128 Tramactions. — Miscellaneous. 



so. There may have been washing and cleaning because I was expected. 

 Be that so, it was a step in the right direction. The Maoris had not yet 

 caught the idea that it would be comely to wash and clean themselves for 

 the visit of a stranger whom they respected. The baptized, of course, had 

 to appear a little cleanly, but the mass comprehended that not yet. 



Here some one may ask : "Why not civilize the Maoris first and after- 

 ward christianize them ? To that I would reply : That cannot be done. 

 No savage will take to civilized habits before a higher idea is instilled into 

 his mind and is working there. Always washing and combing — too 

 much work. Let now the leaven be mixed with the unsightly lump of 

 flour, and by and by, when it is working, we shall see the uprising of a 

 civilization. 



I have said the Maoris had but few children, and these had a dull and 

 unhealthy look about them. What was the cause ? Let us look into their 

 family management. Strictly speaking, there were no families — there were 

 parties — large ones and small "ones. Most of the food was procured and 

 eaten by each party in common, and as there was no organization for 

 economy, there could be no saving. "When after a time of hunger there 

 came a time of plenty, then the craving was so great, that they ate over- 

 much. At another time they had to starve again. Their eating, clothing, 

 housing, were unwholesome. For a time such a way of living might go on ; 

 but in the end, generation after generation, it must weaken their health, at 

 least in these latitudes. Besides the above, it was a settled custom 

 among them, that parents must not correct their children — and there was a 

 reason for it. They did not understand that children were to be made 

 better by correction. If they would beat their children, it would be 

 done in a brutal way, while in a great rage. Then others of the party 

 would get angry and interfere. This would lead to a fight, and perhaps to 

 manslaughter. To avoid such disturbances it had come to be a settled 

 habit, that children must be left to have their own way, and the children 

 knew that they need not obey. If a child objected to be weaned, the 

 mother must go on giving it suck. I have known children four or five 

 years old still sucking. It was a common sight to see a mother coming 

 into the house and sit down, then a big boy, or a big girl, would run up to 

 her and stand bolt upright by her side and suck, like a big calf. No wonder 

 they had but few children, and one can think that children growing up in 

 such a way must make bad parents. They could not always have been so, 

 else they would have died out long before. 



On the other hand, Maori women, though grown up in the same way, 

 when joined to a Pakeha husband, had plenty of healthy children. How 

 can we account for that ? It was because the families were provided for 



