MAORI PLACE-NAMES
Sir, —In the year 1864 the late Robert Mair had occasion to travel to Helensville from Auckland. At that time, no railway being in existence, travellers proceeded either on horseback or by boat to Riverliead and thence to Helensville on foot or by bullock dray. Mr. Mair left Auckland on horseback, taking with him a Maori guide, and ho records that after passing the Whau they stopped at tho head of a muddy creek, where the Maori pointed out some boulders and a little cavity in %vhich he stated there was some bright metal, also that Auckland district was named after this metal, Wai-te-Mata—"water of the shining metal." It was the custom of the Maori to name places after rocks or other objects; for instance, Kawa Kawa was named after a rock on the old Maori road to Waiomio, Whangarei after .a rock at McLeod's, Whangarei Heads, and so on. G.H.M.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21505, 31 May 1933, Page 15
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153MAORI PLACE-NAMES New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21505, 31 May 1933, Page 15
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