292 SPARKS FROM A GEOLOGIST'S HAMMER. 



to present them to Ihe provincial authorities for publica- 

 tion at the expense of the dear people. That was the 

 old established method. In Nu-Jerk the authorities have 

 published such books in sufficient quantity to build a 

 causeway across the straits from Otea to Moe-Hao. But 

 did the authorities of Kewahwenaw acquiesce in such ex- 

 travagance? Never. They learned a precious lesson at 

 Nu-Jerk's expense. The plethoric treasury-sucker had 

 almost succeeded in attaching himself to the public coffer. , 

 All disinterested patriots were watching for the oppor- 

 tunity to raise the cry of economy in behalf of the hard- 

 worked and untaxed but numerous and heavy-voting yeo- 

 manry. It was a crisis in the history of Kewahwenaw. 

 All eyes were rolling wildly for the martyr who should 

 spring into the breach and rescue the money-box. Now 

 rose majestically and patriotically from his seat the great 

 Rangatira* Sammiheel. He stood up bravely and boldly 

 in his place, in the grand council of the province, and 

 most virtuously exposed and denounced the impending 

 outrage. " I have traveled," he said, " by wheelbarrow 

 express all the way from the mountains of Kewahwenaw 

 to shake my greenstone tommyhawk in the face of this 

 imbecile and fraud, and drive him to the solitudes of 

 Rakiura. We have no use for him in Te wahi Punamu. 

 He wants us to print seven or eight costly volumes of 

 detestable trash about all creation, and ornamented with 

 pictures and charts. It would bankrupt the province. 

 It would cost a cent for every ten persons in Kewahwe- 

 naw. All we want is a simple volume giving a cata- 

 logue of yam-patches, kiwi-roosts and gum-beds, a cheap, 



*This was explained by the old Maori as the title of one of the inferior 

 chiefs, perhaps equivalent to "Sir" or "Supe." 



