404 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



far from Auckland which we have called "Waikomiti," the 

 proper Maori name being Waikumete (Water in a wooden 

 vessel). We wrongly call the lake across the water " Taka- 

 puna," its proper name being Pupuke. No doubt more 

 attention has been paid of late to getting Maori names pro- 

 perly spelt, but there is room for improvement. Maori names 

 are constantly incorrectly spelt in our newspapers, and worse 

 pronounced by those who read them. I remember the struggles 

 which took place with the name Ngaruawahia (" The Euas of 

 Wahia," or " The Euas broken into "), at the junction of the 

 Waipa and Waikato Eivers, also with Hokitika, on the west 

 coast of the Middle Island, before the correct spelling was 

 authoritatively fixed by the Government. 



In speaking of the signification of Maori names I fear that 

 I may disappoint your expectation. Many Maori experts 

 have essayed the task of analysing a Maori name, separating 

 supposed constituent parts, assigning a meaning to each, and 

 summing up with a result highly satisfactory, no doubt, to the 

 operator, as evincing a superior sagacity, skill, and knowledge ; 

 wanting only the element of certainty to make it valuable, or 

 anything more than a guess. A little ingenuity and a great 

 deal of imagination are the only requisites to enable any one 

 to turn out a great deal of work of this kind. It is not, how- 

 ever, a part of my programme to add to the number of guesses, 

 or guessers, in this department of literature. I am rather 

 disposed to criticize some of the achievements of others in this 

 line, with the results to which I have ventured to refer as 

 guesses. No doubt the meanings of many Maori names are 

 obvious — apparent on the surface. It may be safely accepted 

 that where the word " maunga" forms part of the name a 

 mountain or considerable elevation is indicated; "manga," a 

 branch, as of a river ; " jnike " (generally, not always) means 

 a hill or eminence; " tara," a peak; " ivhanga," a bay or 

 large expanse, mostly of water. When such w r ords form part 

 of a name the meaning may not be difficult to get at. 



I will give two or three instances in which I am satisfied 

 the meaning or signification of the name has been missed, and 

 will not weary you by adding to the list. 



The name " Onehunga " is one which has been subjected 

 to the analysis to which I have referred, the result arrived at 

 being that the word means "light soil," " One" being taken 

 as the root of a word meaning soil, or earth, and " hunga " as 

 the root of words meaning light, as fur, hair, &c. 



A similar treatment is applied to the name " Otahuhu." 

 Again we have, apparently, two dissyllables, " Ota " and 

 " huliu." " Ota " means to eat anything uncooked ; " huhu" 

 is the name of a large grub which is eaten by the Maoris both 

 raw and cooked. Here, apparently, there was a meaning 



