In presenting the following Work to the Public, it may be necessary to explain, under what circumstances, and for what end, it has been undertaken.
Mr. Kendall, who had for several years resided as a Settler in New Zealand, under the auspices of the Church Missionary Society, having, returned early in the summer of the present year, with two Native Chiefs, to England, it was resolved by the Committee, that every advantage should be taken of this opportunity, for the purpose of settling the orthography, and, as far as possible, of reducing the language itself of New Zealand to the rules of Grammar, with a view to the furtherance of the Mission sent out to that country. For this end, Mr. Kendall was, with the Chiefs, sent to Cambridge, where he might have the opportunity of such retirement and assistance as would tend to advance the objects in question. After a residence there of about two months, the MS. of the work now presented to the Public was, with such assistance as I could render, completed, and put to Press. The[1] materials had, for the most part, been previously collected in New Zealand, by Mr. Kendall: they received at Cambridge some additions, with the arrangement in which they now appear.
- ↑ Some materials were collected in London in the year 1818, from Tooi and Teeterree, two New Zealanders who resided some time at the Society's House; but as ill health obliged them shortly to quit London, the work was necessarily suspended, and the materials sent to Mr. Kendall in New Zealand.—See Miss. Register for 1819, p. 465.