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NEW ZEALAND

island, English grasses have been introduced, by which about five sheep to the acre may be kept, while the native grasses will not sustain more than half that number. The exports consist of potatoes and other provisions and timber to Australia, and of gold, wool, tallow, spars, flax, gums, and copper ore to England. Gold was first discovered in 1842, and subsequently in larger quantities in 1851, 1852, and 1856, especially in Auckland, Westland, and Nelson provinces; and the mines have proved to be among the richest in the world. The yield in 1872 was 445,370 oz., and from April, 1857, to December, 1872, the total export was 6,718,248 oz., valued at £26,084,260; capital employed in mining in 1872, £12,000,000; number of miners, 27,376, of whom 3,700 were Chinese. The total exports in 1872, gold included, were £5,190,655; imports, £5,142,951.—Education has been liberally provided for, chiefly by the church organizations, and there are good schools in all the towns. In some provinces state aid is given to both national and denominational schools, in others only to the national. A university has been established at Dunedin, and high schools exist in many of the towns. In 1872 there were in all 397 schools, 602 teachers, and 22,180 pupils. Among the religious denominations, the church of England has always taken the lead, having sent out the first missionary to the natives, the Rev. Samuel Marsden, in 1814; the first bishop, the Rev. Gr. A. Selwyn, was appointed in 1841. There are now six bishops of that church in the islands. The support of the churches comes from home grants, lands set apart for church purposes, and voluntary contributions. The Wesleyans commenced missions in 1819, and now have 77 chapels and a larger number of adherents among the natives than any other denomination. The province of Otago was settled by Scotch Presbyterians, and they are numerous in that part of the islands. The Roman Catholics have bishops at Auckland, Dunedin, and Wellington, with a large number of adherents among the colonists and some also among the natives. The Maoris, the primitive inhabitants of New Zealand, are a tribe of the Polynesian branch of the Malayo-Polynesian family. The average height of the men is 5 ft. 6¼ in., average weight 140 lbs. Their bodies and arms are longer and their legs shorter than those of Englishmen of the same stature. The New Zealander's hair is generally coarse and black, though sometimes rusty red. He has good teeth, a broad nose, dark brown eyes, large mouth, and an olive brown skin, which in some is so fair that blushes can be seen, while in a few the skin is dark almost to blackness. The women are not handsome, though when young they are graceful and pleasing, with mild eyes, pathetic voices, and great ease of manner. In tattooing the New Zealanders have outstripped all other people. Tattooing on the face they term moko, and on the body whakairo, the term tattoo, though of Polynesian origin, being unknown in their dialect. The male New Zealanders tattoo their faces, hips, and thighs; the women their upper lips. The figures are alike among persons of the same tribe. The pigment used is charcoal made from kauri gum and other vegetable substances. Under the skin the charcoal looks blue, and grows less dark in the course of years. Since the introduction of Christianity tattooing is going out of fashion. The heads of the New Zealanders are on an average smaller than those of Europeans. They are deficient in reason and judgment, have little imagination, and are seldom capable of generalizing; but they possess good memories and quick perceptions. Their fables, traditions, and songs show wit and humor, which they also often display in conversation. They are fond of simple and noisy music, and have an accurate perception of time. They comprehend pictures with difficulty, and do not understand the blending of colors. They are vain, proud, arrogant, and revengeful; hospitable to strangers, but not generally benevolent; affectionate to their friends and kindred, honest and observant of their promises. They are dirty and indolent, but less addicted to intoxication than most savages. When found by the Europeans they were divided into 18 nations, which were subdivided into tribes. Each tribe acknowledged a chief, who in his turn regarded the chief of the nation as his lord. Each nation was divided into six classes: the ariki, or principal chief, who was also high priest; the tana, or family of the principal chief; the rangatira, or inferior chiefs; the tutua, or middle classes; the ware, or lower classes; and the taurakareka, or slaves. The succession of chiefs was hereditary, and they had both civil and ecclesiastical jurisdiction, but could do little without the sanction of the majority of the people. The institution of the tapu or taboo, by which certain things or persons were made sacred for longer or shorter periods, was of much political value, and was freely used in governing and restraining the common people. The New Zealanders worshipped various gods, apparently personifications of natural objects and powers, to whom they addressed prayers and offered sacrifices. Their gods were spiritual and invisible; they had no idols. Many of the gods were deified men, ancestral chiefs of the tribe or nation by whom they were worshipped. They believed in a future state and their own immortality. There were two distinct abodes for departed spirits, neither of which was a place of punishment, evil deeds being punished in this world by sickness and other personal misfortunes. Their priests were supposed to be in communication with the gods, and to express their wishes and commands. Sorcerers were thought to possess great powers, and were held in peculiar dread. The moral code was adapted to various social conditions and circumstances. Among chiefs, courage, liberality, command of