The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-04-19
The Hawsiians ofthe South Pacific.

The Naoris of New Zaland are undoubtedly OF a
cognate race with the fawaiians. Not only IS there
n great similarity in ne personal appearance OF the
two races, but there's also a remarkable resemblance
and affinity in thsr spoken languages, one to the
other. When discovered by Cook, the country OF
the Maoris. like tIat of the Hawaiians, was densely
populated-at last such was the report at the time
Since then however, both peoples have rapidly de-
creased in NUMBERS, but the Maoris by much the
faster of the .wo, inasmuch as internal wars among
themselves and wars with the encroaching whites
have workd together for the rapid destruction OF the
once nuperous and powerful tribes. Less than a
bpndre5vears ago the aboriginal native population
of Nev Zealand was estimated at about 4OO,OOO. \
census of the colony was taken in 1871, but the
officials of the Crown engaged in that work present
. opy an 8 estimate - of the native population. They
sa, =. An accurate census of the Aboriginal Native
Iopulation would no doubt be extremely interesting,
uere it practicable. Bat at present it is only posi-
bic to give an estimate more or less proxinlate OF the
numbers. Such Oh estimate, (based upon various
returns and other information) has been obtained
from the native secretary's Office. According to It,
the total native population may be stated as about
81, SOP; viz. in the Northern Island 35,l49, and in
the Middle Island 1858. The estimated native pop
ulation in 1867 was 3S,54O." This Is all that IS
deemed necessary TO be said by the present New
Zealand Government about the remnant of the once
proud and powerful race that, before the coming Of
the foreigners, were the sole owners of the soil We
hear nothing whatever of any exertion being made
to stay the tide of destruction that is thus sweeping
the poor Maoris from the earth, but occasionally the
subject is spoken of in the press of the colony, often
in a tone Of levity as though the extinction of the
natives would be u good radiance. The editor OF the
"Wanganui Herald - indeed appears to be possessed
of @ of the sentiments of humanity, for he thus
discourses on . The decline of the native race E"
"We regret to learn that many of the most nu-
merous and powerful tribes, residing on the Rangltl-
kei, Manawatu, Waikanae, and Otaki rivers, are
being literally decimated by sickness of various
kinds. Where a few years ago were large cuIuYaoons'
formidable pahs, and a numerous population, there
are now but a few old men and women, ruined fences
and o7er-grown gardens. Whares tabued, or IN d
state of decay, rctting canoes and scattered bones
alone remain 10 show where once was a populous ana
busy settlement. Let any one get into conversation
with any o! the old settlers, principally Whalers'
whose recollectiung date back some forty years, ana
he will be astouished to learn how these tribes have
disappeared of the face of the earth, and how that
the present representatives Of these departed races,
noble specimens of civilized savages, as some OF them
are, bear comparison in stature, appearance, mental
qualifications, or soeiol influence among their re-