7

H.—26b

paid more attention to the cultivation and improvement of their own lands and to other agricultural pursuits. Much of the kauri and other timber has been worked out from this district, especially from the lands of the Natives. The scarcity of bush-work has further thrown many on the resources of their own land for support. There can be no doubt that this, from many points of view, has been of the greatest advantage. Money has been scarcer, and less has been spent on drink, and otherwise wasted, than formerly, while the Natives have thrown more energy into the farming and improvement of their lands. They have in many instances forsaken the swamps near which they camped and in which they dug for gum, and have gone back to their more healthy permanent settlements. The unsettled occupation of gum-digging, the residence near these swamps, and the drinking of swamp-water, were probably greatly accountable for the high death-rate in the past. No benefit was ever derived from the gum-fields by the Maori. Even when gum was plentiful the money earned was squandered, and the digger nearly always left the field in debt to the storekeeper. The life was demoralising. The cultivations were neglected for the gum-fields, and the result was the loss of crops, with only big store-bills to show against it. It may fairly be predicted that when the gum is exhausted the Northern Maori will be in a more substantial position than he ever was. The increase of energy directed to the cultivations, together with a very favourable season, has this year resulted in abundant crops, especially of potatoes and maize. The nikau whare is gradually giving place to the weather-boarded dwelling. Many of the Natives are experts at shearing and ploughing, and as such readily find contract work and employment throughout the district, while a certain number are employed generally as farm hands. Some are engaged at bush-work, at which they make very capable hands, and control good wages, while many act as general labourers, especially at road-work. Farming will undoubtedly be the future of the Maori, and it is to the encouragement of this that the Government should largely direct its attention. Although much of the land is very poor and only useful for rough grazing-runs, yet there are large quantities of good land, suitable for subdivision into small farming sections, scattered throughout the different counties. Although gradually becoming Europeanised, the Maori still retains much of his old Maori nature in a latent state, and cannot be forced on too quickly to a condition of British civilisation without the danger of a complete reaction. A judicious assistance and encouragement in that direction to which he is most suited—namely, the settlement, occupation, and cultivation of his lands, and the running of stock thereon—will be the most conducive to the permanent advancement of the Native. Abandoning his whare, the Native requires to build a weather-boarded house. This means money. The house requires a fire which cannot be lit as of yore, on the floor, and this means a chimney; more money is required. He desires to fence, and this means wire, another expense ; and so each succeeding step in civilisation the Native finds it necessary to save or acquire more money wherewith to accomplish his advancement. His naturally indolent and thriftless nature is against this, and he requires continual supervision and encouragement in the formation of his modern kainga and the cultivation of those products from which he is is to derive his income. The Native schools are undoubtedly doicg great work in educating the Maori, in making him think more for himself, and so the better fitting him to meet his gradually altered circumstances. There are now very few Natives in the North to whom one cannot make one's self understood in English. The social condition of the Maori requires more attention. Unfortunately the women, not being trained to a satisfactory condition of domestic economy, gradually tire of the restraint of keeping a home clean, neat, and in the pakeha style, and eventually find it so irksome as to warrant falling back into the free-and-easy style of living pursued by their forefathers. The husbands fall back with them, and so also the children, even though receiving a European education. This has unfortunately been the case with many highly educated and intelligent Native men. More care and attention is required to the domestic education of the women. I notice that an experimental technical school for Maoris has just been opened at Hokianga. Possibly the domestic training of the women may eventually be taken in hand by this and other similar schools. Many large blocks of land are still unadjudicated upon. Not knowing who will be declared the owners, the Natives are naturally diffident about improving these lands to any extent, and this undoubtedly retards the advancement of many places in the district. This is noticeably the case at Kaikohe, Bay of Islands, where many thousand acres of magnificent land are still lying idle. Whether the compulsory passing of such land through the Native Land Court, or of vesting it in a Committee or Council, to lease or deal with in trust for the owners to be thereafter ascertained, would be practicable, is a question well worth considering. Undoubtedly when these various blocks have been thrown open for lease and occupation by the Maoris, many who no longer favour the holding of lands and goods in common as in olden times will largely adopt sections for their individual cultivations and homes. The old system of communism, which has paralysed individual effort and retarded advancement in the past, is gradually passing away. So great has been the demand for cattle and sheep during the past nine months that every part of the district has been searched by dealers, and a great quantity of stock taken away. In spite of this the returns show a very favourable increase since last census. In 1896 the returns showed 11,728 sheep, 4,169 cattle, and 8,394 pigs ; while the present returns show 15,573 sheep, 5,711 cattle, and 12,449 pigs. The price realised for stock has been high. The past season has been an especially good one for grass, and the stock remaining in the district is in very good order and condition. Had these present returns been taken six or nine months since, the stock would undoubtedly have numbered several thousand more than at present. During the past five years the unfortunate Waima disturbance has occurred. It is unnecessary to refer at length to this matter, as the facts are generally within the knowledge of all. From my own personal knowledge and observation I cannot, however, help thinking that never at any time