A COMMENDABLE MOVEMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9137, 13 July 1908, Page 4

A COMMENDABLE MOVEMENT.

A movement of a highly commendable character has just been inaugurated among the Maoris of the Master ton district. Several Maori ladies, recognising that the lack of proper nursing and general treatment of the young is responsible for a high infant deathrate among the race, and particulaily because erroneous orthodox Maori ideas of curative treatment are still clung to by many Native mothers,have commenced in a quiet way the task of reformation in such Maori homes. A kind of nursing cuild has been set up, and the members have already done good service in several instances. They finj, however, that they have a good deal of apathy to contend with, not to say superstition, but they intend to persevere and endeavour to extend the sphere of the movement. It is unnecessary to remark that such a noble object deserve? every encouragement, and the high motive which actuates those who have embarked on the work can not be too much lauded. Such a movement should have as its limits not the confines of our own district but the shores of the Dominion. It is only too true that in spite of all that enlightened and educated Maoris have done in the work of scientific mission among their people there is still deep rooted in the minds of many Natives old and utterly absurd no tions ns to the treatment of diseases. That the Native mind is s.ill suscept ible to the influence of his own medical man—whether for body or soul—has been sufficiently exemplified by the ,support accorded the "prophet" Rua, and in other cases have been brought prominently before the public. But there are many scores of precious infant lives sacrificed on the altar of fetish among the Native race which aiv never brought under tho public notice. '