Austral English Part 159

The form of the plural varies. The form Maoris is considered the more correct, but the form Maories is frequently used by good writers.

1845. E. J. Wakefield, `Adventures in New Zealand,' vol. i.

p. 194:

"The Maori language is essentially a poor one, and possesses in particular but few words which express abstract ideas."

1859. A. S. Thomson, `Story of New Zealand,' vol. i. c. iii.

p. 51:

"No light is thrown on the origin of the New Zealanders from the name Maori which they call themselves. This word, rendered by linguists `native,' is used in contradistinction to pakeha, or stranger."

1864. Crosbie Ward, `Canterbury Rhymes,' `The Runaways' (2nd edition), p. 79:

"One morn they fought, the fight was hot, Although the day was show'ry; And many a gallant soldier then Was bid Memento Maori."

1891. Jessie Mackay, `The Sitter on the Rail, and other Poems,' p. 61:

"Like the night, the fated Maori Fights the coming day; Fights and falls as doth the kauri Hewn by axe away."

(4) Name given in New South Wales to the fish, Cosis lineolatus, one of the Labridae, or Wra.s.ses.

Maori-Cabbage, n. the wild cabbage of New Zealand, Bra.s.sica spp., N.O. Cruciferae, said to be descended from the cabbages planted by Captain Cook.

1855. Rev. R. Taylor, `Te Ika a Maui,' p. 206.:

"Every recollection of Cook is interesting... . But the chief record of his having been on the island is the cabbage and turnip which he sowed in various places: these have spread and become quite naturalized, growing everywhere in the greatest abundance, and affording an inexhaustible supply of excellent vegetables."

1863. S. Butler, `First Year in Canterbury Settlement,'

p. 131:

"The only plant good to eat is Maori cabbage, and that is swede turnip gone wild, from seed left by Captain Cook."

1880. W. Colenso, `Transactions of New Zealand Inst.i.tute,'

vol. xiii. art. i. p. 31 [`On the Vegetable Food of the Ancient New Zealanders']:

"The leaves of several smaller plants were also used as vegetables; but the use of these in modern times, or during the last forty or fifty years, was commonly superseded by that of the extremely useful and favourite plant--the Maori cabbage, Bra.s.sica oleracea, introduced by Cook (nani of the Maoris at the north, and rearea at the south), of which they carefully sowed the seeds."

Maori-chief, n. name given to a New Zealand Flathead-fish, Notothenia maoriensis, or coriiceps. The name arises from marks on the fish like tattooing. It is a very dark, almost black fish.

1877. P. Thomson, `Transactions of the New Zealand Inst.i.tute,' vol. x. art. xliv. p. 330:

"Some odd fishes now and then turn up in the market, such as the Maori-chief, cat-fish, etc."

1878. Ibid. vol. xi. art. lii. p. 381:

"That very dark-skinned fish, the Maori-chief, Notothenia Maoriensis of Dr. Haast, is not uncommon, but is rarely seen more than one at a time."

1896. `The Australasian,' Aug. 28, p. 407, col. 5:

"Resemblances are strange things. At first it would seem improbable that a fish could be like a man, but in Dunedin a fish was shown to me called Maori Chief, and with the exercise of a little imagination it was not difficult to perceive the likeness. Nay, some years ago, at a fishmonger's in Melbourne, a fish used to be labelled with the name of a prominent Victorian politician now no more. There is reason, however, to believe that art was called in to complete the likeness."

Maori-head, n. a swamp tussock, so called from a fancied resemblance to the head of a Maori. (Compare Black-boy.) It is not a gra.s.s, but a sedge (carex).

1882. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' p. 169:

"A boggy creek that oozed sluggishly through rich black soil, amongst tall raupo, maori-heads, and huge flax-bushes."

1892. W. McHutcheson, `Camp Life in Fiordland,' p. 34:

"Amid the ooze and slime rose a rank growth of `Maori heads.'"

Maori-hen, n. Same as Weka (q.v.).

Maoriland, n. a modern name for New Zealand.

It is hardly earlier than 1884. If the word, or anything like it, such as Maoria, was used earlier, it meant "the Maori parts of New Zealand." It is now used for the whole.

1873. J. H. St. John [t.i.tle]:

"Pakeha Rambles through Maori Lands."

1874. J. C. Johnstone [t.i.tle]:

"Maoria: a sketch of the Manners and Customs of the Aboriginal Inhabitants of New Zealand."

1884. Kerry Nicholls [t.i.tle]:

"The King Country, or Explorations in New Zealand.

A Narrative of 600 Miles of Travel through Maoriland."

1884. [t.i.tle]:

"Maoriland: an Ill.u.s.trated Handbook to New Zealand."

1886. Annie R. Butler [t.i.tle]

"Glimpses of Maori Land."

1890. T. Bracken [t.i.tle]:

"Musings in Maori Land."

1896. `The Argus,' July 22, p. 4, col. 8:

"Always something new from Maoriland! Our New Zealand friends are kindly obliging us with vivid ill.u.s.trations of how far demagogues in office will actually go."

Maorilander, n. modern name for a white man born in New Zealand.

1896. `Melbourne Punch,' April 9, p. 233, col. 2: