WHATAWHATA

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1089, 17 June 1879, Page 2

WHATAWHATA

It is wonderful, considering the amount of time aud money spent m endeavoring to propitiate those natives who openly defy onr authority, how cureless the Government aro as to the welfare of those of them who are as dutiful subjects as any European. The native is proverbially ungrdt.ef.ul, and the friendly natives especially so, still the Government have n manifest duty to perform towards those natives who live side by side with European settlors, working for their wives and families, and sending their children regularly to school, and the duty I refer to, is to provide medical attendance to the natives free of charge. It would not be by any means an expensive thing for the Government, and it would be a very great mattov for the natives. It is of uo use Sir George Grey and others professing to have a real regard for the natives, and a desire to perpetuate the race, while they allow their old and young to die off for the want of a little medical care and attendance, and I am not wrong m stating that sinco I became the correspondent of the. Waikato Times quite a score of natives have died m Whatawhata, fully half of which number had they been sent to the hospital or *proper!y looked after, would have been alive at. this day. While I am .writing, a young man, vrho some months ago, was" one of the strongest men en board the river steamers, now lies m a hut on the river bank m the last stage of illness He would have been dead weeks ago had nob one or two of the residents m the township found him out, and are sending food, &c There has been several deaths among native children lately, aud aa a last resource

two sick little ones were carried over to Dr Carey m Hamilton. The natives had no money, buttbeworthy Doctor gave bis services gratis, nnd the children are well again. The natives take very little care of their health, but whan they fall ill and poor, it is only ©ur duty to do our utmost to prevent them from dying, and if the Government bave any real regard for the natives, thenis the time to show it.— Own Correspondent.