180 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



the day " is his motto, and, although many years have passed 

 by since the natives first came in contact with the higher 

 influences of civilisation such as were first represented by the 

 missionaries, it is seldom one meets with members of the 

 native race who display foresight like what is found among 

 the colonists. There are those among them who fully realise 

 the necessity of exercising foresight ; but opposing interests, 

 and the absence of emulation and of local government, all 

 combine to produce an indifference even among the better 

 educated and more ambitious young men, whilst the young 

 women have no possible chance of improving under present 

 social conditions. 



The passing of the Maori Councils Act of 1900 is re- 

 ferred to by two of the enumerators, and possibly the grant- 

 ing of executive power to elective bodies may tend to improve 

 the social status of the natives, and at the same time cause 

 the disappearance of some of the weaknesses which beset the 

 race and are carrying them down to certain ruin. 



The home of the Maori in the " Land of the Great White 

 Cloud" may, perhaps, be long continued, but it depends on 

 the creation of activities, ambitions, and responsibilities, and 

 the providing of ways for these qualities and attendants of 

 progressive government to have full sway, as pointed out by 

 me in a former paper. Let the improvements that have as 

 yet taken place be balanced beside the losses and what do 

 they show ? The modern natives have acquired the habit of 

 dressing in the fashions of the colonists, of eating similar 

 food, and of living in similar houses. Many think that these 

 are in themselves proofs of advancing civilisation. But the 

 tinsel and the show and the thriftlessness, with the total ab- 

 sence of regard as to domestic responsibilities, are the bars to 

 progressive growth, and unless internal government is intro- 

 duced through which these aspects of social, and as a con- 

 sequence political, progress can be guaranteed the Maori as 

 an entity cannot continue in the land. 



The Maori is the product of his special environment. 

 The conditions that have operated through missionaries and 

 whalers and colonists have undoubtedly produced a change 

 in his ideals ; but, unfortunately, he does not see along what 

 lines he must go in order to bring about the realisation of 

 his desires. Even the older natives are well aware that 

 their children and grandchildren ought to be trained in the 

 ways of the pakeha if they are to play their parts with any 

 hope of success, and this desire manifests itself again and 

 again wherever natives and colonists dwell near one another. 

 The Maori Council is a step forward in the direction of pro- 

 gress, but the natives are scattered over a wide extent of 

 country, and supervision can never become effective without 



