Wellington Philosophical Society. 445 



Tutanekai played to his lover, Hinemoa, on the banks of the Botorua Lake, three hundred 

 years ago ; the curiously carved nose flute, on which, in ancient times, the tohungas of the 

 Ngatiraukawa practised their sacred music; the genealogical stick by which "King 

 Tawhiao " traces back his ancestry to the earliest of tupunas ; and so forth. He had also 

 employed the well-known Austrian artist, Lindauer, to paint life-size portraits of several 

 of the more prominent chiefs of the day, all in Maori costume, and typical faces of both 

 sexes. The work had been admirably executed, and he felt sure that this series of pictures 

 would possess great interest in after times. It must be remembered, however, that 

 individual effort laboured under many disadvantages, and it appeared to him that an 

 exposition of this kind, possessing a kind of national interest, should be undertaken by 

 the Government, and on a far more comprehensive scale. Dr. Buller concluded by saying 

 that it was his intention, during his presidential year, to do his utmost to promote and 

 encourage this particular branch of local research, and he then resumed his seat amid 

 general applause. 



The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse said he had listened with great pleasure to the address, 

 but was surprised to hear so decided an opinion expressed as to the rapid decline of the 

 Maori poople. He thought this view was scarcely borne out by the official statistics ; but 

 that, on the contrary, the Maoris throughout the colony were rather on the increase. The 

 census returns might be accepted as relatively correct, and it appeared to him, from an 

 examination of these returns, that there was a larger percentage of children among the 

 Maoris than among the French. If true, this would go to prove that the Maoris were 

 really on the increase. The subject was one of great interest, and he was glad to hear 

 from Dr. Buller that he intended, during the coming year, to contribute some papers to 

 the " Transactions," because there was probably no one more competent to deal with the 

 matter. As to the value of the " Transactions," he entirely agreed with the president. He 

 had long thought that it would be a wise thing to reprint the more interesting of the 

 papers in a popular form for general circulation. 



The Hon. Mr. Hart said he took the same view as the last speaker. He believed 

 that the general notion of rapid decrease among the Maoris was premature. It had yet to 

 be proved that there was an actual diminution. So far, the statistics pointed to the 

 opposite conclusion. 



Dr. Newman said he entirely agreed with the president. He had himself on a previous 

 occasion expressed his belief, at a meeting of the Society, that the Maoris numbered only 

 35,000. He thought Dr. Buller was probably right in placing the number somewhat 

 lower. On all hands were proofs of decrease, especially in the Hawke's Bay district, with 

 which he had been more intimately connected. He had no faith in census returns. Even 

 Mr. Bryce had told him that these enumerations could not be relied on, as every chief 

 was anxious to make his following appear as large as possible. 



Dr. Hector said it could not be denied that this very important subject had hitherto 

 been neglected. Although, however, comparatively few papers had appeared in the 

 " Transactions," he was not aware that any had been rejected. He took the opportunity 

 of saying this, because a Hawke's Bay correspondent (Mr. Colenso) had lately complained 

 of unfair treatment in this respect, whereas his papers (which were not on Maori subjects), 

 had only been delayed, not refused ; and it seemed to him unreasonable to make this a 

 ground of complaint against the Institute. He entirely concurred in the views put forward 

 by Dr. Buller in regard to the Maori race. The census returns were quite delusive, as he 

 had satisfied himself by careful enquiries in various parts of the country, and he gave the 

 meeting several instances in point. As to the urgent necessity for collecting a history of 



