MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14950, 28 September 1910, Page 5

MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

THE WEST' COAST . No. 111. (By W H. S. Roiiems, Oamaru.) Returning to the West Coast, ive find the Mikonui (the big palm tree Areca eapida), a river issuing from a glacier or small snow-field, remarkably low down. North of sloss is tho Totara River, with its big iagoon, and Paiero (a bundle) River. A hill .near the Hokitika River, 13 miles {torn the town, is Kotahi-raiigi (to bo ono with, or joined to, tho sky), although only '!Wlit high rms name would suit tho aoeis who translate Aorangj 'Cloud Piercer. During tho sixteenth an<) seventeenth centuries the tribe of Maoris at Hokitika was named Ngati-Wai-rangi, but during tho latter century they wore nearly exterminated by the Ngai Tahu, who pro cecded to Arahura, on the West Coast, for the purpose of getting pounamu. A fow •vomcu and children were spared and onk bodied in the Ngai Tahu IJ.P.S. xviii. u. M 9). Tho town ot Hokitika. (return direct) is a'oout 180 miles from Christchurch, via the picturesque Otira Gorge (but, or but mdcedl, in latitudo 42.46 S., longitude 171 E. Mr i\ R. Chapman says: "The Maoris named tho placo Hokitika because the track following tlie course of tho river was tho nearest irouto, via. Browning's Pass, from tho West to tho East Coast.", In old the Otago and letters oi the sixties, it was spelt without tho " II" —Okitika,' or Okitiki. Tho first steamer to enter tho Hokitika River was tho paddlo boat Nelson, under the command of Cap--I<iin Leech, on December 20, 1864. The Nelson had crossed tho Grey Piiver bar on July 22, 1864, with-70 diggers. Tho Nelson that trip took m 27 tons of coal from the Brunnor mino for the Nelson Provincial Government at Grcymouth. The second steamer to oross tho Hokitika bar was tho Wallaby. John Soohfort surveyed tho town of Hokitika ia' March, 1865. Tho site extended & considerable distance up tno jiver bank. Hokitika was incorporated in 1867 with an aToa of 1280 acres. In 1806 tho population was 2224, and rating was on tho unimproved value of £48,343. The first Mayor of Hokitika was James Alexander Bonar. John Hudson and his partner (Price) crossed the Southern AJps'with pack hoTses, and arrived at Okitika on October 1. 1864, when they laid the foundation of tho town by pitching a calico tent 20ft x 12(1, and started storekeeping with goods tlioy purchased from Ruben Waitp at the" Groy. Rovoll street, Hokitika, was named after tho first goldficld'warden stationed there, Mr W. H Rcvoll. Gold was discovered close to Hokitika m February, 1865, A rush followed, principally overland, A post office of the second class was opened at Okitiki m March, 1865 Tbp bsr.at Uio aver mouth is ono of slutting Band, consequently rather dangerous; spring tides rise 9ft, neaps 6ft. A lake six miles and a-half south of Hokitika, easily acoea rriblo by water, u Mahina-a-pua (the flower of Mahina, or to_ give forth a faint light) It is shallow, with low banks, not much ebovo sea level.'• The Mahina-s-pua, OroeV is a canal-like stream as clear as crystal, celebrated for its beautiful reflections, which winds for five niles through a dense forest. Mahina was a chief who cam© to Now Zealar ' from Hawaiki in the Airawa canoe. One of his companions, Tauninihj, had as a headdress a. red wreath. When they reached the shore of Ao-tea-roa, the pohutukawa'trees (tho Christmas rata tree) Wore full of scarlet blossoms, so Tau-ninihi threw away his 'wreath, and, having gathered the pohutukawa flowers, made a fresh ono. Mahina piokod up the discarded wroath and wore it The lake was named in reference to this episode. Rimu town, 14 mile 3 north ot Ross, is on a, rlatean a short distance soutli-oast from Hokitika. Gold was discovered and tho township sprimg up suddenly in iBB2. A river near Hokitika is named Toa-roha (a malo stingray fish, or a trembling warrior). There aro (thermal springs close to ii, and pretty waterfalls and"a deep canyon about 17 mites from.' tho town of Hokitika. The discharge of water at tho'falls is 633 cubio feet. At tho junction of tho Wron Crock with ,tho Toaroha River thero io a very fine hot spring, with about 20 aorea.of Jove! land at an. altitude of 1460 ft above 6ca level. Hokitika is 24 miles south of Greyinouth, 180 miles from Christchurch, 20 miles from Row, about 530 miles by sea from Port Chalmers going south about, through Foveaux Straif, but fully 650 miles via Cook Strait. It was first spelt with tho "H" (Hokitika) in a correspondent's letter to tho Canterbury Press, dated March 31, 1865, whon lio said " it is the comet way to spell tie word." '

"The tribo of Maoris in the Greenstone district was Ngaii-Wa-irangi. The desiro for pounamu was the cause of several skirmiehos bbtwoen them and the Ngai Talut, who invaded the country by way of Noti Hokitika. There was a Maori pa at Kokafahi in 1828. At a' fight between Kaniori and Kokatahi Maoris, Te Uekanuku, a chief of tho Ngati Wairangi wan killed. Several woro lolled,,at'Mahinapua, whero tho Ngai Tahu were routed,' but they afterwards.avenged.thoir defeat at Otuku-whaka-oka. The struggle between the two tribes continued up to the middjo of tho nineteenth century, when tho Ngai Tahu completed tho destruction of tho Ngati Wairangi at tho battle of Paparoa."— ("South leland Maoris," by Stack.) Pass 3. Arthurjs Pass, crossed by the present coach road, via Otira. Goigo and the Bcaloy (named after Samuel Bealcy, who was superintendent of Canterbry, 1863 to 1866), which; ra at an altitude of 2130 ft, connects \an affluent of tho Tcrcmakau whioli ought to be Taramakau, with one of _ tho Wai makarirt (frosty water) tributaries oallod tho White River. The highest point on tho track is 6103 ft, tho distance being 42 miles by load from tho Borough of Kumara. it was named after Arthur Dobson, tho surveyor, who, with his son, explored the country, and discovered the /pass in March, 1865. A grass-grown hill immediately behind Jackson's,, not far west of tho Otira mouth, is Itangi Taopo ' (goblin ■ sky), generally wrongly spelt Taipo. To "tho west of Taepo is tho hoary mountain Turi-whata (tho post of a food- store). The fourth pass ig over the Hurunui .or Harper's Saddle, connecting tho Hiiru-mii pong omtso hair, but tho name is duo to contractions or gorges in the river), with tho Tara-makau, which was used bv the Maoris from wry oarly times, till a 'bettor road' was, made in 1866 via Otira Gorge. Tho contro of Harper's Saddle is tho spot whoro tho boundaries of the old provinces of.Canterbury, Nelson, and Wcstland mot. A local in tho Otago Witness (August 13, 1864), writing about tho track from Christchurch to the West Coast, says: ,'"l'ho only track at present known is that by the Hurunui. Up to tho saddle in which that river as well as tho Teremakau tako their riso there is no difficulty to bo overcome. Tho routo goes dowji the bed of the Teromakau; over stones and bouldore, and the river has to ho crossed and recrossed a great number of tiw«s On tho right luuid of the river the hills riso to a considerable height, sending their spurs to the bottom of tho valley in which tho river runs. After scrambling- down tho rivor-bed for about 24' miles a. track, cut by Mr .Howitt, goes off into tho bush to tho right, across level country, and at a distance of between two and three miles loads into the Pakiln, a small plain of about 3000 acres lying at tho south-western end of Lako Brunncr (Mtiori namo Kotulcu Whakaoka-tho darting crane, or MoaiwKotuku—tho Heron's Sea). This plain has feed s for a few cattle or sheep, and has been taken up as a run last week. In front of .the traveller as he goes down the river-bed riso tho Hohonu Mountains, on tho light hand of the river, tho. highest peak rising 4277 ft fthovo sea level. A spur of this range, jirtting on tho river lower down, forms the gorge, precluding further travellm* down the rivor-bod. Tho Hohonu Hanire a drained on tho north and west sides bv two streams called respectively the Big Honomi (running northward "into Lake Briuuwr) and the. Little Hohomii (flowing westward and emptying its waters into the ioromakan some miles below the "orgo)" This extract shows hew Taramnkau wis kpolt in 1864. Terc-makau would niean "swift moving husband." It is also spelt thus on the Government map. Tho journal of tho Polynesian Society, Vol. XVII, p. 61, fays: "Tero-makau, iibt Taramnkau, as' usually spelt" G. J. Roberts, Commis- | 6ioner of Crown Lands, says: "Tara-makau' is correct,"

Fifth! P.is&s lead into the Grey and Bullor Valleys, One via Tnrndrile to tho Upper Waian-ua, or more oorrccth- Waiuu Wia (tho femalo Waiau), and Ada River, south of tho Spenser Mountains, and ".tough Kopi-o-kai-tangata, or Cannibal <*> r se. at the head of tho Mom-ia (sheltered stream) River, into the valley of the «"•}'• Another r.oute from tho'Conway Kwr through the H»nmor Plain, akm R the Hopo R, VflT , tho Bov]c an<J t!le A, » uri P!I6S . a » d «>ora the . ft ? l! vater Ascending) River, to the valley, of tho Ahauru, the principal tribiv %.f «» Glc.v."-(Trans. N. 2.1.. Vol. aaiv.) .liiesotwo passes arc :';i the Nelson provincial district Tho now celebrated Hanmor Hot Springs Sanatonum was «* publicly known until luw* first mont.or.ad that there wore hot •pring- on- tho Hanmer Plain. The farmer Flam was named a ft„ r v,- K U rn'-o-

GREENSTONE. The Maoris knew of file existence of pounamu only in the rivers Arahura, "Waininihi, Hohonu (sometimes spelt, Ohouu), Taramakau, . Piopio-tahi .(probably Anita Bay,. _ Milford Sound, though Shortlandi tays it -was a torrent on the south-west corfst), and tho Greenstone Kivcr, called by them Tc Waihi Pounamu (the place of tho jfrcenstoiio) that runs into Lake Wakatipu; Pounamu is found generally in boulders, but the Maoris found it in situ at an inaccessible place at the head of tho Airahura River, under a waterfall, to get at which they had to swim. "Dr J. M. Bell found it in situ at tho head of Griffin's Creek, a branch of tho Teremakau" (J.P.S., xvii, p. 61). Greenstone, or jade, is half silica. Sir James Hector thus describes it-"An anhydrous silicate of magnesia, the colour being due to chrome. In Barn Bay, West Coast, there was a vein of it.' It was cut up and shipped to China, but it did not sell. It was marked with chromio iron, and was quite different _to greenstone from other places.' 1 Philip's Minoralogy gives tho composition of greenstone- under tho name of ncpihrite:— "Magnesia, 31 parts; silica, 50.50; alumina, 10; oxido of iron 5.50; oxide of chrome, 0.25; water, 2,75 — in 100 parte.". '

Mr Justice Chapman, in. his .pamphlet The WoTkL-rs of the Greenstone" (p. 15), flays:-"Mr Stack pute the visit of Rau-reka (who first made known the existence of jade, or greenstone, to tho Ngai Tabu tribe of the East Coast, Middle laand) about the year 1700, but thinks that the traffio m greenstone had probably'' spnß-uP.l'ftwfon Ngati Wai-rangi and the North Island tribes, bordering Cook's Slraic, long before ; fc kamm PA ~ wps one of tho branches of the Westland Maoris known generally as tho Pou-tini people, in whoso country alone was the pounamu •found in Now Zealand." (J.P.S., xvii p.

I/ho road from Dhnstolmrch by the Otira Gorge, windin ff down a thickly wooded gully to Westland, a. splendid stretch of emjineering, was finished for wheol traffio on March 20, 1865. The hundred miles of road from the foot of tho hills on the Canterbury. Plain to tho mouth of tho Arahura. on the West Coast was formed and metalled between. May V mk,*? °-f^ e -, 31, 1865 ' a * * cost of i.145,000. _ A bridge was built over the Taepo River, on affluent of the Taramakau, 270 feet on piles with steel shoes, (trivon into the granite boulders, ' A small toko, cast of the Otira River and north /of Mount Russell is Hapun Kaiuapatalca. (A la.TOon having, broad lateral projections on all sides). East of the Otira Gorgo ia thonyer O-te-hake (tho crooked place), which, after joining the Hawdon 'Riven, rata mto the Upper Waimakariri. A small river near Hokitika was Tciamakau (the said soouse, or partner) Another nvcr and sottlomont about two miles north was Houhou (to obtain W digging). Gold was found 10 miles up & nvcr in March, 1865. Some dislanm inland, foftr miles east of Lake Kanicri, Mount Tuhua (obsadian) rises to the altitude of 3688 ft, a good track'was formed to_ it m 1903. A splendid view is obcavnablofrom its summit. Some authorities, maintain that Tahua applied to the whole range'of the Southern Alps' between Canterbury and .Westland. A iittlo further inland is Tora .Tama (that son). £. J. a. says tho name should t© poelt lara-o-Tama (Tama's Point). " Tlio Brunner Rirer was ramed in honour of Thomas Brunner, who, received the Geographical Society's. gold medal' for ?oJ OUr ?? y ,? oro f s *« Middle Island'■ in low. _ Its Maori namo was Arahura. ' It may ce translated "to find a Dath " "to dra,w_ osido or loveal the truth, or a path " bun ;t was named after a canoe in which one lot of Maoris emigrated from Hawaii "w" , la!lltl Grou P 0I " Sana's, to iNow Zealand, and brought, over the "reenKtono. image of the God, Arahura. It is tno greatest .gold-hearing riyer in' Westland. According to Maori legend, tho tJireo wives of Tamatea (fair son) Pokai Whonua, "the circumnavigator" of tho islands ot New Zealand, deserted him, and were capsized out of their canoe at the ' mouth of tho Amhlura River, and were transformed, v/ith their crow, into stones, said to be green, jade. A enow-clad mountain, at the head of the Arahura River was Tara-o-Tama, (tno incantation of tho son, or Tama's Point). A Maori settlement still exists at tho mouth of tho Arahura River. A deep pool some distance up the Airahura River wtw known as Kaikanohi (eat 'the eye}, whore, no doubt, some warrior Irilkd an onemy. and feasted on his eyes. TJioro ff a Mae" legend respecting- this place . iScahue, a 'noted chief of Hawaiki, P ob into sad disgrace with his wife. She invoked the assistance of a sea .monster,, named Poutim, a son of Tangaroa,' to boizo him. Ngahue fled from Hawaiki in his canoo, and went from island to island, always followed by Poutim, until in the distance he saw a. big white cloud, which -was beckoning to him. On an1 he , found ifc ■■*« AoraSgi (>lount Cook), which pointed for hfm to sail up the coast towards tlio sure. TJiis ho o,d for several days. W| len off the mouth 0 f ft e Arahura River, tho sun was suddenly darkened, and the'only St to be aoon iras tho brightness of-'the'snow-nelos of the Tara-o-Tama Mountain, at the source of the Axahura River. From to ],o W that ho had to land thorc which .he did, and proceeded up:the river, loutim, being a, ff reen fish,, followed him until it, reached a deep' -pool at the foot of a rocky cascade, and in trying to ascend this it was injured and fell to the bottom of the pool, whero it was transformed, by the peculiar quality of the. water, into a greenstone canoe, whero it now lies, and may,; bo seen by all 'who- reach the right spot and dive under water to tho bottom. As tho pool is wry dark, the eanoj can only to .seen when the sun shines -brightly at mid-day through a oleff in the rocks." This part of tho West Coast was consequently named Poutini. Sir George Grey said that Poutini was a block of, greenstone or jade brought by Ngahune to New Zealand. It was commonly railed "the fish of Ngahue." Ngahue discovered New Zealand and named it Aot«wx>R, moaning tho long white day, whioh 'proves' that ho arrived during tho long days of summer, and as ho came from a tropical region he found tho days longer than they were in his native country. It is, however, stated that Ngahue took a wonderful piece of pounamu (greenstone) ■back with him to Hawaiki, whioh ho named Ika Poutini, for Poutini was ono of tho Fish-dieties, •therefore it is likely that tho voyage referred to in the legend was his second visit to Aotea-roa. His report of Now Zealand determined his fnenda to migrate to it, and thus-escape tho tribal warfare in Hawaiki. They made two axes out of the jado, which tliev named Tutauru (tho back of tho neck of an ancestor namer Uru "the head") and Hauhau-te-rang! (ccol sky). With these thoy bowed out tho great canoes of the Migration, Arawa, Tainui, Arahura, etc. Tho name of the wife who drove him on his wanderings was Hine-tu-a-hoan"a whioh-moans "The lady of the rubber,"or the maiden standing as a grindstono or tho girl whoso back was a whetstone," to whom tho stone Whampu belonged. ,Sho became excessively enraged with Ngahu and his etono Poutini (Trans. N.Z.1., v 24). _ It is quito possible that Ngahue's Poutini, or Fish deity, may havo been a proa or junk, as- European vessels when first seen by the Maoris were called' " Atuas "—gods, or something supernatural.

Another legond about Arniiura is given I by the Rev. J. W. Stack. " A man named ! Ngahuo was driven away, from Hawaiki ■ by a woman named Hine-tua-lwanga. His god was a sea monster named Poutini. He rode on, the back of 'ho sea monster to Tuhua (now M»vorIsland), but being pursued thither by Hine-tua-hoanga, he passed on to. Aotcaroa (the North Island). But fearing j it was too close, continued his voyage and I settled at Arahura, whero he discovered tho j green stone, which was valuable enough to | cnsiTO him a safe return to Hawaiki. It ! was with axes made of this greenstone that ! the canoes wore shaped in which the first immigrants arrived ("South Island Maoris," p. 77). j Mr >J- Cowan wrote (Trans. N.Z.1., v. ! 38): tho name Arahura (the groenstonobcarincr rivor near Hokitika, on the West Coast) is a most interesting reminiscence of Hawaiki. It is identical with Ara'ura, thn former and classic name of Aitutaki, in tho Cook Islands; the sroup to which Ramtonga also belongs. It was given to the river on tho west coast of New Zealand hy tho early nnvieator Nuahue," "High, up tho Arahura'River at tho foot : of tho mountains is a clear jwol in which ■ lies the fabled greenstone canoe, called by ' some tribes Te-ika-a.-Poutini . (Poutini's '' fish), and by others tho Tairea (the name ! of Taiua-ki-te Rangi's canoo), slvotching its ! glcaniing length across the river bed, with ■ Upstanding knobs, which are said Uv come I Maoris to be Tama's wives turned to" green- : stone, by others the petrified Kai-hau-tu. ! the captains or timosivors. of that strange - craft,, with "the paddles in their place.'. , ready to (Hart forward on their old quest. 1 As a matter of fact there is a largo ledge of greenstone ir. the upper part of tho Arahura, and it in from this thht the fragments awl blocks found. lowor down the

river have come." (Tito. Golden Coast, Westland, p. 15). TliG. gkoior of the Arahura River approaches to within soven railea of tho sea. A strung© error occurs in Stake's Admiralty Chart, jn which the Hokitika River is laid down aa tho Brunner or Arahura, tho I Okitiki being" placed five or six miles to tho southward. Formerly there were four rivers on tho West Coast bearing the name Whanganui. A mountain inland near the source of tho Waimakariri was Mount Kaniere. A mountain between tho mouth of tho Aralmra. and Mount Kanicra is Tumu-aki (the crown of the head)! "A Maori legend status that Tamatea Pokai Whcnua, and hio slave Tumuaki wore walking towards Mount Kaniere, when, being hungry, they rested to cook some birds they had killed. While preparing the food tho slave accidentally burnt his finger, which ho thoughtlessly touched with tho tip of his tongue. Thi3 act, as be was tapu, was an awful act of impiety, for which the gods instantly punished him by transforming him into a mountain, ever since know by his name.Tumuaki (Rev. J. W. Stack). Another consequence of the 'slave's- crime was that Tamatea novor found his wives, for by enchantment they had been turned into stone near tho mouth of the Arahura River, and their enchanted bodies furnished the Maori with the highly-valued greenstone. Another legend of, Tumuaki appeared id tho Journal of tho Polynesian Society, vol. xvii. p. 60:—"Tumuaki was a young man of tho Taranaki tribe, who was born and lived to manhood at a place between Okato and tho sea, 17 miles south of Now Plymouth. _ His imagination became excited by the stories of the quantity of pounamu, or green jade,_ to be procured in Westland, and ho decided to try < and obtain some of this valuable article. Tumuaki persuaded a party of tho Nga-Rauru tribe to accompanyhim.About tho year 1540 they crowed. Cook Strait by canoe, and started on their long journey. They reached tho Pounamu, country and were made weloomo by the ,Pmitini Maoris. ■ Probably they went to tho Arahura River, a fov/ mile's north of •Hokitika, from which place and its. neighbourhood the Pounamu has ahvayfi been obtained. The Poutini Maoris told him that tho pounamu was difficult to procure, 'and thon only after appropriate karakias (invocations) had been said. They mid :-- "Wihen you go to. sleep you must birihiri to ngakau (excite your heart, imagination, auto-suggestion perhaps), thon, if you dream you arc nursing a child or embrac--ing a woman, you will be able to find nounamu in _ the river next morning." Tumuaki carried out their advice, and in tho morning proceeded to the river,, where ■ho found a fine boulder of pounamu. He proceeded to split up his block of jade, taking directions from tho local people, who were at work at tho manufacture of meres (stone weapons), _ ear-drops, etc. Tumuaki, not being' practised ot the work, nit his finger and bruised it. To alleviate his pain ho put his fingor into his mouth, which was a very wrong .thing t0.d0,, as tho stone wag tapu, whereas his food-contaminated mouth iris noa (void of tapu), thus was the work and evil consequences to Tumuaki were euro to follow. Hence was Tumuaki himself turned into a stone (or mountain), which may be seen to this day in the Pouting country. As a matter of fact, thero is a hill called Tumuaki in the neighbourhood of Arahura River. It is quito reasonable that Tumuaki died in tho Poutini country, and that the hill was named after him, a common ocurrenco in Maori history. Some time after the-death of Tumuaki Nga Rauru, his followers returned home to tho North Island,- and communicated to hio relatives life sad fate that had overtaken him, His wife, who had remained there, was_ named Hine-tu-ahdanga (a very ancient namo connected with the grinding of stone axes, etc. Thoro have been niauy peoplo so called,) She was dreadfully cut up at the loss of her husband. Hine was a great chieftainness of- Taranaki, descended from Toka-tara, who came in the Kura-baupo car.oe. After, mourning for him for a long time she urged her brothers to take her to the place where her husband had died, in. order that she miglht wail (tangi) over him.. They mada a canoe, and named it Pu-nui-a-Rata, after another famous cano9. They crossed Cook's Strait, and came to a, point of land projecting far out into the sea, and on looking down beheld Kahikatea trees growing on the bottom of tho sea. A man dived down, and procured. some branches. • Soon after this the shades of night fell, and it became very dark. But Hine urged the crew-to continue on. Presently the canoe struck a rock, and the trig waves rolling in caused it to capsize, and all were drowned. Possibly • the tree under- the water was tapu. and the disaster was dii<» to taking thq branch." Tho .rivers Kawha-ka, (burst open by: fire) which rises 'in Mount Tu-ri-whata (the post of the food platform), and the Wainihinihini (very emali water) are tributaries of the Arahura. The post office here haa been named Wai-nihinihi, without the final "ni." This portion of Westland wa9 known to the Maoris as the Arahura' district. Tho Three-mile Greek north of Arahura' was Wapitu, which ,is evidently not correctly spelt The Waimea (insipid water), called by the early diggers "Sixmile'Greek," is a stream that falls' into I tho sea between the Arahura and TaraI makau Rivers. .Most of the distances in the early days were counted from the mouth of tho Taramakau River, from which the population first spread in 1865. The first line marked off for the telegraph to Christchuroh was in July, 1865. i It followed tho Hokitika Rivera to the Kanicri township; thence across country to the Hoho, or "Threc-milo Diggings"; thence across to tho Arahura River, striking it above'the Maori Reserve; thence by the Kawhaka, a tributary of the Arahura, and on to the Taramakau Gorge; thence by the Otira and Waimakariri. to Christchurch. The main road from Hokitika, to ChrisfcI church was begun in August, 1865. It followed the sea beach northward to' the Arahura; thence along the southern bank of tihe- Arahura River to the junction of the Kawhaka (to burn in tho direction of), which it crossed, and followed the north Kink of the Kawhaka for several .miles, when it struok northward to the Waimea' .River, thence to the Taramakau River, near its junction with the Range,riri (the angry deity Ranga),- or Rangiriri (angry heaven), then eastward along tho southern bank of the Teremakau for about 20 miles to,the Otira. A range of hills inland of the Arahura mouth is tho To Hewera (the wrong burn). A biook north of the Arahura, and three miles south of the Tara-niakau, is tho Kapitea (covered white) Creek, ■ sometimes spelt Kapa-tea, whioh would mean "a white row." About tho year 1878 it was suspected .that an illicit distillery was being ca.rrkd on near tho Kapitea Creek, the locality being searched on several occasions by tho police, without discovering tho still, which, was abandoned for: fear of detection. It was discovered in June, 1903, by 'Sonne workmen. ■ ' A large river run 6 into the Tasman Sea about 12, miles north of Hokitika, which is generally called Tera-makau (that married,, person, or that at lowest ebb). It is spelt \ on the Government, maps Teremakau (the swimming, or swift spouse); bu{ most reliable authorities (Mr Percy S. Smith among tihcm) say the correct spelling is Taramakau, which may bo interpreted : ," the point of a husband's spear," though it has other meanings. It rises in-Harper's' l Saddle, and flows in a meandering course : through the width of Westland, receiving ■ hundreds of tributaries, most of which aro small. Mr Leonard Harper, after whom the saddle is named, writing in 1857, said: " There is an eastern as well as fine wes-1 torn Teramakau, tho former running into I Lake Sumner at its north-westeri) ex- j iremity.'' It is now known as the north ' branoh of tho Hurunui. A large grassy ' plain, about four days' walk up tho Taramakau from tho sea, was in 1850* known ' as Pakihi, meaning "open, country bare ot trees, covered with coarse grass, fern, or low shrub intermixed." In tho early fifties .there was a large pa at the mouth of the Taramakau, and a church mis-; sionary station. A tributary of the Taramakau, about 15 miles from its source, and a rang© of hills, aro known as Taipo, which means " sea night" or " dark on tho other side," but I expect it is a miss|»lling of Taepo, a goblin, or spectre, though I believe its real Maori name was Hapea. Kowa, which most likely was a man's name, that might mean '"perhaps strong -neap tide." G. J. says the correct namo is. Honeoka (to stab the loins). Another affluent is tho Ilohomi (deep water), whore gold was found in August, 186*, which caused a .rush of minors. It is also the namo of a. river running into Lake Brunner, distinguished as Big Hohonu. The town-of Kuinara fev«»t .potato) is situated in the bank.of the Taramtkau near its junction with tho Hohonu. Gold was discovered there in 1875, and it became the largest alluvial »oKilield on the West Coast. The borough of Kumara was proclaimed on 26bh Julv, 1877 with an area of 842 acres, situated on a high table land. Mr Richard John Seddon was elected the first mayor (afterwards Pnmo Minister). In 1905 the population .of kumara borough was 1130, and tho capital value £24,712. There is a railway station named Kumara four miles from the town, on lower ground, 11 miles from Grevmouth, and 14 miles from Hokitika. A stream noar Kumara is known as Whisky Crook, wbiob. nas so named because eomo

diggers started a slill in a. secluded spot on its banks in the early sixties. Mount Tama-tu (a son standing), 4500 ft high, is near the main road, east of Kumara. Tlio country round Kumara is the real Waihi Pounamu (place of greenstone.) district, as large quantities of greenstone havs been found there and exported. In 1846, T. Brurrncr and Hoaphy, surveyors, on reach 1 ing the mouth of the Taramakau River, j found a Maori kaika containing 40 people, alt occupied in working the greenstone, making ornaments and weapons, At first the Maoris refused to sell amy land between Grey and Hokitika Rivers from the sources to the soa, as the greenstone was ! tapu. i The town of Pcunamu (greenstone) is . situated some distance up the river i Hohomi. A district cast of Maredan is j -Ncmona (whether for him), between the ! Caraboo and Maori Greeks. The town, of \ DungonviF.e' is at Maori Creole. A moun- | tain north of Maredcn, 1462 ft high, is Kaka-wau, probably Kaka-wawau (quarrelsome parrot). A township at. the northeast corner of Lake Brunner has been named Moana' (the sea). A town- on the. Arnold River, a few miles north-west of • Moana, is Rottiku (to let go, the stiok ' insect, Fhasma), and one \on the same ■river three miles further north-west! is . Kaj-mata (raw food). Between Kaimata j and the .Grey River is Kokiri (a 6r)ear). | Near whkre Nelson Crock joins the Grey I is Ngahere (a forrest), and three miles further up the Grey : s Matai (black pine trees, Podoeaxpus). A small stream called Salt Water Creek, five milea south of the Grey River, was Pa-roa (long town), which was sometimes misnamed Piria (flowed). The village there is still known ao Pairoa, and a town east of it O-rima (of five). The Gioy River was Mawhera, with accent on "Ma "; means the _ mouth.. It ' takea itis riso in Lake Ghristabel. near tho south-western (lank of the Spencer • Range. A tributary draining Lakes Brunner and Poc-rua (two tui birds) was Kotu-ura-koaka, the orthography, however, is doubtful, often contracted to. Kotu-ura. Perhaps it should be Kotua-ura-koaka (regard for tho red calabash, or mat). It is now known by its English name .Arnold River. G. J. Roberts says the proper name of the river is Kotu-whaka-KaoKa. Mr O'Regan says the Arnold wasKotukuWhakao, meaning "the echo of the white heron bird." O-Hin-3-takctake (the resi dence of. tho •" girl Taketake (Taketako means " the lower ' point of the sail of a canoe," or "one's own"), in the Mawhera Valley, .was tho kaika m which the chief. Tukuru settled when he went'to Poutini from near Kaiapoi. Ho lived there with some of tho Ngati-Tu-mata-Kokiri bribe (J.P.S, xviii, p. 191). Lako Brunner was named after tho surveyor and explorer (Mr Thomas Bi-unner), who discovered it in 1847. A stream running ! nto Lako Brun : ner through lovely' native bush is O-rangi-puka (tho place, whero Rangi panted) sometimes mis-spelt Orangipuki. The natural i formation of the land here is a cause of anxiety from the danger of tho Taramakau River, when in flood, overflowing into tho Orangi-puka, and causing injury to Grey- ; mouth i and its vicinity. Tho Taramakau j evidently runs on higher ground than the< , Qramgip-uka, and in one place only a j weak shingle bank, of no great width, sepa-. rat« 6 them. Lako Brunner, the Maori I nam© of which is Moana (the sea), has. a j superficial area of nearly 25 squaro miles, therefore would require considerable timo to fill up in an ordinary flood. A Groy ; mouth correspondent wrote 24/1/10: " Set- ' tiers in the Inchbonni© district are becom- . ing anxious on account of the encroachment of the Taramakau River. The danger is daily becoming a sever© menace owing to tho narrow neck of ground, now only about a chain, in width, which prevents tho River Taramakau from breaking through into the Orangi-puka, thenco into Lake Brunner, and subsequently by the Arnold into- tho Grey River. The local civil engineer points out that the effeot of leaving a. ohain or so of land between tho Taramakau and the Orangi-puka unprovided with a stop bank, must bo followed by a scour in. flood time, wliich will cany immense quantities of tailings into the lako and raise the water of the lake to such an extent that it will flow off at a great rate through tho small course of the Arnold, which is not large enough.to. carry any more than its present allowance, and will in flood time overflow tho lands alongside it." The Government has a Crown sottlotnent at Poerua of 3230 acres, opened for lease on Juno 26, 1896. There is a township named Te Kinga on tho east of Lake Brunner, at the foot of Mount To Kinga, which rises from the reedy-margined Lake Ppeiw to •an altitude of 3918 ft. Probably To Kinga should be Te Kainga (the village). Mr John Roohfort 6urveyed a township on the southern bank of the Mawhera River, containing ZOO quarter-acre sections ' and a number of five-acre allot-' irients,, in August,' 1864, which tho Canterbury Government named Greymouth. The mouth of the Grey River- is' in 'lati 42dog 26 S. long. 171deg: 12 E. Tho first vessel that crossed the bar and entered the Grey River' was the schooner Gipsy, in A,pnl 1860, with provisions for .Mr J.-' -Mackay and Sir Julius Yon Haast. Tho principal portion of Greymouth is built on Maori land, the ground' rents being paid to the ■ Publio Trustee, who distributes thg money to ' the . Maoris entitled thereto. ■ Greymouth w a borough, containing 2000 acres. In 1905 the population, was 4700, and the unimproved .rateable value £142,000. The quay at Greymouth is named Mawhera, and swcral of the streets have 1 Maori names. One is named after the j friendly' chief Tara-puhi. (point of a be- : trothed woman); another is Tai-nui (big ! tide); named after the celebrated cance ' of the migration from Hawaiki. It is also I the ; name of a small treo (Pomadcrris ! apetala), which is very rare and-is said i to have sprung from the skids used to launch the Tainui canoe, which were' brought to New Zealand. A third street is ; Wcrita, named after the influenoial ami friendly chief Werita Tainui.- In 1909 the inumber of houses in Greymouth was:. Dwellings 1077, stores and warehouses 215, building 14. Mr Roohfort also■ surveyed all'the coast from Jackson's Bay to where Mr Dobson'6 survey ■ commenced north of the Grey River. Roohfort 'reported: "The country was heavily wooded all'the way, and intersected'by a groat number of lakes and lagoons; The ranges extending three miles baok, the land being. terraced, and low. wooded hills,'many of them of slate formation, with gold in some of the gullies." Greymouth is' a eea-coast town, 24 miles north of Hokitika. A stream where gold I was found early in 1864 was Hopea-koa (a I joyful shout indeed). In 1864 the friendly ;' and influential chief Tarapuhi died. Ho | was the only man.on the West Coast able ; to enforce obedience and order among the j Maoris there, his death consequently was I a serious loss to the whole district. Oil : springs 'were discovered in Kutuku, or, j more correctly, Kotuku (the white heron), I 22 miles from Greymouth, iii October, 1900. ' The oil showed clearly on the surface of ' tho water in a, creek, and in several of the j holes dug by. the prospectors. At a depth ' of 2Ooft oil was stmok. The pet.roloum is '. of an inflammable nature, flashing rapidly j at a heat of 120 degrees, therefore valuable ! for lighting purposes, A tributary of the ] Ma vlv.'ra from' tho south,' a few, miles from \ the sea, is O-motumotu (a place divided ■ into isolated portions). The Grey River, or Mawhera, is still the boundary between . \Vestland and Nelson provincial' districts, * but not. of the land districts. Tho Rev. | J. W. Stack, on his map, marks the coun- j try between the sea and the mountains .on ! both sides'of the Mawhera with the name | Poutini. Mr Hafewell on his map of 1841, printed I names'which do not appear on' maps of j later date. On tho coast of Wcstland, south, of lat. 43dcg.30, are tho Ana Nara and Wui Poenamu Rivers, the latter Jit for ' boats. Further north i 6 Kitara Beach, at ' tho northern end of which is Rokaanui boat harbour, and close to it Pitori Bay. Still further north is Katakai, which "is. mark-:d rs a good harbour. South of it is Mi^ island named Seal Island. The first, steamer that crossed tho Grey River bar was the Nelson, on July 22, .1864. Tho buildings at Greymouth, on tho low ground, were washed away, and the entrance to the river- much damaged ■' by the "Old Man" flcod, which rose- to '■ an ._ excessive heighi on sth November, | 1867 " Tho Nino Pin Contract," protec- .; tivo works were also washed away. It was ; called "Nino Pin" because the piles were only 9ft long. Since then great improve- ! monts have been effected, more particularly ! by deepening tho bed of tho river, and ! -dredging the bar at the entrance to 26ft of water. Near Kotuku there is a chalybeate mineral spring, containing Ferrous bicarbonate. The Southern Alps, which form the eastern boundary of Wcstland, \ are lofty, wild, -and rugged, the higher poab being snowclad all the year round. . On tho sea coast tho climate h temperate, ' though very wet, frosts are neither frequent nor severe, but tho rainfall averages ' 112 inches per annum, which' greatly ennances the o'narm of sunshine when the clouds retire. - — The Kaiser has some 400 godsons. This is the outcome of # the cto Prussian law under which the father of seven sons can call upon his Sovereign to act as godfather to the. latest bora.