5

H.—26b

APPENDIX.

I. CIRCULAR TO ENUMERATORS.

S IB> Department of Justice, Wellington, 12th December, 1900. I am directed by the Hon. the Native Minister to inform you that you have been appointed an Enumerator for the purposes of taking a census of the Maori population, and of all half-castes living as members of Maori tribes in the counties noted in the margin, inclusive of interior boroughs, and you are authorised to nominate such sub-enumerators as you may consider necessary to enable an accurate census to be taken of the Maori population in the district for which you are responsible. It is considered that the several counties should be the census districts, and probably one subenumerator had better be appointed for each county. The remuneration authorised for subenumerators not already in Government employ is 15s per day, which must include all expenses of travelling. In cases where policemen are employed they will be allowed 2s. 6d. a day with actual travelling-expenses. You will be good enough to place yourself in communication with officers of districts adjoining your own, and arrange with them so that there will be no possibility of any Maoris being omitted from the census, or numbered more than once. You are authorised to seek the co-operation of any officers in the Government service whose aid or information would be of value ; and it is desired that you should use your best endeavours to make the census as accurate as possible. Books containing blank forms, on which the results of the census should be taken down by the sub-enumerators, are herewith supplied to you, to which I am to request that you will be good enough to adhere as far as possible. It will be your duty as Enumerator to make up from the subenumerators' books a summary for your whole district, according to the printed form entitled " Enumerator's Summary," copies of which are herewith enclosed. It is considered that the Maori census cannot be taken in the same manner as the European census, on one particular night, but it is desirable that it should be taken within as short a period as possible, say, the third week of February. You will then have the opportunity during the remainder of the month of February and the month of March of carefully examining the returns, communicating with Enumerators in other districts, and correcting any errors or omissions before forwarding the complete returns to this office, which should be done as soon as possible after the sth April next. I have to request that you will accompany your return with a report on the increase or decrease of the Natives within your district since the last census was taken, remarking also upon the general state of health of the Natives, any disease or epidemic which may have visited them, and supplying any other information bearing on the statistics of the Maori population which you may consider of interest. I have, &c, F. Waldegeave, Under-Secretary.

11. REPORTS OF ENUMERATORS.

NOETHEEN DISTEICT. g IBj Magistrate's Office, Eussell, April, 1901. ' I have the honour to forward you herewith the returns of the Native census taken for the Counties of Mangonui, Whangaroa,* Bay of Islands, and Hokianga. Every precaution has been taken to prevent either a duplicating or omission of names from the returns, and, having carefully checked the work of my different sub-enumerators, I am satisfied that the returns forwarded you herewith may be accepted as accurate. Notwithstanding the generally accepted idea that the Maori is fast dying out, it is pleasing to note, from a comparison of my returns with those of the last census, taken some five years since, that the Natives of these northern counties are increasing and prospering. In 1896 the Native population of these four northern counties was 6,559, the present returns show 7,399. From careful inquiry I am satisfied that this increase is not caused by an influx of Natives from other parts, but is rather produced by a decrease in the death-rate and a large increase in the birth-rate. I think that this is undoubtedly due to the fact that the Natives are becoming more settled, and more tidy in their habits and style of living. In addition to information furnished me by native-school masters and others in a position likely to know, each of my sub-enumerators made careful observation and inquiry as to the general condition of the Natives. My opinion is corroborated by the reports of these gentlemen. I am informed that there has been no epidemic whatever of any serious nature during the past five years in any part of my district. Amongst all ages the death-rate has been normal. In the Counties of Mangonui and Bay of Islands, the Government having subsidised the services of resident medical officers, medicines, consultation, and advice are provided without charge to the sick Natives at the different surgeries. The same arrangement applies to Hokianga County, although, unfortunately, there is no Native medical officer at present resident in the county. The Hokianga County Council is, however, securing the services of a medical gentleman, who is, I understand, now on his way out from England.