The Hot Lake District — New Zealand. 37 



Among the novelties of the scene which do not fail to attract 

 the visitor are the Maoris^ whose habits and customs, especially 

 among the older ones, are very little changed with the British 

 occupation, and no place affords such splendid opportunities of 

 studying them as Rotorua. The native quarter of the town- 

 ship is separate from the European, the natives evidently pre- 

 ferring to live in their own simple way, rather than that of 

 their adopted countrymen. 



Their houses, or whares as they are called, are small huts, 

 with sloping roofs covered with grasses, and projecting slightly 

 in front forming a kind of verandah. They contain usually 

 but one room, where the whole family sleep on mats of flax or 

 blankets, and on the outside are surrounded by a rude fence, 

 enclosing a small piece of ground, in which is grown such 

 vegetables as sweet potatoes and pumkins so much prized by 

 them. 



Some of the whares of the more well-to-do are artistically 

 carved, and above the door of almost all may be seen the 

 grotesque little wooden figures, with distorted faces, shell eyes, 

 projecting tongues and crossed hands, the presiding deity — the 

 lares of the family. 



Among the whares there is one building which stands out 

 above the rest being larger and more extensively carved, having 

 a flagpole surmounted by carved head ; this is the Atama or 

 meeting house. Here they meet at regular intervals to hold 

 council or deliberate on their own affairs, and is often the scene 

 of a stormy debate when their tolls or lands are threatened. 



The women although inferior to the men in looks are almost 

 their equal in strength, being good workers and expert riders. 

 They never look so happy as when strolling about the village 

 with a baby or two strapped on their backs and a short black 

 pipe in their mouths. Although formerly cannibal, and as 

 shown in the native wars, bold and daring in fight, the Maoris 

 have become tractable and harmless living on the best of terms 

 with the Pakeha or white man. Indeed as you inquire more 

 closely into their condition, and hear from themselves how 



