Report of the Commission appointed to Inquire into the Decrease of the Native Population, with appendices.
- Fiji. Commission appointed to Inquire into the Decrease of the Native Population.
- Date:
- 1896
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report of the Commission appointed to Inquire into the Decrease of the Native Population, with appendices. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
313/442 (page 35)
![The not uncommon habit among Fijians of spendhig a great part of the night in singing and dancing, occasionally heated by exercise, occasionally seated on the wet grass, cannot but be inimical to health. We have watched people seated on the grass on these occasions and seen how the moisture absorbed from it gradually, inch by inch, extended upwards on the sulus of those sitting there, forming a well-defined wet and dry zone. It is difficult to conceive how exposure of this kind could be harmless, and we do not doubt that it frequently induces dysentery, and lays the foundation of chest and other diseases. We would, tlierefore, suggest that these dances should not be continued late at night so as to produce the evil results we complain of, for it was a matter of personal observation to us that they are frequently kept up long after midnight. Your Excellency will be better able than we are to find a remedy for this evil, which might perhaps be made the subject of a Native Regulation. \_Enclosure BP\ Extract from Eeport on the Vital Statistics of the Native Population of the Colony for the year 1884. (Correspondence relating to the Native Popiilation of Fiji. [In continuation of C. 4,434, May, 1885.] Printed in 1887, page 12.) Provincial Department, March 18, 1885. It would appear from the above figures that other causes have been at work besides whooping-cough and dysentery. Paragraph. 2. but too little reliance can be placed on the diagnosis and classification of diseases by Fijians to enable any one to draw trustworthy conclusions ; and, upon the whole, I am disposed to think from my own observation and the discussions at the Provincial Councils, as well as from the opinions expressed by intelligent chiefs, that extraordinary rather than ordinary causes have been at work to produce the present decrease, though I am by no meanfi sure bid that a very great number of deaths arise also from ordinary causes, such as inattention to the very young children, and carelessness in sickness generally, to which may be added heedlessness regarding their house accommodation and the sanitary condition of some villages. (Signed) JAMES BLYTH, Secretary of Native Affairs. \_IEnclosiire C] Administrator Wm. McGregor, C.M.Gr., to The Eight Honourable the Earl of Derby, K.Gr. (Correspondence relating to the Native Population of Fiji. [In continuation of C. 4,434, May, 1885.] Printed in 1887, page 11.) April 10, 1885. Mortality from whooping-cough has altogether ceased now, and if no other epidemic finds its way into tlie Colony Paragrapli 10. there will probably be either a small or no decrease in the population during the current year. But unless a race makes a distinct gain in years in which there are no epidemics tts extinction can only he a question of time. The question, therefore, presents itself, has'all been done that could be done to maintain this race ? To answer this question in the affirmative would be tantamount to saying that nothing more could be done than has heretofore been effected, and that therefore the native population must speedly dwindle away. It can hardly be doubted, however, that a good deal can be done in educating both chief's and people to pay more attention— (a) To the building and repairing of their houses, and the draining and clearing of towns ; (h) To the treatment of the sick, both old and young ; (c) To the care of young children. Experience has already shown that very little can be achieved with regard to these matters by means of regulations, circulars, &c. It is in my opinion absolutely ncessary that the Governor himself pay frequent visits to the provinces to see how the chiefs are performing their duties, not only with respect to the important matters I have specially indicated, but with regard to many others. I am quite convinced that nothing save periodical visits from the Governor will effect any improvement in the sanitary and domestic conditions of the peoiole. \_Encloswre Z).] Extract from Opening Speech of His Honour the Administrator at the Annual Meeting of Chiefs held at Tavuki, Kadavu, Monday, May 4th, 1885. (Wm. McGregor, C.M.G., Administrator.) (Correspondence relating to the Native Population of Fiji. [In continuation of C. 4,434, May, 1885.] Printed in 1887, pages 19, 20, and 21.) I am pained to tell you that during the year ending in September last there was a large decrease in the number of Paragraph 17. the people, there being actually 2,562 more deaths than births. You, chiefs, will see at once how serious this matter is, and you will not wonder when I tell you that I consider it of infinitely greater importance than anything else you can discuss at this Council. Do not the Government and the chiefs exist only for the good of the people ? You, Bokos, are the deputies of the Governor ; your duties are to be as a father to your people, to lead them, to teach them, to feed them ; and the Queen will hold her Governor and you responsible for their welfare. It is, therefore, our duty to find out why the people have decreased in numbers, and when we have discovered the reasons, then we must secure and apply the remedy. The principal, if not the sole, immediate cause of the great decrease of last year was an epidemic of whooping- Paragraph 18. cough. This is an insidious disease which we cannot keep out of Fiji. True, we have kept out small-pox and cholera by detaining people and ships in quarantine for a long time. But I must tell you that measles and whooping-cough cannot be' kept away from you. Fortunately, measles and whooping-cough rarely attack the same person more than once. Moreover, if towns are clean, houses good, and the people in comfortable circumstances, measles and whooping-cough do not often cause many deaths in other countries. In time to come there will be a great many more deaths from dysentery than from measles and whooping-cough. Paragraph 19. Probably few will die of the two last diseases in future. You know that mortality is heavy liere without the presence of any new epidemic disease ; bu' the same causes, you must remember, that occasion tliis heavy mortality in ordinary years, greatly increase the number of deaths from any epidemic disease. Now, what are these causes? This question you have discussed in each Council, but not with that earnestness Paragraph20. which the extreme importance of the subject demands. The time for indifference is past. I believe the people are dying from these causes :— 1st Bad houses ; 2nd Insufficient food; 3rd Uncleanness of Paragraph 21. towns and bad water ; 4th Neglect of tvomen, children, and the sick. With regard to bad houses. Lately I have been inside several thousands of houses of the peoi^le, and I can tell Paragraph 22. you what are their chief faults. In many of the newer towns the foundations of the houses are not sufficiently raised ; in a great number it is even with, or below the surface of, the surrounding ground. Who can lie on a cold damp floor without becoming sick ? ^ Now,](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24399401_0313.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
