MAORI ANTIQUITIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 209, 16 June 1933, Page 8

MAORI ANTIQUITIES

PRESENTED TO MUSEUM.

MANY FINE RARITIES

(Special to the “ Guardian.”)

WANGANUI, June 14

The late Dr. A. K. Newman’s wellknown collection of Maori artifacts has been purchased by Dr. A. H. E. Wall and Mrs Wall, of Wanganui, and presented to the Alexander Museum, Wanganui, as a memorial to their late son John, who so tragically met his death on Mt. Ruapehu last month.

The collection is one of the most valuable among the private collections in the Dominion, and was started by I)r. Newman some 4.0 years ago. Many of the priceless specimens are described in the papers read before the, New Zealand, Institute, ancl recorded in the transactions of that society. r lhe collection is to he kept intact, and housed in special casing and dedicated to the memory of a beloved son, who was him-; self something of a collector. It will he known as the “John Barnicoat Wall Memorial Collection.”

Among the many rare and valuable specimens perhaps the outstanding curio is a Maori trumpet, 5 feet long, so rare that Colenso some 100 years ago had only seen one or two. The trumpet is made of durable well-dried totara, beautifully fitted together, and bound from nozzle to within three inches of the other end with supplejack very tightly and neatly laid round it, each layer closely touching. The joinings are cemented with Maori gum. There are three wooden pegs inside the narrow tube. ‘ They were used as alarms in war-time, and also to announce the march of a great chief, and the notes could be heard for miles.

In 1905, this bugle was played at a meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society, by a Mr Warren. Mr Warren could play at least 15 of the ordinary military calls, such as “hall In,” “Dinner Call,” “Alarm,” etc. The old-time trumpet halls of the Maori have long since been lost. The trumpets are supposed to have been made in the Hot Lakes District, hutfew are in existence to-day, the only other large one being in an English museum. Another unique specimen, of which only eleven are known to be in existence, is a dredge (rou-kakalii), very like a huge hay-rake, but beautifully carved. These dredges were used to. gather fresh-water mussels from shallow water in lakes. The rake had a net and sinker attached. * Dr. Newman bought this rou-kakaht from a chief of the Ngati-rangiwewehi 'tribe of the Awahou Pa, a few miles from Rotorua. Jn bygone days, the dredges were highly prized, and were the property of a rangitira (chief). When out of use they were liung high in a whare where soot and smoke have given this ond its rich black colour. Among the many beautifully carved (stone work) panels in the collection is one of unusual design and one which stands alone for antiquity—the eelman panel. It was ploughed up noai tlm city of Auckland. Legends regarding eels are extremely ancient, and this panel depicts a creature half eel and half man.. Wanganui has a legend of Tamatuna, an amphibious halfman, half-eel ancestor, who adzed a canoe under water.

Among the number of mats is one of Alaori dog-skin on a foundation of fine fiax work, very rare and valuable. ,A hoeroa (staff) made from the rib of a whale, and a hone tewatea, are both unique and welcome additions to the Wanganui museum. It is impossible to enumerate the many bedutiful curios, which, .represent the life-gathei-ings of an enthusiast. In speaking of the collection, Mr Hope Gibbons, said that the opportunity of acquiring such a collection would probably never occur again, and they were exceedingly grateful to Dr. and Airs Wall for their fine gift.