Hill. — On the Maoris To-day and To-morroiv. 151 



including the Maoris and Morioris of the Chathams, was 

 39,805 persons— viz., 22,861 males and 19,132 females. The 

 return of the Maori census in 1891 gave the population at 

 41,993. There is thus shown a decrease of the native popula- 

 tion during the past five years of 2,188 persons, or 5-2 per 

 cent. In other words, for every hundred Maoris living in the 

 country in the year 1891 there were only 91-8 in April, 1896. 

 It has heen known for ma:iy years that the native population 

 was decreasing, and, without the help of a census such as the 

 Government has issued, those who have occasion to travel 

 through native settlements can testify to the fact. When 

 Sir George Grey addressed his despatch, No. 121, Legislative, 

 to the Kight Honourable Earl Grey, in August, 1851, with 

 reference to the Provincial Councils Ordinance, he referred in 

 the twelfth paragraph to the native race, and estimated 

 them at "one hundred and twenty thousand souls," a 

 very large proportion of whom were males capable of bearing 

 arms. As Governor of the colony at that time, Sir George 

 Grey had excellent opportunities of estimating the Maori 

 population, and I have reason to think that the estimate he 

 made was not an extravagant one. It would thus appear 

 that in the short space of forty-five years, or in a single 

 generation, the ntxtives of New Zealand have decreased by no 

 less than eighty thousand, or twice the present native popula- 

 tion. In paragraph 11 of the despatch the total European 

 population of New Zealand was estimated at twenty-six thou- 

 sand, or little more than one-fifth of the native population, 

 whilst the census in April last showed the European popula- 

 tion to be 703,360, or about twenty-seven times what it was 

 forty-five years ago, and seventeen and a third times that of 

 the present native population. It is not necessary to point 

 out here the marvellous physical and social changes that have 

 taken place in both Islands during the same period, bu.t it is 

 a fact nevertheless that just as settlement has spread and 

 free European intercourse has been allowed in what may be 

 termed native districts there has been a decrease in the Maori 

 population, whether the times have been warlike or peaceful. 

 What has not been accomplished by means of the sword of 

 the settler has been equally well accomplished by the Go- 

 vernment of the country in its efforts to dress in European 

 garb and make live in European ways the native aborigines, 

 without one single thought as to adaptiveness to environment, 

 especially upon a free, roaming, and warlike race. 



It is to be regretted that the census return omits to set 

 forth the number of children of the native race compared with 

 the adult population, as this would have been of great value 

 in enabling a comparison to be drawn between the two I'aces — 

 one dominant, aggressive, and adaptive ; the other imitative, 



