THE DECREASE OF THE MAORI RACE. 57 
pened in other parts of the world must inevitably happen, and 
indeed is happening, here. The aboriginal race must in time 
give place to a more highly organised, or, at any rate,a more 
civilized one. This seemed to be one of the inscrutable laws of 
Nature. And, iftrue to our watchword of progress—social, in- 
tellectual, and physical—he could scarcely believe that even the 
most earnest Philo-Maori would deplore the change. He had 
often reflected on an observation of the late Dr. Featherston, on 
their first meeting, just twenty-eight years ago: “The Maoris 
(said he) are dying out, and nothing can save them. Our plain 
duty as good, compassionate colonists, is to sooth down their 
dying pillow. Then history will have nothing to reproach us 
with.” Accepting these facts, Dr. Buller insisted on its being the 
absolute duty of the Society to collect materials for the future 
historian of the race. He said he had gone ,carefully through 
the fifteen volumes of ‘Transactions,’ and out of more than a 
thousand articles on a variety ,of subjects, only three dozen had 
any reference whatever to this subject. He then gave the meet- 
ing a rapid review of the more interesting of these papers, and 
stated his own views as to their relative value. Of some of the 
contributions by Maori experts, he spoke in terms of disparage- 
ment, and gave his reasons. Mr. Colenso, he said, had been the 
most diligent contributor, and his papers were replete with in- 
formation. But to his mind the best written, most interesting, 
and most philosophical of the papers on this subject were 
those contributed by a former president, Mr. W. T. L. Travers. 
His “ Life and Times of Te Rauparaha,” he considered one of 
the mostimportant contributions to Maori literature yet published. 
There were several papers among those noticed relating to the 
Maori language, but not a single line so far as he was aware, on 
the interesting subject of Maori poetry. Sir George Grey, when 
Governor of New Zealand, took advantage of his exceptional 
opportunities, and formed a very extensive collection of “ Poems, 
traditions, and chants,” which had been published without, as yet, 
any translation. Much of this poetry was highly figurative and 
beautiful ; and he quoted from the prefaca to that volume to 
show how difficult a task it was to catch and reduce to writing 
this oral poetry, the knowledge of which was confined chiefly to 
the old men and éohungas. Professor Max Miller, whom he 
had met at Oxford, spoke in high praise of this work, and said 
that for years he had been looking out anxiously for the pro- 
mised translation. In addition to these historical records, it ap- 
peared to him of the utmost importance to form a complete eth- 
nological collection illustrative of the race, which was becoming 
every day more difficult and would be soon impossible. He had 
himself enjoyed very favourable opportunities for doing this, and 
during many years past, with the active co-operation of Captain 
Mair, he had diligently employed himself in forming such a col- 
lection. There was much yet to be done; but, even now, he 
ventured to say, that his private museum was far more complete 
than any otherof the kindinexistence. Besides embroidered mats, 
