HUMAN REMAINS FOUND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 20 January 1914, Page 7

HUMAN REMAINS FOUND.

A SUPPOSED MAORI SKULL. It is not uncommon lor those engaged on excavatkm works in and around Auckland to come across liuman remains in. tb-e form of skeletons or skulls. A discovery of this nature has been made by the staff of Mr S. Gordon, contractor for the enlarging of the bridge over the railway" line in Dominion Road. The find consists of a skull, and, as in moat other cases of ifche like, it is judged to be part of the remains of a Maori—in this instance a, male. •When the discovery was mentioned at •the meeting of Mi. Eden Borough Council by ifche engineer last night, one- of the members jocularly inquired whether the matter had! been 'reported- to the coroner. The reply was that the "trophy" -was still in the hands of the contractor. That •was where a reporter caw it this morning—on the works. Mr Gordon pointed to a large hole about the size of a hen's egg somewhere behind the right ear as sin indication that death ted probably been caused by a heavy blow. The skull when found was wedged -between two • boulders near to the surface. There were no further indications of human remaine in the vicinity. It is said that in the early days a. track passed over the site of the Dominion Road , bridge, forming a connection between Auckland and the Kaipara district. Probably the Maori in question fell in combat by the wayside. tßeferring to similar discoveries, Mr Gordon racntroaed' that when 'he was engaged on come big exca-vation works at One-tree Hill, atwu-t .tijlrieen yea-rs ago, several skulls and a nujmfbe'r of Unman bonce were found. (As is generally denown, this locality a, Maori Stronghold in the turbulent tribal days. In one instance, said the contractor, the ■workmen dug out ithe .remains of a man :w:ho had (fallen while fighting in a rifle pit. The skeleton was still doubled up when found. tAga/in in some volcanic soil were found lihe traces of an unusually big man, th-e: marks of Ihie bonce being -traced "to his tfuU length. In case some remains were found near to a collection of stone axes. Some of the latter were polished, ibut others . lacked the finishing- touches, ac though the maker had perished in the mddist of Wβ •work. *Bhe skull found- in -Dominion Road has -crniribled to 'pieces, whidh is an indica- ;_' *">?. of great age. Around- the rough t-t S -' w " ler -e there are signs of a blew, is to.te seen certain discolouration, which «j euggeets - tlio epi i] mjr of much blood _ j gnm evidence erf some tragedy of the s Jm€t. ■ • d;..-'-:-. '*■