28 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [Jan. 
able. For instance, it was employed when the umbilical cord of a new¬ 
born infant was to be severed, in order to measure the spot at which it 
should be cut. Some natives assert that the konui in certain districts 
implied the width of the thumb, but the fuller term pona konui seems to 
denote the length of the joint. Example : Kia toru nga pona konui == Let 
it be three konui. 
The Koiti or Koroiti. —Apparently this unit was not much used ; it is 
the name of the little finger, and means, in this usage, the length of that 
member. Example : He poto te konui , tukua ki te koiti = The konui is 
too short; make it the koiti. 
It was also employed, as are other minor units, to denote an excess 
over some longer unit, as we say “ One foot two inches.” Example : 
Kotahi te tuke, me te koroiti = One cubit and the little finger. 
The Ringa , (Hand).—This expression calls for a double explanation. 
The method adopted in most districts seems to have been to extend the 
thumb of the open hand, the medium of measurement being the width 
of the hand plus the length of the thumb. This is half an awanui. In 
some cases, however, the thumb was not extended; and, again, the width 
of the palm of the hand alone seems to have been used as a unit. The 
width of the palm was taken across the base of the fingers, in line with the 
first joint of the thumb ; the latter might be included if considered neces¬ 
sary. Example : Kotahi te tuke me te ringa = One cubit and the hand. 
A more precise rendering is sometimes heard, as in the remark, He 
whanui ringaringa te whanui o te repehina hei takai = The width of the repe- 
hina used as a bandage was a hand-breadth. 
The width of two or more fingers was not uncommonly used as a 
medium. Thus, in measuring the space for the koropihanga of a new house, 
a measure of three finger-widths might be employed; or one might 
-exclaim, u E! Kia wha nga matikara, kia mdru ai te takoto o te au” = Oh! 
Let it be four fingers, so that the smoke may hang well. This term mdru 
is a peculiar word, and, used in the above sense, seems to differ in meaning 
irom iri, tarewa, and hokai. 
When the width of the palm of the hand is employed as a means of 
measurement, one might object and remark, “ Apititia a konui” = Add the 
thumb ; in which case the width of the thumb would be added to that of 
the palm. 
The Matikara or lesser Whanganga. —This is the finger-span occasionally 
employed by ourselves, the span of the outstretched fingers of one hand 
from thumb-tip to finger-tips. Natives employ it when measuring com¬ 
paratively short objects. One sees wood-carvers using this method. 
The Awanui.- —This is the span of both open hands, with the thumbs 
outstretched and the tips thereof placed together, the fingers being kept 
together. Natives may be seen measuring planks in this manner, or such 
an implement as a span-rod. Example: He awanui te tatai o taua 
whare — The unit of measurement of that house was the awanui. 
The Whatianga, or Tuke , or Tuke ringa.- —This is the cubit of olden 
times—the length of the forearm and hand, from elbow to finger-tips—a 
universal medium of measurement in Maoriland. The word whatianga 
implies an angle, a bend, or bending ; the arm is bent in using or denoting 
this unit. Tuke is the elbow, or a joint, and is also applied to the joints 
of a bird’s wing. The elbow is often alluded to as the tuke o te ringa = the 
joint of the arm. Examples: Kei te whatianga o te ringaringa te 
roa = The length was that of the bend of the arm. Ko te whanui kia 
kotahi te whanganga me te tuke rinaa = Let the width be one fathom and 
