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Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



with the number of children born and those who are now 

 alive, will give us an idea of the number born and of the 

 proportionate number of deaths : — 



These families have not been selected, but have been taken 

 in little parties as they sat together. ... It has been 

 observed that two-thirds of the deaths in New Zealand take 

 place under twenty years of age. If this is the case, I think 

 half of them occur in infancy. Within a fortnight of our 

 Sophia's birth, either before or after, there were five native 

 children born of natives living near us, only one of whom is 

 now alive. These died within six months of their birth. The 

 one who is now alive was medicined and fed by us when he 

 was ill. Some of the New-Zealanders have a great many 

 children born — some as many as fourteen, others fifteen, and a 

 few have had twenty ; nor are these occurrences rare, and yet 

 if five or six of these arrive at middle age it is considered a 

 large family. When something of the kind was mentioned 

 some time ago I was unwilling to admit the fact, but from my 

 own observation I find it is the case. From 1835 to 1838 it 

 was considered that the population decreased, but from 1838 

 to 1841 it has increased. If a reason be asked why so many 

 of the New-Zealanders die in infancy, I should answer, first, 

 from the idleness, negligence, and thoughtlessness of the 

 mothers ; and, secondly, from want of proper food and 

 clothing. Some persons may perhaps think it difficult to 

 reconcile the first of these with the hypothesis that generally 

 prevails that the New-Zealanders in general are fond of their 

 children. While this is the case, it is also true that they are 

 very careless, inconsistent, and, I should in justice to them 

 say, ignorant mothers. . . . With regard to the fighting- 

 men, I think the natives are very correct in general in giving 

 the number in each tribe. I subjoin a calculation of the 

 number of inhabitants in each district and throughout the 

 Island : — 



