is t3ken to prevent infection being spread broadcast. These practices are fairly common at Te Kuiti, Opartnv, and other centres and it is to be hop ed steps will be taken in the interests <>l the public fo inaugurate a system ; whereby both natives and Europeans will be safes.uarded. It is commonlv ' known that one of Lhe objections urged by European parents against sending their children to a school at j which Maori children a! tend is the danger of disease being contracted as a result of contact with native <hi I - dren. That such fears are well j grounded is exemplified [by the fact j that Maori children attending j Oparure school or Te Kuiti school j may be sent from houses" in which j cases of typhoid or other disease > may exist. It is done in ignorance j by the natives, but there is. no reason j why the health or lives of others i I should be jeopardised because of the lack of efficient supervision of Ibe Maoris from a public health point of view.