to smile and looked less strained. ‘You take David and go over with Helen now Mira. I'll fix up a bit and get the car out,’ said Jill. Mira made a mental note that Jill was going to prove a down-to-earth neighbour. One you could rely on to keep a cool head. Mira received instructions about Sandy, helped Helen get ready, and managed to calm her anxiety a little. David was told to look after Mira and to see she made herself a cup of tea. The roots of destiny stirred within Mira's heart as she stood holding David's hand and waved the other women out of sight. Then giving the little hand a gentle tug she said, ‘Come on Davie, help me put the tools away. No more grubbing today.’

LETTERS The Editor, ‘Te Ao Hou’ I am collecting information about the life and work of Mr James Pope, who was organising inspector of Maori Schools between 1880 and 1903. If any of your readers could assist me with this I would be very grateful. I can be contacted C/- Department of Education, Victoria University of Wellington. JOHN BARRINGTON (Wellington)

Transcriptions of Authentic Maori Chant part 10 by Mervyn McLean To avoid any appearance of commercialising the songs, Dr McLean has declined to accept payment for his work in preparing this series. Earlier articles in this series have included examples of nearly all of the song types still being used. The sung forms, waiata tangi (laments), waiata aroha and waiata whaiaipo (love songs), oriori (lullabies), pao (entertainment or topical songs), and poi have all appeared in the series, as have patere, haka and maimai of the recited types of song. So far there have been no transcriptions of karakia (incantations) and tau marae (recitations before speaking) or karanga (marae calls) but except for these the above represent the most common song types. Other song types can either be regarded as sub-classes of the common types, are locally occurring forms or are now obsolete. The hari kai or heriheri kai (food-bearing song), for example, is performed like a pao in some areas and like a haka in others. The mana wera or manawa wera (lit. the seared heart) seems to be a form of patere. The most noteworthy of the locally occurring forms is the pokeka which is a song type peculiar to Te Arawa and Mataatua, while of the songs now obsolete the most important are work or time songs and whakaaraara pa (watch songs). An example of the latter is transcribed in the present issue, together with a tauparapara from Waikato, and these transcriptions will be the last of the present series. Some time next year, if there is enough demand, the writer hopes to resume the series and it may then be possible to include examples of hari kai, pokeka, manawa wera and other lesser known song types as well as songs from tribal areas that are so far unrepresented. The songs variously called tau marae, tauparapara (Waikato) and pohua tau (Arawa and Mataatua) are those commonly recited on the marae before making a formal speech. This was very colourfully illustrated to the writer in 1958 by Arapeta Awatere who sang a few bars of ‘D' ye ken John Peel’ and then announced, ‘My subject this evening is hunting!’ A European would think it most strange if a guest speaker were to burst into song before, after or during a speech, but on the marae the reverse is true. In days past it would have been unusual for a speaker not to do this. And today, particularly amongst the older speakers, it is still the custom to precede a speech with a tau marae and to follow it with a waiata (song) of relevance to the subject, in which the speaker will generally take the lead and will be helped by his supporters. Often there