H.—26a,

14

Ccnincil, of leading chiefs, and of reputable Europeans in collecting reliable information, and, being a resident of some twenty-five years in this county, I believe the report to be fairly accurate. My sub-enumerators differ in their reports respecting the tohungas. Mr. Wyllie, who undertook one portion of the -district, states that tohungaism is on the decrease where his duties in compiling the returns lay. (To my own knowledge Karepa Taua and others are, however, undoubtedly practising in a quiet way there, whilst Wereta and others are still carrying on their operations in the district undertaken by Mr. Ferris.) The suggestion made by Mr. Ferris re cottage hospitals or nursing homes is an excellent one, for the Maoris are very shy about taking any of their sick to European houses or hospitals, and if a home could be erected here (of course, in charge of half-caste nurses who have their certificates), I honestly think that the Maoris would take their sick there, and not to the tohunga. I myself feel that this would be a good move in the uplifting of the Maori race. I have learned from a member of the Maori Council that the Waiapu Maoris have made a step towards progress — i.e., have erected a telephone on their own account. The Europeans would not let the Maoris use their telephone, so the Natives round Waiomatatini have collected money, and have now erected a wire for their own use from Waiomatatini to Te Araroa, and in the spring it is their intention to take it into Whangaparaoa (Cape Runaway). The wire will cross the Wharekahika River. The posts are in the ground for this extension, and the wires will be put in and communication established to Cape Runaway in the spring. The Waiomatatini Maoris are doing this on their own account without any help from the Whangaparaoa Natives, which shows they are rapidly falling into European ways. I have, &c, Alex. Keefeh, Enumerator. Extracts from Reports of Sub-enumerators. Cook County. (Charles Ferris, Sub-enumerator.) With regard to the condition, &c, of the Maori people at present in the County of Cook, I beg to report as follows: — 1. Mode of living, good. Under the direction of the members of the Council, appointed under " The Maori Councils Act, 1900," the mode of living of the Maoris is improving. Many Natives who formerly lived in whares are now comfortably housed in wooden buildings. 2. Health, fair. Since the last census the Natives have been free of epidemics. 3. Cleanliness: I am sorry to say that the Maori is in this respect behind the European standard, but, still, he is improving. 4. Birth-rate, hopelessly low, as compared with the number of married Natives. A remarkable feature is that the married Natives with any European blood bears more prolifically than the full-blooded Maoris, and, at this rate, I can only forecast that the remnants of the Maori race will ultimately be absorbed in the pakeha. 5. Industry: The Natives are on the improve, and are beginning to realise the fact they must keep pace with the times, and work hand in hand with the pakeha. 6. Tohungaism, combined with consumption especially, which is the most prevalent disease amongst the Maoris, is working an incredible amount of harm; I grieve to say this evil still prevails. This district, lam reluctant to state, is teeming witli tohungas or impostors. Wereta. for instance, has a large number of followers or apostles, and they also, with Wereta, practise tohungaism. . Remarks: In my opinion, the only means to increase and save the race trom extinction or absorption in the pakeha is is follows: (a.) Cottage hospitals or nursing homes erected here and there through the district, to be managed by European or Maori trained nurses. (&.) Make it compulsory for all Maori mothers to seek the advice of the nurses with respect to their children s health, &c, at all times, (c.) In cases of inattentive or careless mothers, their children should be taken 'over'by the nurses till healthy and strong, (d.) The institution to be kept and supported by imposing a tax on Native lands. («.) Total and sound education of all the Maoris. * I wish also to inform you that the majority of Maori mothers are absolutely unfit to rear and look after their children, being ignorant of the laws of health and otherwise careless. I, as a father of five children, speak from experience on this point; and had I, together with my wife, not been educated, the result would have turned out in our family about 1 per cent, saved. I and my wife also had to contend against our old people and tohungas re allowing ouf children to be doctored or cured by them in times of sickness, which were many : typhoid fever, measles, and other diseases would have proved fatal if the tohungas had got to work. I have often remarked to Native women that a common household fowl or hen could rear and look after her chicks better than a Native Cook County. (A. R. Wyllie, Sub-enumerator.) I am highly pleased with the great improvements that have been made by the Maoris of this district during the last five years. Now, the question has been put to me time after time, Are the Maoris improving in any way at all? From what I have seen and known of them in the past, and from what I see now, I can certainly reply to the question in the affirmative. The Natives of this district have made a big step forward in many ways. 1 Mode of Living. —l certainly believe that on this, and on this alone, hang the hopes ot the Maori race Comparing the present state of the Natives with their state prior to the taking of the census in 1901, one can plainly see the wonderful change in the houses and villages. Up to 1901 the Natives were living chiefly in miserable whares made of rushes and raupo, and more or less carelessly kept Now, hardly a Maori raupo whare is to be found in the Native villages, and, where they have been, may noV be seen standing in their stead neat wooden houses built after European style. Their big meeting-houses have been raised on blocks, and supplied with floors, lixtra