104 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 





Maoris, let us see how far the opposite will prove the Maoris to have been 

 Moa-hunters . Maori traditions must be in some measure for a few genera- 

 tions back, and as far as we dare place confidence in any compilation 

 of these traditions they in nowise prove the Moa as contemporaneous with the 

 subjects of these traditions. Maori traditions, collected after this subject has 

 been so freely discussed, must naturally be accepted with great reservation. 



Now if, as commonly stated, the present inhabitants immigrated hither, 

 say 350 years ago, and if, after their arrival here, the Moa was exterminated 

 by them, T cannot but think that reliable accounts would have reached present 

 times. And if individual specimens of the Moa lived till times as recent as 50 

 or even 100 years ago, surely a people who could preserve exact tradition of 

 matters to them much more trivial, could hardly have failed to have given 

 them a prominent place in their traditions. And thus we are led to suppose 

 that a people prior to the advent of the present stock were the exterminators of 

 the Moa, always accepting as incontrovertible that the immigration alluded to 

 did not take place 1,000 years earlier than stated in the said traditions on 

 the subject. 



But, in the mean time, accepting the 350 years, and treating 1,350 as a 

 wild notion which the science of the subject has never yet dreamt of, let us 

 see if the 350 years will be sufficient for the accomplishment of all that of 

 necessity must be performed by these immigrants and their descendants. 



The generally received accounts state that the immigrants were far from 

 being numerous. Also that quarrels — probably wars — ensued shortly after 

 their arrival here, which would certainly tend in no inconsiderable degree to 

 retard the natural increase of the population, while little encouragement is 

 held out that population is materially assisted by further immigrations from 

 Hawaiki. 



Further tradition states that at a very early period in their history were 

 built those terraced hill-forts so abundant in some parts of the North Island ; 

 and all agree that a considerable population would be required for their 

 construction; while it is further added that they are the works not of whole 

 sections of the community, but were executed by the various liapus of the 

 different tribes. 



And if, as we have seen, the original inhabitants were few, and their 

 increase naturally greatly retarded by war, yet they must have been early in a 

 position to undertake the execution of the works spoken of. And if they are 

 the work of district tribal sections, I cannot see that, considering the circum- 

 stances, the 350 years will be nearly sufficient for the natural increase of the 

 few original immigrants in sufficient numbers for the execution of even a 

 portion of such works, if their antiquity be as stated. 



