MAORI CENSUS AND NATIVE SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5638, 25 April 1879, Page 7

MAORI CENSUS AND NATIVE SCHOOLS.

We have received particulars of the Maori ' census, which gives the following results : : Males and females— , , _ Over 15 years of age ... 26,355 Under 15 years of age ... 12,654 ; Total males 23,533 I Total females ... ... ... 19,286 Total, 1878 ... " ...‘ : .;. ,42,819 Total, 1874 ... ... 46,016 j Decrease . ... ... 3,197 : It .is a i mournful ; task ,to read through the •several, reports ; four out of five record adecrease in the numbers of the Maoris. Mr. Jackson writes from the Papalcnra district : “There are three principal causes (accounting (for the decrease of the native population. Ist. [Their, love of drink. 2nd. The sacrifice of ’their'females to prostitution, often when very iyoung. 3rd. Their change In • mode of living ’and clothing.” These are the usual reasons [assigned, added to ■ the reckless exposure of ■themselves to all weathers, their want of [cleanliness, and the prevalence of diseases of [the chest, partly ; due ,to sleeping in densely [crowded hovels. At present there seems every prospect of the Maoris being civilised off the face of the earth, but we hope that something may yet be done to check this mortality, which is largely due to ignorance of the simplest sanitary laws. Judging by the report on native schools, this ignorance may yet be dispelled by the good work being done in these schools, the report of which shows that there has been’ an increase in the attendance in the South Island [of 109 ; in the Bay of Plenty schools the average attendance has been about 250 during the half: year, about 450 names being on the books.