MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1938, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

PRIMITIVE CONDITIONS. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) In 1842 there were just 10,992 'whites in New Zealand, Wellington 3701, Auckland 2870, Nelson 2500, New Plymouth 895, Russell 380, Hokianga 263, Wanganui 200, Akaroa 193. The South Island was represented only by Nelson and Akaroa. The males predominated in every settlement, those from Australia were said “to be distinguished by wisdom, and the British migrants, by education and good home connections.” Few if any were over fifty years. Many were living on their small capital, as they could not get possession of the lands allegedly bought from the N.Z. Company. The French at Akaroa were growing- grapes, drinking wine and living idly in beautiful gardens. A few frittered away their lives in amusements, others in laziness and drink. Farm instruments rusted from lack of use, and several children and a number ,of hungry cattle died from eating the attractive berries or leaves of the tutu. Labourers were paid 14s a week and rations, carpenters and bricklayers just six times that sum'. Houses were thatched with toito leaves or raupo, and lined with toi canes. They were highly inflammable, and had to be prohibited by an Act of Parliament in townships. Pork and potatoes were the staple food, and at Wellington the newcomers exhausted the Maori supplies. The Jews ate pork with relish, but always called it mutton. Beef was Is 4d a pound, mutton Is, pork 3Jd, fowls 6s each, and eggs 6s a dozen. For several weeks tea was off the market, but gin, rum and brandy were the usual drinks. There were no hospitals, very little sickness, and the doctors were obliged to become storekeepers for a living. The main causes of death were drinking and drowning.