G.—2

Sess. 11.—1891. NEW ZEALAND.

CENSUS OF THE MAORI POPULATION (PAPERS RELATING TO).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1, CIBCULAE TO OfFICEBS. Sib,— Native Office, Wellington, Bth December, 1890. 1 am directed by the Hon. Sir Frederick Whitaker, in the absence of the Hon. the Native Minister, to inform you that you have been appointed an enumerator for the purpose of taking a census of the Maori population, and of all half-castes living as members of a Maori tribe in the counties noted in the margin, inclusive of interior boroughs, and you are authorised to nominate such sub-enumerators as you may consider necessary to enable an accurate census to be taken of the Maori population in the district for which you are responsible. It is considered that the several counties should be the Census Districts, and probably one sub-enumerator had better be appointed for each county. The remuneration authorised for sub-enumerators not already in Government employ is 15s. per day, which must include all expenses of travelling. In cases where policemen are employed, they will be allowed 2s. 6d. a day, with actual travelling expenses. You will be good enough to place yourself in communication with officers of districts adjoining your own, and arrange with them so that there will be no possibility of any Maoris being omitted from the census, or numbered more than once. You are authorised to seek the co-operation of any officers in the Government service whose aid or information would be of value; and it is desired that you should use your best endeavours to make the census as accurate as possible. Books containing blank forms on which the results of the census should be taken down by the sub-enumerators are herewith supplied to you, to which I am to request that you will be good enough to adhere as far as possible. It will be your duty as enumerator to make up from the subenumerators' books a summary for your whole district according to the printed form entitled "Enumerator's Summary," copies of which are herewith enclosed. It is considered that the Maori census cannot be taken in the same manner as the European census, on one particular night, but it is desirable that it should be taken within as short a period of time as possible, say, the third week in February. You will then have the opportunity during the remainder of the month of February and month of March of carefully examining the returns, communicating with enumerators in other districts, and correcting any errors or omissions before forwarding the returns completed to this office, which should be done as soon as possible after the sth of April next. I have to request that you will accompany your return with a report on the increase or decrease of the Natives within your district since the last census was taken, remarking also upon the general state of health of the Natives, any disease or epidemic which may have visited them, and supplying any other information bearing on the statistics of the Maori population which you may consider of interest. I have, &c, W. J. Mobpeth, For Under-Secretary.

No. 2. Mr. H. W. Bishop, E.M., Auckland, to the Undeb-Seceetaby, Native Department. Sib,— Auckland, 14th May, 1891. Referring to your circular (No. 12) of the Bth December last, I have now the honour to forward herewith my completed census returns of the Native population within the Counties of Mangonui, Whangaroa, Hokianga, Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Hobson, Eodney, Otamatea and Waitemata, and adjacent islands. Very little difficulty was experienced by the various subenumerators in obtaining the necessary information, and in this respect the Native feeling must have altered greatly. I think that the numbers are fairly correct, and the persons I employed spared no trouble to make them so. Owing to my having no copy of the census paper of 1886 lam unfortunately unable to offer any remarks upon the increase or decrease of the Natives, and I must ask you to add to this in the office a comparative statement. I— G. 2.