I've seen a few 18th century Taiaha where there is no carving on the 'tongue' (but the eyes were carved in). In the Maori tradition if a carver died before finishing an article, or simply gave up on it, no other carver would step in and finish it. So, what we might see as an uncompleted piece IS actually completed ... i.e. it has been worked as far as the carver wanted to take it.
I've spent quite a lot of time looking at old writing on artefacts, using a combination of a) an ultraviolet lamp [bought at electrical shop], b) an infrared camera [night security camera plugged into TV], c) piece of yellow cellophane [when looked through in controlled lighting helps to highlight writing]. Also, try calling up an image into Picture Editor and mess around with the colour and contrast. My guess with the style of writing on your taiaha is that it is early to mid 19th century at the latest.
Have you tried looking at the online catalogue of the Te Papa collections ?
Incidentally "the guy on the right" in the photo is Te Rangi Hiroa, a very great Maori expert and museum curator.
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