DISTRESS AMONG NATIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 120, 12 May 1908, Page 2

DISTRESS AMONG NATIVES.

SHORTAGE OF FOOD IX KING COUNTRY.

Per Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. According to Mr. J. Eutrican, the Maoris of the Waikato anil King Country have to face severe distress in the winter season. He stated to-day that last winter, from Himtly down to the Heads, the natives were in a bad way. As the result of what he saw on a visit to tin; Waikato, lie was induced to collect clothes and food for them. | Out of children burn at Ortim, bttI tween .Mercer and Churchill, tile winter before last. Mr. Entrican slated that 21 had died. This mortality was largely due to cold anil exposure, and to the want of food last winter. Again, many of the natives, owing to the floods, were well-nigh drowned, and several more uf their children died from the causes stated. Following the Hoods, the staple proline! of the natives, the potato, on which they 50 largely depend, was a failure last season, so that now, at the beginning of another winter, the Maoris are faced with the problem of how to live. Mr. Entrican added that he also heard there was distress among the King Country natives owing to the failure of the potato crop there.