150 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



homely nature — that is, of things and matters near at hand — 

 lying around us ; of things, it may be, that you all knew 

 before ; yet, I trust, all done with the very best intention. 



I trust you will have perceived that, while throughout my 

 address I have avoided trenching upon theological matters,^ 

 there is a silver thread of true religion running through it. 

 Further, as pertaining to the great object of the New Zealand 

 Institute, I, as an aged minister of religion and a fervent dis- 

 ciple of Nature, and with increasing convictions of the truth 

 (soon by me to be realised), would say one word more to my 

 audience, re our talents and our time here : that as you sow 

 now you will reap hereafter. Young friends, don't waste 

 time, don't abuse talents ; seek to make the best use of both. 

 Our bodies will remain, but our minds will go with us ! 



And, in a few beautiful and expressive lines of our classical 

 English poet, Thomson (already quoted from by me), I close :— 



Father of light and life, thou Good Supreme ! 



O, teach me what is good ; teach me Thyself ! 



Save me from folly, vanity, and vice. 



From every low pursuit, and feed my soul 



With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure — 



Sacred, substantial, never-fading bliss. 



('" Winter.") 



Art. X. — The Maoris To-day and To-morrow. 



By H. Hill, B.A., F.G.S. 



lEead before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, IMh September, 



1896.] 



Theee has lately been presented to the Houses of the 

 General Assembly a State paper deahng with the census of 

 the Maori population. 



This census was taken in February of the present year, in 

 anticipation of the census of the colonists which was taken 

 in April. The circular that was addressed to the enumerators 

 by the Under-Secretary of the Department of Justice asks 

 that the returns may be accompanied "with a report on the 

 increase or decrease of the natives within each district since 

 the last census was taken ; the general state of health of the 

 natives ; any disease or epidemic which may have visited 

 them ; and any further information bearing on the statistics of 

 Maori population which the enumerators might consider of 

 interest." 



There were fourteen enumerators in all, and their reports 

 are attached to the return luider notice. The total population, 



