No. xvii. of the former Legislative Council of
New Zealand':

[From A. Domett's collection of Ordinances, 1850.]

"Section 2. . . . there shall be levied in respect of every
building constructed wholly or in part of <i>raupo, nikau,
toitoi</i>, <i>wiwi kakaho</i>, straw or thatch of any
description [ . . . L20]."

1849. C. Hursthouse, `Settlement of New Plymouth,' p. 13:

"A species of tall grass called `toetoe.'"

1861. C. C. Bowen, `Poems,' p. 57:

"High o'er them all the toi waved,
To grace that savage ground."

1867. Lady Barker, `Station Life in New Zealand,' p. 110:

"Thatching it with tohi, or swamp-grass."

1892. `The Katipo,' Jan. i. [sic] p. 3 [description of the
Title-cut]:

"The toi toi and <i>Phorinium tenax</i> in the corners are
New Zealand emblems."

1895. `Otago Witness,' Dec. 19, p. 6, col. 3:

"Where Christmas lilies wave and blow,
Where the fan-tails tumbling glance,
And plumed toi-toi heads the dance."

<hw>Tohora</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori name for a whale.

1855. Rev. R. Taylor, `Te Ika a Maui,' p. 136:

"Fable of the Kauri (pine-tree) and Tohora (whale)."

1878. W. Colenso, `Transactions of New Zealand Institute,'
vol. xi. art. iv. pt. 2, p. 90:

"Looking at it as it lay extended, it resembled a very large
whale (nui tohora)."

1883. J. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand,' p. 21:

"In the open sea, and to the south, the most prized whale next
to the sperm is the black whale, or tohora (<i>Eubalaena
Australis</i>), which is like the right whale of the North Sea,
but with baleen of less value."

<hw>Tohunga</hw>, <i>n</i>. Maori word for a wise man.
"Perhaps from Maori verb <i>tohu</i>, to think." (Tregear's
`Polynesian Dictionary.') <i>Tohu</i>, a sign or omen;
hence <i>Tohunga</i>, a dealer in omens, an augur.

1872. A. Domett, `Ranolf and Amohia,' p. 102:

"But he whose grief was most sincere
The news of that unwonted death to hear,
Was Kangapo, the Tohunga--a Priest
And fell Magician famous far and near."

1873. `Appendix to Journals of House of Representatives,'
G. 1, B. p. 9:

"I am a tohunga who can save the country if you will follow my
advice."

1878. F. E. Maning, `Heke's War, told by an Old Chief,'
`New Zealand Reader,' p. 153:

"Amongst these soldiers there was not one tohunga--not a man at
all experienced in omens--or they must have had some warning
that danger and defeat were near."

1893. `Otago Witness,' Dec. 21, p. 10, col. 2