446 Proceedings. 



the Maori people, he was quite in accord with the president, and would suggest that the 

 minutes of evidence in the Native Lands Courts should be carefully preserved, on account 

 of the historical information they contain. 



The Hon. Captain Fraser said he thought the decay of the Maori people was by no 

 means so rapid as was generally supposed. He also demurred to some of Dr. Newman's 

 observations, and that gentleman immediately replied. 



Dr. Buller said in general reply, that his conclusions were not based on the evidence 

 of any particular locality, but were drawn from a pretty extensive knowledge of the various 

 native districts. He had instanced the Otaki district because it was at our very doors. 

 But other districts with which he was equally familiar — Kaipara in the far north, 

 Waikato, Botorua, Taupo, Wanganui, etc. — all told the same melancholy tale. These 

 districts were populous when he first knew them, and now the natives might be counted by 

 dozens where formerly there were hundreds. As to Maori census returns, they were mere 

 approximations and very often misleading, as he could state from personal experience. 

 He was much struck with the rapid mortality as disclosed also by native titles ; and he 

 mentioned several instances within his own professional knowledge, where, in a certificate 

 of title containing from 50 to 100 names, from 10 to 15 per cent, had died off in an 

 incredibly short space of time. Amalgamation of races had been talked of, but this would 

 not save the Maoris. The half-castes were undoubtedly a fine people physically, but he 

 had noticed that when they married back into the Maori race the offspring had no stamina, 

 and seldom reached maturity. He quite agreed with Dr. Hector about the value of the 

 Land Court evidence if carefully arranged and collated. He had succeeded once in 

 interesting Judge Fenton on this point, and circulars were then addressed to the various 

 Judges, asking them to hand over their note-books for public record, but he had never 

 heard the result. For his own part, for twenty years past he had been carefully preserving 

 everything of the kind. 



First Meeting. 9th July, 1884. 

 Dr. Buller, President, in the chair. 

 New Member. — S. Kohn. 



1. " On Changes in the Hataitai Valley," by J. C. Crawford. (Trans- 

 actions, p. 342.) 



2. "On Water-worn Pebbles found in the soil in the Hataitai Valley 

 and elsewhere in that locality," by J. C. Crawford. (Transactions, p. 341.) 



3. " On the Punui of Stewart Island, Aralia lyallii, n. s.," by T. Kirk, 

 F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 293.) 



4. "On a Deposit of Ironstone at Kawakawa, Bay of Islands," by A. 

 McKay. 



5. " On Variation in Plumage of some New Zealand Birds," by T. W. 

 Kirk. (Transactions, p. 60.) 



6. " Notice of the Eastern Golden Plover Charadrius fulvus, near 

 Wellington," by T. W. Kirk. (Transactions, p. 59.) 



7. " Description of a new Species of Paper Nautilus, Argonauta gracilis" 

 by T. W. Kirk. (Transactions, p. 58.) 



