The Name Patumahoe.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 45, 19 November 1912, Page 4

The Name Patumahoe.

[TO THE EDITOR.] Sir,—Permit ma a few lines re the nams Patumaho - . I don't think either of yen; correspmdenti are quite correct in their version of the s:ory. When the Europeans fiist settled at MauUu, in 1859, tnev asked the Maoris the mfar,i g of ll.e word. Iwo of the oldest men replied, ihus: "Lirg time ego, hefore we w.re born, cur trile l.vea o:i the shores cf the YVciaku creek J hey decided to make inland, so put the womsn ani children ii;to cano.s and paddled up tne Mauku ere i; as far as they could, thai walked town fs the hush till they came to a hiil with feapai (groci) prioun'. O.i the sumrr.i: theie grew a large iiiahoe. tne. ihe party hal ea and the chief stepped tor ward 'an J, Luryinj? his tcmahawK h ti.e i;e. : said, lV.tumahoe, Patumahoe. I strike ihv Mahee tree. lijr>i! g the tomahawk in the tr.e signified: 'Here ve :e.t by the m '.hoc tre-:,' " heme tue name Pat:.imhoe. This u tne version i had from s;,me of tha earliest settlers at Mauku &r.d is the most autnui-tic.-I tin, uc, "PATUMAiiOE."