Tregeae. — On Old Maori Civilisation. 533 



easily be made for roofed sheds, paved floors, water-flushes, 

 ample feeding, and humane treatment generally. (4.) Weight 

 and time are economized, as the abattoir can be situated 

 at some convenient place, and driving be saved. (5.) Nui- 

 sance can be effectually prevented. (6.) Consumers have a 

 guarantee that they are being supplied with only sound and 

 healthy meat. 



In conclusion, it must be urged that the State has a two- 

 fold duty in the domain of hygiene — a duty to itself and a 

 duty to its subjects individually. Health is wealth to the 

 State, as to the individual, and every day's sickness is a 

 national loss. It is wise for the State to invite and encou- 

 rage a healthy immigrant, but it is equally wise, and infinitely 

 more humane, to restore a sick man to health, while it com- 

 bines these qualities with that of commendable forethought if 

 it prevents a man from contracting disease. 



But it is the bounden duty of the State to have a watchful 

 care over the health of its subjects for the sake of humanity 

 and posterity, as well as for the sake of present policy ; and it 

 is not too bold to say that a few wise laws, based on modern 

 hygiene, and enacted by our next Parliament, would save 

 many valuable lives, and promote a degree of health and hap- 

 piness that would remain an abiding blessing. 



Art. LXII. — Old Maori Civilisation. 

 By E. Tregeae. 



[Bead before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 9th August, 1S93.'] 



It seems a touching sight to reflecting persons when they see 

 the children playing their simple games on green mounds and 

 barrows which hold the dust of a past race. When the small, 

 ignorant fingers are toying with fragments of pottery, relics of 

 some funeral urn deposited with grief and pious care ages ago, 

 we fully realise how pathetic the incident is ; how full of sad- 

 ness in regard to the short period of man's abode on earth ; 

 how full of hope as it pourtrays the race-life ever proceeding, as 

 the children of our children's children will be playing, full of 

 vivid life, in places where we are forgotten. When we behold 

 such a scene we realise all that it means ; but there are other 

 tokens of vanished life around us which we do not recognise — 

 old customs and survivals with which we play as the children 

 play, unconsciously and without recognition. They are not 

 so palpable as the pieces of pottery — they need cleansing from 



