Complex sentence: Puckey's fluency, and empathy in te Reo was an effective aid in his building effective relationships and understandings with Māori in Northland, as few other Pakeha in the early years of contact could communicate as effectively between races.
Split into simpler sentences: Puckey's fluency and empathy in te reo Māori helped him establish effective relationships and understandings with Māori in Northland. Few other Pākehā in the early years of contact could communicate as effectively between races.