576 Transactions. — MisceUaneoiis, 



their priests — " a professionally learned class" — and all the 

 learning, the ceremonies and formulae, connected with their so- 

 called religion, with the ta2m and witchcraft, with war, and with 

 almost all the ordinary occupations of life, exist now in the 

 memory of comparatively few. In short, all that constituted 

 the differentia of the Maori people — that which, as expressed in 

 speech and life, distinguished them from all other peoples — is 

 surely and rapidly passing away. It is not in the least likely 

 that this peculiar knowledge will be handed on as of old, except 

 in fragments here and there ; and the only sure way of pre- 

 serving such parts as are not already on record, is by an 

 immediate and systematic search. 



Take only the question of vocabulary. Archdeacon Williams' 

 Dictionary (a work for which every student of Maori must be 

 grateful, and to which throughout this paper I have been largely 

 indebted) contains, on a rough estimate, about 7,000 words ; 

 Andrews' Hawaiian Dictionary contains about 15,500 words. 

 Now, there is no reason to suppose either that the whole of the 

 Hawaiian words are in Andrews' work, or that the Maori 

 language is less copious than the Hawaiian. In this department 

 |ilone, therefore, making all allowances, there is an immense 

 work to be done ; and it will take many helpers, working for a 

 long time, to do it effectively. 



I would, therefore, particularly ask whether some organized 

 effort in this direction is not possible ? — some organization for 

 bringing into relation with each other all who are interested in 

 the matter, and ai'e, in any way, qualified to help ? "Whether 

 this could best be done through the Societies, who might appoint 

 "Maori Committees," or by a separate organization having 

 its head-quarters, say, at Auckland or Wellington, but in any 

 case with local branches, and with corresponding members 

 wherever there are Maoris to be found — I would not presume to 

 say. But, looking from an ethnologic and linguistic stand- 

 point, there is a great work yet to be done, and there is yet the 

 opportunity, and I believe the means, of doing it, if those who 

 are competent will only take the matter up. 



