Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(N.Z.) by golly!

1892		in H.T. Gibson Gibbie Galoot (1924) [Frontispiece] [Facsimile letter from Maori Girl of 16 in 1892, in ‘pidgin’, ending:] My sister say you fond of little boys and girls well py gorry bimeby I give you plenty I send you xx Hohepa [DNZE].
1898		H.B. Vogel Maori Maid 41: ‘Py Kolly’ —which represents the Maori’s ‘By Golly’.
1911		Truth (Wellington) 27 May 4: The recent Christchurch sittings of the Supreme Court found an astonished Maori charged with an offence against a half-caste girl of sixteen, but the defence put up by Lawyer Donnelly...so impressed the jury that they returned a verdict of not guilty. Py Korry!
1927		T.E. Donne Maori Past and Present 214: The Maoris opened wide their eyes and said, ‘Py korry!’.
1935		E. Maxwell Recollections 158: The Maori exclaimed, ‘You think he dead, by gorry that the first time he ever do that.’.
1938		R. Finlayson Brown Man’s Burden 30: But, by korry! the Maori these days likes better a good jazz band. [Ibid.] 31: Py korry, another party!
1943		A.F. Jackson Passage to Tobruk 23: ‘You fight Nazis, too, eh Hori?’ ‘Py corrie, yes.’ [DNZE].
1956		D.H. Graham Treasury N.Z. Fishes 355: The Maori women [...] would exclaim with great vehemence: ‘By gorry, Mister, I never seen him go in.’ [DNZE].
1969		(con. 1920s) B. Moore From Forest to Farm 43: This appealed to the Maori, who [...] bawled, ‘By Korri— the blurry good sulky eh?!!’.
1982		(con. WWII) E. Sandys Love and War 253: ‘By gorrie,’ Wiri muttered.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].