i te mea
1. when, because.
I te mea ka tae mai te ahi ki reira, kātahi te tangata nei ka rere ki roto i te taika wai rāua ko tētahi atu tangata, ka whakamākūtia hoki he paraikete mō rāua (TPH 10/1/1906). / When the fire reached that place then this man and another one fled into the tank of water and they doused blankets with water.