77

H.—3l

The potato-blight has been very severe in this district; perhaps a little aid from the Government will be needed. Number of old houses, 96 ; paling houses, 49 ; houses destroyed, 26 ; new houses, 32 ; kautas, 50 ; water-closets, 42 ; patakas, 22 ; churches, 5 ; meeting-houses, 13. Waaka te Huia, Sanitary Inspector. Riapo Puhipi, Sanitary Inspector for the Mangonui District, writes : " During the year the number of houses condemned was 32, the number of houses destroyed 26, the number of houses erected 17, and the number of closets built 9. The excess of births over deaths was s.—Kia ora." Dr. Pomare. Putiki, Wanganui, 13th June, 1906. Salutations to thee, 0 friend ! Dr. Rangihiroa and myself have just completed a second reinspection of the Councillor District of Wanganui. The multitudes have been diligent in carrying out the law. The health has been excellent throughout the district, and the welcome extended to us by the people has been sincere. Attached you will find a list of the houses which have been destroyed, those which have been renewed, and those which have been built from February, 1905, to April, 1906. Enough. Kia ora. Total number of houses, 681 ; number to be destroyed, 72 ; number to be renewed, 100 ; number destroyed, 72 ; new houses erected, 22 ; houses renewed, 17 ; number of closets built, 70. HORI PUKEHIKA, Sanitary Inspector. Dr. Pomare. Maketu, 23rd March, 1906. Salutations to thee, 0 friend ! I herewith send you a report like unto the last, excepting, first, your urgent request in regard to the doings of the tohungas in the district, and, secondly, in regard to the scarcity of potatoes. The first part of my report will deal with the above two subjects. Tohungas. —This is a question which has occupied our attention greatly Jwithin the past year. There are three tohungas in this district, two of whom have been stopped by the action of the Council, which warned them that if they were found trading on the credulity of the people they would be fined the sum of £50. Since then I have heard nothing more of their movements ;if they have been at work they have done so secretly. The third individual is one who has combined a knowledge of herbs with a form of karakia, which I think is but a cloak to hide his doings. I made inquiries and found that he sometimes prevented the administration of drugs ordered by European doctors. I have made stringent inquiries as to whether medicines from duly qualified sources had been prevented from being administered, and whether cold water was used in the treatment of the patient. You know these are two of the courses which frequently prove fatal, and that is why I believe a number of tohungas are working secretly. In times gone by the name of " tohunga " was only applied to the learned of the Whare Wananga, but to-day anybody can become a tohunga —mere boys and girls even. Though the law has been laid down to suppress the tohunga evil, I am certain that there are many of them practising their craft. The law is not stringent enough. To meet this, I believe you will find that if the law was imposed upon persons who consulted tohungas it would mitigate the evil, as I know as well as you do it is not the tohunga who seeks the patient, but it is the patient who seeks the tohunga. That is why if we strike at the root the branches will wither ; then the tohunga will not be the only one who will be scared, but likewise every seeker after the tikanga maori. There are many tohungas who will only perfornf after earnest solicitation. This is a matter to be considered by the General Conference of the Councils. Potato-blight. —The potato-blight has been very severe in the whole of this district. The potatoes which were sown in August did well, but all the rest which were sown during the other months withered and died away. Early Marriages. —These are a few words to strengthen what you have already mentioned in your report for last year. I know for a certainty that this is absolutely one of the great causes of the decay of our race. In early days youths were not allowed to marry till they had matured ;in these days paternal and maternal responsibilities are assumed at twelve and fourteen years. From this cause many have become weaklings, prone to consumption, and often die in giving birth to children. Many times also the offspring die at birth, and those who live live only long enough to be snatched away by death. All know this is an evil; but the Maori is blind. This wo*uld be a good take for the Government to legislate a law empowering the Maori Counoils to deal with this question so that the young generation springing up may be able to walk in the path that will bring them to health. Houses. —l am pleased to report that the Maori mind is grasping the situation, and thus many comfortable weatherboard houses have been erected during the past year. Many houses are now being constructed ; for some the timber is drying waiting to be put up ; and many of the whare wiwi will be replaced by more sanitary weatherboard houses. At Tapuaeharuru a really new village has been constructed within a year. The accompanying table will, however, give you an idea of what is being done in all the villages :—