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Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4483, 25 October 1922, Page 4

The Maori was governed by three ruling passions—tp kill ’his enemy, to love a woman, and to turn his steps to the sea once in a year. The first has - beer, almost obliterated by the law and by Christianity, the second will die only with the race, ajnd the third is modified by the supply of equivalents for fish food. Every season, however, quite large parties of Maoris visit some localities In. this district, where the streams through the flai country grow abundance of watercress (states the "Mahawatu Daily Times’’). This’ weed is hauled out by bare arms to the banks for miles along water, courses, and with it thousands of eels. These are smoked pi, if the weather is favourable, dried in the sun. In the absence of flesh food in New Zealand the desire of the Maori for fish wag. one of his strongest passions;