Maori name for plant betterknown as Wild Irishman (q.v.), Discaria toumatou,Raoul. «A thorny plant, very difficult to handle.» (VincentPyke.) Tumatagowry, or Matagory (q.v.), is theSouthern corruption of contractors, labourers, and others.
1889. Vincent Pyke, `Wild Will Enderby,' p. 16:
«Upon the arid flats, patches of Tumatu-kuru, and of apurple-flowering broom, struggle to maintain a scraggyexistence.»
1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 283:
«The tumatakuru merits a place in this work rather on accountof its value in the past than of its present usefulness. Inthe early days of settlement in the South Island this affordedthe only available timber in many mountain-valleys, and wasfrequently converted by hand sawyers for building purposes;being of great durability, it was found very serviceable,notwithstanding its small dimensions: the formation of roadshas deprived it of value by facilitating the conveyance ofordinary building timber.»