"PATUA HAU"
MAORI GRAMMAR AT RUA'S TlilAL THE VERB "TO KILL" By Telegraph—Mess Association. Auckland, July 18. Another phase of the trial of Itua was entered upon at the Supreme Court this morning, when tho Crown. Prosecutor called rebutting evidence in. reply to developments Which had occurred in the course of Mr. Lundon's cross-examina-tion. The trial has now been in progress for 34 days, and it will probably last for another week. Several polico witnesses are to be called, and also -tha Magistrate (Mr. lv. W. Dyer), wlio imposed the sentence upon the prisoner. At to-day's hearing a witness enlarged upon the meaning of "Patua, patu'a," as alleged to have been used by the prisoner on the occ.'ision of his arrest. ''Patua," said witness, meant "to kill, to strike a mortal blow with a weapon;" It was an active verb, with little or 110 modification. IJuliko the English language, tho XStaori language had a largo variety of verbs to indicate and express each different variety of action. The word "patua" meant "to strike, a mortal blow, a killing blow." The Maori idea' of killing a pig was to strike it a heavy blow on the head with au axe. That was exactly the meaning of "patua," which was an instruction to "use your weapons to kill." As an Englishman would have said, "Give them tho price," or "Dp, Guards, and at them."
If a man. wished to ask that lie bo killod, what would he say?—He would say, "Patua hau," which is tlie passive form of the verb. That is essentially what Una tells us he said.
. To the rangatira who lias been exposed to tho painful indignity of being frogmarched, it would come quite natural to say "Patua hau"?—Yes, certainly.
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2827, 19 July 1916, Page 6
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291"PATUA HAU" Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2827, 19 July 1916, Page 6
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