50 Trcmsnctions. — MisceUaMotis, 



little confirmatory incidents, — more, in number, than I had originally 

 intended to do, — as there is nothing like a concrete example for testing an 

 abstract theory. 



Of their universal national taste concerning colour. 

 I have already slightly touched upon this in a former paper ;* notwith- 

 standing, I may again state, that the colours of black, white, red, and brown, 

 were the prized and favourite ones, — the purer states especially of each of 

 those colours were highly valued, — to which may also be added yellow and 

 green. Those several colours, and their differing shades, comprised nearly 

 all that pertained to their dresses and personal decorations, to their 

 (principal) houses and canoes, and moveable property generally. Indeed, a 

 chief's house, in the olden time, might truly be called a house "of many 

 colours;"! which, within, were artistically and laboriously displayed. Of 

 course, there were very many shades of each colour ; as, for instance, of 

 white, — from pure white (candidus) to whitish-brown ; of yellow, — from 

 bright yellow (gamboge, almost orange) to a faint tint of that colour ; and 

 of green, — in its many hues exhibited in the several varying specimens of 



* "Trans. N.Z. Inst.," Vol. XI., p. 81. 

 t In 1844 (on my coming hither to reside) the Maoris built several houses for me ; 

 one, in particular, as a library and study, in my garden, deserves a brief passing notice by 

 way of an example. This one was to be built and finished in their best old style (omitting 

 all carved work) without my interference ; and, therefore, their skilled old tohungas were 

 gathered together over the job from the interior and as far north as Poverty Bay. The 

 building, composed of two rooms, was 10 feet high to the wall-plate. The frame-work and 

 massy dubbed pilasters were composed of dark old totara wood, which they laboriously 

 dug up from the bed of the Tukituki river, many miles away. It had three separate layers 

 of raupo (Typlm) in its sides, (besides the outer coating of a stiff and hard, yet fine, 

 Eestiaceous plant (Leptocarpus simplex). The raupo was first separated leaf by leaf, 

 without breaking, and so carefully dried ; but the panelling work between the pilasters 

 (each panel being about 2 feet wide) was the curious part. First, the horizontal layers of 

 narrow black and red bands, or laths, three of each colour, placed at regular distances ; 

 behind these was the close facing of selected yellow reeds (culms of Arundo coiispicua) 

 longitudinally and regularly placed ; to these, and to a cylindrical black rod running do^vn 

 the whole length in front of the laths, the coloured laths were beautifully and elaborately 

 laced by fine white, grey and yellow strips (excessively narrow, ^ to ^ of an inch 

 wide) of kiekie, pingao, and harakeke leaves, each panel being also wrought in a diiJerent 

 regular pattern of raised filagree work. For years this house was the wonder of all visitors 

 (European and Maori) : Bishop Selwyn often admired it, and so did Mr. (afterwards Sir) 

 Donald McLean, on his first visiting Hawke's Bay as Government Land Commissioner, in 

 1851 ; indeed he told me he had never seen its equal ; and he also gave orders for a similar 

 one to be constructed for him at Port Ahuriri. This was also done ; but it was but a poor 

 imitation, as the skilled old builders were no longer here. In this latter house Mr. Domett, 

 as Eesident Magistrate and Crown Lands Commissioner, resided for several years. Mine 

 stood over 25 years, when it was burnt down accidentally. 



