APATHETIC MAORIS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1663, 18 January 1917, Page 3

APATHETIC MAORIS.

HOME PLAIN SPEAKING. Home pointed remarks about, the neglect of.' Ihe Natives to register births and deaths have been made by Mr \V. 11. Field, M.P., in a letter to I lie Minister of Native Affairs (Hon. IV. 11. Hemes). Mr Field says: —“Dear Sir. —For many years I strongly urged, as a step towards reducing the lamentable mortality among Maori infant children, the employment of nurses to give instruction to Native mothers, and the registration of births and deaths among Natives. At last my longexpressed wish was complied with, and several nurses were appointed and registration of births and deaths provided for. The nurses are far too few in number, and consequently much overworked. They are, however, working strenuously, and have already done a vast deal of good. This is certainly the ease in my own district, and I hope, in other parts of the Dominion also. More, however, should certainly he appointed'if the best results are to be achieved. With respect to the registration of births and deaths, I was in hopes that machinery had been supplied, and care taken to have every birth and death registered. To my great disappointment, however, I gather from an article published in the Otaki Mail of the sth inst., and enclosed herewith, that this is far from being the case. If it is correct, as stated, that only two deaths and four births were registered in Otaki during last year, it is clear that the whole thing is a farce. I hope that you will have the matter looked into, and make provision for a complete registration system. The fault may, of course, lie in the fact that the officers wiiose business it is to attend to this matter, are already overworked. If the failure is purely on the part of the Natives, then it is high time that they were made to understand that the law must he enforced. I am sure that you are as fully alive as I am to the importance of this question as affecting the interests of the race generally.”