The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 17. HELP THE MAORI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81824, 17 August 1906, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 17. HELP THE MAORI.

tiiosE pessimists who profess to believe that tho Maori race is doomed to extinction will tind it bar 1 to reconcile their beliefs with tho highlyencouraging figures disclosed by the census of the Taranaki native population. Wo have always contended that there was not; the slightest ground for the assumption that the race had lost its virility, and the census filets amply justify that contention. Although the conditions under which tho majority of the natives live in this province have certainly not improved—rather the reverse - yet we find that the bona fide population is almost as strong numerically as it was 28 years ago, Within the past ten years the population actually shows a slight increase. What is particularly cheering, however, are the figures revealed concerning the juvenile population, there being a gain of over a hundred under fifteen years of ago in the last ten years, the actual figures being BG2 in 1896 and 907 at the date < f this year's census. The increase of the juvenile population being gieater than the total increase, would seem to show that the Maori's span of life is shortening - that, in fact, he is, as a race, not living so long as his forefathers.

» 91 « a Unfortunately the State does not exercise that concern in the vital statistics of the Maoris that it very properly imposes on the pakeha. The State has lightly made it a serious offence to fail to register births or deaths Why is the same interest not taken in the Maori's welfare? It is of as great moment to the State and humanity that Maori infantile life should be conserved and that the causes of Maori deaths should bo investigated, as it is in tho case of tho pakeha. Despite the lack of such supervision, and despite the utter lack of any of the care and attention that is bstawel on the prolong'tiou of the white people's lives, the Mauri is s'ill able to h >!d his own, numerically, as a people. Surely the State and philanthropists will now bj aw ikened to the fact that if only a port ion of the care that is taken of Europeans by the State were given lo the Maoris. New Zetland's liitivo race—originally one of the finest and most intelligent on the planet—may be rejuvenated nnd preseived. Until that fact has been drilled into the minds of tho 1 eopln, it is hopeless to expect : thnt the Maori will receive that care rnd attenti ,n this olony because of i s i'.a' ilifv to recognise tlw causes of the 51 tori's faults and weaknesses—has de.tied him. Visitors to the colony are wont to dilate on our beneficent Native policy. Never was a greater mistake ma le. Theoretically, r,o doubt, our intentions have been good, but in plain English the Maori has nothing to thank us for. lie has survived, in spite o ; , not because of, the N ttive policy.

ItliVEiiTiNo to the census, and tho deduction (.herefrom of an increasing odii'l death-rate, wo regret that there is :ili too luit -.h truth in that reading iff tho ii.'ttrc.s. In saving that, it should 11 it no suppose I '.hat wo d 1 not r oli-o the e:.ornii'y ol't.ho infant ni l' , lit .—a phase of the question hat has received consideable .at 00 tion in this column. .',L,n> e.ni.e.!10 don t operate i.) shortening t.h,inerago livinir aye --f th.( All >ri< in Taranaki, ill other ',lO d . in iif reaving the adult death r.iie. Piseiii •: ins.i i;.,i\ conditions of livi ig, ;m ! ind j ■ nee, coupled with a Coan.ei 1110 le of life, no doubt jil iy a ver\ considerable part. Evety 01.e 0: thes ! causes may he counteracted by pneept and example, and we ore ph-sel to note that a start lias beast made in that direction. Tueie is a more serious eau.-e of mortality, however, and one which does little ho .or to us, claiming to bo a charitably disposed community. We say that there are inure Maori deaths attributable to sheer superstition, want and neglect -want of nourishing food and warm clothing—than to any other cause. Look around you, you Christian people. Is there one of you that is unfamiliar with the I adding coughs and the emaci ited appearance, especially in the. winter time, of dozens and dozens of the natives who frequent tho streets of New Plymouth every week ? Most of you will say, cf course, that that is chronic, that the race is consumptive. No doubt it never struck you that the Maoris, especially the women and girls, are as susceptible to colds and other seasonable ills as you are, and that unless they attend to them, and get advice, as you do, they must pay the penalty.

Ask tho medical man, who knows better than you do, and yon will be unhesitatingly told that the greater proportion of the Maori ailments is due to neglect and want of attention and nourishment. A case occurs to us that ended fatally only about a fortnight ago within a couple of miles of New Plymouth. It is only typical of many others, of which you never hear anything, because no one seems to care whether the Maori lives or dies. All other .vise healthy young native mother, not more than twenty years of ago, suffering from a severe cold, about a month a<*o called 011 the Native medical officer for treatment. She was treated and ordered nourishment and warmth. A few days later Dr. fiuck, one of the Government Native doctors, Who is at present htationed here, arrived and was informed, amongst others, of this ease. It was found, howeyer. that pneumonia had supervened anil tho woman died. Investigation -■hewed that this woman and hoi oeojilo were too poor to alt'onl the >tin.ill 'ting fio'.s ordered, that oonoMif the warmth so essentia"! .1! Mich a ease was at hand, that, in dinrt, owing to pina rty and inex p.a ience the life of that woman was sacrificed. To the want of practicability in our Native policy is ascriblUle very many of tho Maori deaths thaticcur under like circumstances. I'lte Government, in its wisdom, has appointed Native medical ollicers at certain centres, whose duties are to float Maoris in the -ui-geiy. No provision whatever i.nado tor the p tor siek 11 itive who i--100 ill to crane into town for advice, lie is too poor, and will not .send ft), ■ nodical advice, for which he kuow.10 cannot; pay, or. in his ignorance. Ie seeks tho tohungu's aid.

1 on tho sake ol sulloring humanity, something lias got to he done to eiii this l.uucntablo stato of allaiis. Till iiuo has gone for cheap talk ; lot ulo something prac;icai. Tho 31 inrP vill not. go to till | üblie hospital, anil very few of them can all'if lo liavi ■nodical attention in ih'ur houses. 1 11a)' bo staled that tho Maori ihrittle.ss, nnd, to a covtuin exte it hat is unfortunately too true, liu svevvimo will agree ihit the Maori, •vhethcT lie has the limiey or not. should be given as goo I a chance t, live as the European. What i.s to b lone, t hen ! Theie is 0 Iy 000 practi •aI solution, and that is—a Maor lospilul, and a home nursing system fiic hospital lu cd be lioihin; olabo ■ ate. There i-, already iu this to.vi 1 splendidly equipped and 111 wage native hostclr— a iUQot popular

institution it is, too, with the natives. Wa..!. is cto prevent a portion of the building being sot aside as a hospital, or, bettewstill, what is there to prevent the present building being enlarged and equipped, for a start, with half a dozen beds for patients ? There is already a medical otKcer retained bj the Government to treat the natives—at a miserable retainer, it is true -but nevertheless the position exists, and, no doubt, is no sinecure either.

Tiik Government has widely decided to have native girl-nurses trained'in the public hospitals, and, if we mistake not, the local hospital some time ago agreed to find a place for one such probationer here Two or more of these native nurses could then be attached to the hostelry; one, say, to attond the natives in the native hospital, and the other, or others to attend ailing Maoris in tlieir homes. By the latter method, such a sad ease as that mentioned above would not have to bo chronicled. Doctors' orders would be carried out and Maori women and girls would' j from the example, quickly learn the value of nursing. Were such a scheme in thorough working order, there would soon be a great reduction in the infantile mortality. Also, mothers could l» taught how not to feed their children with the artificial and other unsuitable foods, on which the youngsters vainly strive to thrive. The matter of finance is one for later consideration, and for the State to control. The Maoris might be made! to contribute for upkeep, through their rents, perhaps, and, no doubt, pakehas would not be found parsimonious if appealed to. The Maori has to be taught that his salvation lies , only in his own industry, and the Government has to evolve a policy to that end, but this particular matter is altogether different —ii is a question of alleviating Buffeting and saving life.