page xxiv

PAKEHA-MAORI

Many words in common use among the Maori people of to-day will not be found in this Dictionary. These are words adopted from the Europeans, mainly for objects not indigenous to New Zealand, or unknown among the Natives prior to the advent of the strangers. Such words are hoiho, horse; kau, cow; poti, boat; Aperira, April; Tihema, December, &c., &c. The whole English Dictionary travestied into Maori form might have been introduced into the present work if any of these bastard words had been admitted; and the Author has been compelled to draw the line rigidly in favour of the pure and undefiled native language (so far as he has been able to distinguish it), and to avoid any use of adopted words.