THE EAST COAST NATIVES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3938, 14 October 1891, Page 2

THE EAST COAST NATIVES.

Dreadful Mortality t&routfb, Neglect.

The Native Minister has received a report from Major 3udgeon, who is at present holding a Native Lund Court North of Gisborne. " He forwards a schedule of 72 Natives, the greater portion of whom are chilti#h, who have died in that district during the last throe or four months. He also states that some others have died there, of whom he has no returns. Major Gudgeon says : " I am not pre* pared to say the fever is of so malignant a typo as to justify such n num» ber of deaths—nearly equal to 10 per cent of the population of the district. It seems to mo the deaths are in a great measure due to the barbarous treatment they hare received from the Maori doctors, who are nothing if not heroic in their treatment." The writer goos on to say that apparently few have died at Waipiro, which may fairly be attributed to the prcgfence of Mr Scott, who is not a qualittd prac* titioner, but nevertheless haw tPkiujuy ledge of medicine. The populatioCm tho district is at present too soattered to support a medical man without some assistance, hut a guarantee of £2OO per annum would be forthcom* ins» for such a purpose. In this connection the following telegram was yesterday sent to Major Gudgeon, by direction of the Native Minister :—"The Hon the Native Minister directs me to thank you for your report, received to-day. If residents are willing to guarantee subsidy to medical men to the amount you name (£200), the Government will supplement the amount by £IOO a year for two or three years." Mr Scott, the gentleman referred to above, has also written from the Native Dispensary at Waipiro, siying that tho great mortality among the Natives there arises wholy and solely from superstition, laziness, and natural inaptitude in looking after the sick. He considered himself quite up to the medical requirements of the district, and says he has been very successful in his treatment of fever cases, especially among children. One per cent, he believes, would represent the mortality in such oases. The district whore the mortality has so largely prevailed has not, he says, been visited, for the reason that the Maoris would not permit him to treat them, but stick to their tohungas, Te Kooti rites, and anointing with oil according to the Mormon creed. There has been but one death in Waipiro and the neighbourhood from enterio fever supervening on typhoid, and several children have been fffought from Waipiro, and returned oured.

Mr Scott enclosed a letter from a gentleman resident at Waipua, who safs the Maoris are a hopeless cast, a gentleman at Kawnpawa had been supplying theni gratis with medioine and medical comforts, and now they would not take any of the medicines because, forsooth, To Kooti did not approve of pakeba drugs. The writer cites the ctse of a girl about thirteen years of age, who, having got over the worst of the fever, was found partaking ot a [heavy repast. He remonstrated with them and told them she would die, but they simply smiled at the innocence of tho Pakeha and paid no attention to his remarks. The girl died in a day or two. after from inflammation.

The writer complains that the Maoris will not isolate, or take advice, and are constantly to be found herded together in the one smoky house, well and sick in the same apartment as the dead and dying. What, he askj, is the use of a doctor using his* best endeavours to benefit the self-willed people ? Previous to the reception of these letters, Mr Scott, who is an exA'ienced dispenser, and has been very successful in the treatment of fever cases among the Natives, had been appointed by the Government to visit the affected districts and dispense the necessary medicines. He is a Maori linguist, and had the confidence of the chief natives on the East* Coast district. The singular part of the whole affair 13 that these Maoris, among whom there is such a great mortality, are in most cases large landowners and perfectly well to do.— Times.