MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 5

MAORI NOMENCLATURE.

No. XIX.—NAMES IN CANTERBURY. By W. H. Sherwood Roberts, Oamaru. The Chritchurch Star, December 30, 1901, quoting the Rev. W. Stack, contains tho following:—" The Maori names of the Heathoote wero Opawaho near th<* estuary, Wia-mokihi in the part higher up, running through tho Spreydon ditrict, and To Heruokahu-kura towards the sources, at tho back of the Asylum. This probably us an allusion to tho numerous sources tho main stream in the swamp lands. " Kahukura " conies from the Atua, or god of tho Ngaitahi tribe. The meaning of "Opawaho " is not very apparent, but Mr Stack thought it referred to the fishing station towards the mouth of the river, and " waho" may mean outside, or the coast or mouth. Wai-mokihi " means " tho raft stream," in allusion to the flax flower stick raits used in Maori navigation. Tho Maori name of Charteris Bay was Tewharau ; of Quail Island, Otamahua; of Erskine Point, Tapoa; Lyttelton. Anaohukai; Cass Bay. Motu-kaneti; Rapaki Bay, Paua-o-terua; tho site of the wharf at Governor's Bay, Otoro-miro; Governor's Bay itself, Te Whaka-raupo; Church Bay, Kai-o-ruru; the Halswell River, Tau-ewa-a-niaka; Mount Herbert, Te-ahu-patiki; a small stream which runs down a valley into Lyttelton, O-kete-Opoko; Mount Pleasant. Tau-hunu-korokio; the Peninsula opposite Quail Island, Moe-puku " Referring to tho above quotation, Ngaitahi should be Ngaitahu; Te whaka-raupo, most likely Te wakaraupo (bulrush canoe), though whaka may be the southern pronunciation of whanga (a bay). Charteris Bay was so named after tho surveyor who originally measured its area, which is considerable. The beach in front of Redclift's, near Sumner, is Ohikaparuparu, which prol>ably means_ " the place where the land slips." Watson's Valley at Redcliffs was Tc Awa-whiti (tho shining river), and Wai-patiki (the water where flounders are). The sandspit opposite Sumner, and on the Now Brighton side of the Heathoote, according- to Canon Stack, was To Korero-karoro. moaning "the meeting, or speaking place.of the seagulls." Rabbit Island, now named Motu-karara, ought to be Motu-ngarara (Reptile Island), the referonce being to the number" of lizards found on the island, therefore meaning Lizard Island. Karara is the southern pronunciation of Ngarara. A stream which runs into tho Avon'at Ham is CHa-kakaro. Ham was the beautiful residence of Mr John Watts Russell, an early colonist. There is a Government settlement in the Hoathcote Valley, near the Lyttelton railway line, called the Pawaho Hamlet, meaning the oi>en country pa. There is another settlement near Christchurch called Otarakaro. the pittosporuni tree point. (Mr Smith: Possibly' O-tara-ngaro, the place ■where the eardrop was lost.) Other Crown settlements near Christchurch are Roi-mata. tears; Whare-nui, big hut, near Riccarton ; and Tamai, of 41 acres, near Woolston. Roi : mata and Whare-nui are modern names given by tho Land Department to these settlements, and Brace, 27i acres at Fendalton. Professor Bickerlon lias lovely tea gardens near Christchurch which he has named Wai-noni (crooked water, or water bond). The area of the City of Christchurch is 4598 acres, all fairly flat ground, with the river Avon meandering through it. In 1905 its population was 48.767. The unimproved rateable value being £3,095,924. Mr A. E. G. Rhodes named his residence near t 'hristohurch To Koraha, the open country. Banks Peninsula. Banks Peninsula was noted for its largo totara trees. Mr G. J. Cholmondeley,, in July, 1899, wrote: —"It may be of interest to some to know that what is generally regarded to be the largest of these trees was that on the summit track between Wai-puna and Mount Fitzgerald. (Mr Smith : Wai-puna, the spring). According to measurements made by Mr Thomas Pavitt, the tree was 13ft Bin in diameter, and 85 square yards were covered by its head. When, under the superintendence of Mr Dobson, the summit track from Purau to Akaroa was cut, about 1858, this gigantic tree stood in the centre of the roadway, and the track was formed by cutting away tho tangled undergrowth on each side. A year or two later a swagger wantonly set fire to tho noble totara. and nothing but the charred skeleton was left. I saw the remains of this tree in January, 1891. and, according to careful measurements made by me, it must have been 45ft in circumference." Banks Peninsula is about 30 miles long from the plain eastward, with a maximum width of 17 miles, containing alxDut 326.000 acres. It was formerly all closely wooded. It is not known whether Banks Peninsula

had a general Maori name, though some Maoris say that it was known as Hikurangi, moaning " edge of tho sky," or H"cn, "tail of a fish,"' Rangi "tho sky.'' Captain Cook discovered this part of New Zealand on Friday, February 16, 1770. He wrote: 'At daybreak on the 16th we discovered land bearing S. by W. and seemingly detached from the coast we wero upon. At sunrise on tho 17th our opinion that tho land we had been standing for was an island was confirmed by our seeing part of the land of Tovy i'oe-nammoo open to the westward of it, and an opening near the south point, which had the appearance of a bay or harbour. This island, which I named after Mr Banks, lies about five leagues from the coast." Mr Banks, afterwards Sir Joseph Banks, was a zealous naturalist, who sailed with Cook round the world in that capacity. lie wrote most valuable botanical descriptions of the trees and flowers he found at places where he landed during the long voyage. lie wai created a baronet in 1781. The first Maoris who inhabited tho Canterbury district are said to have been the Waitaha, who came originally from Hawaiki in the cunoe Aravva. The Middle Island was then known as Tu Muki, a name given to it by Tamatea-Pokai-whenua, who visited New Zealand from Hawaiki in the Takitumu canoe. The Waitaha were conquered by the Ngati Mamoe about the year 1577. They enjoyed the fruits of their triumphs for a little more than 100 years, when they were despoiled by the NgaiTahu, a tribe from the east coast of the North Island (Rev. J. W. Stack). Lyttelton Harbour is an old volcanic crater with a general diameter of two miles. The lava streams are visible at Godley Head und the sea wall near Sumner. The north-western head of Lyttolton Harbour was known to the whalers as Cachalot Head, but the name was changed to Godloy Head out of compliment to Mr John Robert Godley, who was agent in Lyttelton for tho association. Captain Thomas, the chief surveyor of the Canterbury Association, came out from England in 1849, and selected tho sites for Lyttelton and Christehuroh, had them surveyed, and made preparations for receiving tho immigrants. Major Hornbrook built an hotel which he named The Mitre Inn. Major Hornbrook was a field officer of engineers in the Spanish Legion. He made himself so agreeable and kept such excellent liquor that the inn became a favourite resort, especially in the evening, much to the regret of a young lady, who wrote a parody on " Pop goes the weasel " as a protest,betrinning : Up and down the Lyttelton road, In and out tho Mitre, That's the way the money goes— Makes pa's pocket lighter.

The first general store was built in Canterbury street in December, 1849, the prepared timber having been brought in a cutter from Nelson. At this time. Mr 11. (1. Gowland was collector of Customs, resident magistrate, deputy registrar, police inspector, landing waiter, etc., combining in his own person all the dignity and authority of the British Constitution over a very limited population. On April 11, 1850, Mr John Robert Godley arrived in the I>ady Nugent, but after remaining a few days sailed on to Wellington. Godley returned to Lyttelton in November, 1850, and took charge as agent. The first emigrant ship —the Charlotte Jane—-arrived on December 16, 1850, about 10 o'clock in the morning, followed by the Randolph about 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, and the Sir George Seymour at 10 a.m. on the 17th. The first man of all the passengers to step ashore was Mr J. E. Fitzgerald. Lyttelton Harbour in 1850 was known as Cavendish Bav, Port Victoria, though some persons say it was Erskine Bay. Port Cooper. Port Victoria, or Port Lyttelton, as the outlet for Canterbury has been occasionally called, was Whangaraupo (bulrush harbour). To Waka (the canoe), or Waka-raupo (the bulrush canoe). I think that the first name is most likelv to be the correct one. (Mr Smith: Formerly raft.s called niokihi were made of bulrushes, and were used for crossing rivers, but Whanga-raupo is probably the correct name). The harlxmr was first named Port Cooper after an old whaler who resided there before New Zealand was proclaimed a British colony. It was afterwards called Port Vic toria by the Government in proclamations and similar documents; but the Canterbury Association altered the name to Port Lyttelton. after Lord Lytlelton. one of tho Association's chief supporters. 1349 to 1856. Mr J. C. Andersen says: "Port Cooper was not called after an old whaler, but after Mr Cooper, of the firm of Cooper and Levy, merchants, Sydney, and Port Levy after his partner. They purchased from the Maoris in 1325 a portion of tho Port Cooper (Canterbury) Plain, through thoir agent, Captain Wiseman, who established

stations for carrying on a trade in flax with the Maoris." The Lyttelton Tunnel, or Moorhouso Tunnel, was opened for railway traffic on December 9, 1867, the first tunnel in New Zealand. It is 8598 ft in length. Tho Borough of Lyttelton contains 2014 acres. The population in 1905 was 4200, the annual rateable value being £27,610. A Native reservo and kaika on tho western side of tho harbour, nearly due west of Quail Island, is Ra-paki, which means day without rain. A bay on the south-eastern side, opposite the north-eastern portion of the town, is Pu-rau, a fork, or Te Puru ; also known as Rhodes' Bay. In August, 1869, a quartz reef was reported to have been discovered near Purau. It proved, however, to bo an old lava stream, and it should be mentioned that the whole peninsula is volcanic, Lyttelton Harbour being the crater of an extinct volcano. A pa on the shore of Lyttelton Harbour was Ri-papa (boundary mark on the flat). It was built by Tau-nunu, who came from Kaikoura and "settled here. The lighthouse on Godley Head was first illuminated on March 31. 1865. Another bav was To Pohue, the clematis. (Mr Smith: The convolvulus). It was at that spot that the first land was sold to Europeans, prior to 1844. Port Lew was named after an old whaler, who, like Captain Cooper, traded with the Maoris for flax, which they took to Sydney. Though tho name of this placo was changed by tho Government to Port Albert, after Prince Albert consort of Queen Victoria, its first name is still commonly used. Its Maori name was Koukou-rarata. tame owl, or Kokou-rarata. (Mr Smith: The first is no doubt tho correct spelling). Tho Maoris had a track from Koukou-rarata up the O-tutu (the place of the. tutu shrub) Valley, ovor the Waipuna (spring of water) Saddle, and down the valley of the Okiri (the place of tho skin) to Wai-rowa. (floating water), on tho bank of Lako Forsyth. Adderley Head, between Port Lyttelton and Port Levy, was Toroa (tho wandering albatross). A bay in Port Levy in which the Maoris sold land to Europeans in 1840 was Kaihope (to eat the loin). A larsro pa on tho eastern shore of Kou-kou-rarata Bay was Pu-ari (Ari's tribe). Ari was a Maori ancestor, the son of Rantri-potiki and Papa-tu-a-nuku. Pigeon Bav was called Waka-roa (long canoe) or Waka-oroi (the canoo with fernroot provisions for a journey), but "YVaka'' has probably been substituted for " whanga," a "bay. (Mr Smith: No doubt Whanga-roa deep bay, is correct. Tho South Island dialects invariably sound the "ng" as " k.") The river running into the bay had the same name. Tho first settler in Pigeon Bay was Ebenezer Hay, who went there from Wellington in 1843. A small cove on the western side of Wakaoroi Bay was Ka-ko-ngutu-ngutu (tho openings at "tho mouth of a river). Mr Smith: Possibly this bay may he Whanpahoroi, or washing bay.) In 1844 Mr E. Shortland counted the Maori population at Waka-oroi, and found that there were only 20 —eleven being males and nine females. At Akaroa he counted 84 Maoris —43 males and 41 females. Ka-ko-ngutu-ngutu Cove is Holmes Bay. The land" in the cove was sold by the Maoris to the French Company about 1841. In 1843 it was occupied by a Scotch family named Sinclair, including the father, mother, three sons, and three daughters, and several shipbuilders (Edward Shortland) (Mr Smith : The [Sinclair family emigrated to the Hawaiian Islands, where their descendants are still living, at Kauai Island, or Niihau Island; 75,000 acres. They are prosperous and respected people. One of the daughters has published a handsome work on the flowers of Hawaii.) The French Company Nanto Bordelaise. — "In August. 1833, Captain L'Anglois, master of a French whaler, purchased, he asserted, from the Natives on Banks Peninsula a block of land defined in the claim as ' All Banks Peninsula, with the exception of the Bav of Hiku-raki, and Oihoa on tho south, and Sandy Beach, north of Port Cooper, tho supposed contents 30.000 acres.' The full amount of the purchase money was to have been £240, of which amount only £6 was paid by tho captain in 1633. When Captain L'Anglois returned to France ho ceded his right and title to his reputed purchase to a company of two mercantile houses in Nantz, two at Bordeaux, and two gentlemen of Paris, who formed a company called tho Nanto Bordelaise Compagnio, reserving to himself an interest to the amount of one-fifth in the said company, and giving up his deed of sale from tho Natives as his subscription of 6000 francs, to become a partner to the amount of one fifth in the company. (Tales of Banks Peninsula, p. 89). The purchase of the land by Captain L Anglois was confirmed by Mr Waeckerlie, who had

a flour mill at Akaron. lie came to Ak; roa by the Comte tip Paris. The French Association bought a small schooner from Sinclair that he had built in Pigeon Bay. for which they gave him 200 acres of land in Holmes's Bay, _ which afterwards became the property of Mr George Holmes. Mr and Mrs Hay, with two sons, accompanied the Sinclair* in 1844 <Cid settled at Pigeon R-v,'- The schooner Unit brought them from Wellington also brought the Deans, Gebbies, Mnnsons, and fc/ieir families, with font head of cattle, with farming and other implements (5.8. P., 232). Captain and Mrs Sinclair, with three sons and three daughters, arrived from Glasgow in the Blenheim in 1841, and landed at Wellington. They soon started to build a schooner at the Hutt, or Haeratonga River. They succeeded in building an excellent sea boat of 45 tons, and named her Richmond. Mr Sinclair, with his eldest son, George, and two other men, about the year 1848 left Pigeon Bay in the Jessie Millar, intending to go to Wellington, but they never reached the port, and nothing was ever heard of them or the vessel again. Mrs Sinclair afterwards sold out to George Holmes, and the name of the bay was changed from Sinclair Bav to Holme', Bay. Mrs Sinclair died about 1890, at the advanced age of 90 years (5.8. P., p. 7-43). A hill on Banks Peninsula was nanus Moant Sinclair after these early settlers. Mr Ebenezer Hay died in Pigeon Bay in 1863. His son Thomas Orr Hay was born at the- Hutt in 13*2, and went with his parents to Pigeon Bay in 1843. Ke remained there till 1908, when he left on an extended European tour, and died at Gottenburg, in Sweden, on June 28, 1909. Little Alcaloa should be spety Aka-roa, as there is no "1" in the Maori, alphabet, though some Maoris pronounce the "r" very much like an " I.' t Bone Bay, now called T.e Bon s Bay, at the north-eastern corner of Banks Peninsula, used to be Kata-wahu, Wahu's lough. (Mr Smith: This name cannot be right). Captain Le Bas entered Le Ikm Bay in mistake for Akaroa. He sent a boats crew ashore, ono of whom, named Iy ; Bon, was the first to land, so the bay was named after him. There was evidently a large Maori population there et one time. East Hoad of tho peninsula was Puta Koro, longing for a canoe. (Mr Smith: Possibly Puta-karoro, a seagull'* note or nest.) Brett's New Zealand Pilot states that Putakoro is the name of a high and cliffv point one mile south of East Head. Tho Rev. J. W. Stack mentions two places in the forest between O'Kain's Bav and Gough Bay named Pouta-karo name of Hickory. (5.8. P., p. 12.) O'Kain's Bay was named by Captain Hamilton, who, when he first passed the bay was reading a book written bv the Irish naturalist, and named the bav after the author.—(S.B.P., p. 207.) The Maoris had a strong pa on Pa Island, a short distance south-east and Otutahuao, the latter now having the of O'Kain's Bay. The island contains only three acres, but its position renders it a Splendid natural fortification.—S.B.P., p. 208.) A point ip, Fickorv Bav is known as Te Ana-kai-nehu (the cave of dust food). Tin- origin of tho name was as follows :-= The chref Moki in his war canoe rested in Hickory Bay. Ilikatutu gave a bosket of dried barraoouta for the crew to cat. Those in the stern had the hist helping, ami the basket was passed along, each man taking a share, and whea it reached the bow only scraps and dusl of the fish remained. The Last man. Whakuku, in disgust, named the cave Te-ana-kai-nehu. " In the Ix>ns<-aso a gr&at many Maoris lived at Long Look-out. and during the raid of the North Island Maoris on tho Peninsula tribes there was a grievous slaughter on tho Long Look-out, in vvluojj tin- local Maoris were almost annihilated. (S.H.I'., p. 212.) The bav south <>f East Head is printed Wai-kc-rakiraki, which may l»; translated " water dried by evaporation in a different pl aC o " (Mr S. P. Smith: This name cannot be right. It is possibly Wai Karangiranc'i, <choing water, or the place of a» echo.) Cough's Bay was Oka-ruru (to stab art owl), "'some-times written Koka-ruru fa mother owl), or Karuru. (Mr Smith: Probably O-nga-ruru, the place of the shellfish of that name) (Con. Trochus imperieilis), or possibly Oku-ruru (my owl). It is also spelt Oakaruru. It was named Gough after a man of that, name who dwelt there for many years among the Maoris. "The trefs in the neighbourhood of Oakaruru wera thought by the Maoris to be enchanted men and able at time? to move about."- S.I. Maoris, p. 113.) A settlement near Okaruru was Panau (to leap as a fish) though some say it was the name of the bay south of Okaruru. Mr Stack calls it 'Lour- Look-out.'' (5.8. P., p. 35.) The bay south of Cough's Bay is Paua, the shellfish Sea-ear Haliolis. In 1341 there were Maoris living at Onuku,

I.Vai-nui, and Tikao Bay numbering 60 altogether. In 1843 there was a good number of Maoris at Port Levy, Pigeon Bay, Little River, and Kaiapoi. A Ngati Mamoe pa near that place was called Nga-toko-ono, the six men. It was betvve>en Paua Bay and Fisherman's Bay, on tho ridge of a bold cliff, and the remains may be seen still. The pa is said to be the oldest on tho peninsula. It was the dwel- ' ling-place of six noted chiefs, who went out in a canoe one day to fish. They were caught in a violent north-west gale and 1 wero blown out to sea. They were never heard of again, unless it was they who were blown over to tho Chatham Islands.—(Rev. J. W. Stack.) (Mr Smith: The translation of the name To Pa-o-nga-tokoono is " the pa of the six men." Mr Stack's idea that these six men originated the Morion people of the Chatham Islands will not lie accepted by Maori scholars in face of the extensive series of Moriori traditions published by the Polynesian Society.) Not far from Nga-toko-ono there is a pa situated at the end of ono of the spurs on the south side of Long Bay, Banks Peninsula, called Para-kaka-riki (parroquet dirt). It was an important stronghold of the Ngati-Mamoe, buri was captured and destroyed by Moki. sv Ngatitahu chief, who, in the celebrated eanoo named Makawhiu, coasted round the peninsula and completely subdued the I Ngati-Mamoe inhabitants. Fisherman's Bay was VVaka-rimu, a canoe made of red pine. Flea Bay was Pohatu-pa. (Mr Smith,! Poh«.tu-pa would mean stricken by a stone). (To bo continued.)