OLD RELICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 307, 27 December 1924, Page 6

OLD RELICS.

A MAORI CARVING. NEW PLANTS AND FISH. DISCOVERED AT XOUTH AUCKLAND " THE MAURI OF THE WHALES." il\r Telegraph.-Special to -Star.") WELLINGTON, Friday. ' Some interesting discoveries have been made of late by members of ,| ie Dominion Museum staft who have been travelling throughout the North Island. Mr W J. PhiUipp*. in charge of the Maori section of the Dominion Museum, has recently returned from Mahia, bringing with him a wonderf.il specimen of°old Maori carving in the shape of a stern piece for a canoe. The piece was originally dug up in a cave at Mahia, and. despite the absence of the top piece, is wonderfully well preserved. The .Maoris on the locality know the piece well, and there is hope that they will even he able to supply the name of the canoe from which the specimen was originally taken. Ono side of the carving is cracked somewhat but will be repaired. It is a valuable addition to the already large section dealing with canoe headpieces now at the Dominion Farmers' Institute. Another interesting piece of Maori work is an old kahera, or agricultural implement, which was dug out of swamp at Paraparaumu by Mr. Brandon. The implement is in good order and was sent to Mrs. Larnach, of We]! lington. who handed it over to Mr Phillipps. An Interesting Trip. Air. Phillipps, who went to Mahia to bring back an ancient bowl, reputed to be 200 years old, recounted an interesting trip yesterday. The bowl was promised" him by Angi Angi Tehua, a native of Mahia, and was supposed to have belonged to one of his ancestors buried 200 years ago. Some trouble arose over securing the article, however, the natives declaring they had as much right to it as Angi Angi. On Sir. Ormonde's property, however, the stern piece was found, and this gentleman presented it to the museum. Historic Placei. Whilst at Mahia opportunity wai taken to photograph one or two places of historic interest, notably the Kanika Pa and the Mauri of the Whales. On the site of the pa a great battle was fought in the old days. The latter was a great formation of rock which lay at the head of a deep channel, running inland from Mahia baehc. Miiori legend has it that every whale which came into the locality in those days was unable to turn and had to run to it. Twentyfive years ago the channel became silted, and the Mauri was covered with sand. Xo whales have been ashore here now for many years. Fifty years ago there was a great whaling station here, and 40 whaleboats were operating. No whales arc seen here now. however, and hut one solitary Maori lingers there to dote on the traditions of the past. , Valuable Discoveries. Messrs. H. Hamilton and \V. K. B. Oliver, who undertook a trip to Hen Island and the Poor Knights, north of Auckland, for the museum, also made some interesting discoveries. Un the Poor Knights were found a great deal of Maori stone work and sites of old wharcs. The stone work was without mortar, and was quite common in various parts of the island. These were the chief evidences of the Maoris, although there were one or two finds in the nature of carved totara posts, which must have EOtnp from the mainland, as no totara grows on the island at all. The Maoris left this Jsland aliout the year 1 81 S. when a t ril><- from Hokianjja paddlfd round the North Cape and massacred practically everyone. The islands an' bird sanctuaries, and the explorers found them doing well in their seclusion. On Poor Knights was found a distinct species of plant belonging to the j fauiih- to which flax and the cabbajr tree briong. It grew in immense tussocks of about six to eijht feet aero??, and was found on the top of the island. The leaves were about, a foot long, and the plant was surmounted with bright red flowers like the Australian bottle bush tree. So far it has not been discovered anywlwc else in the Dominion, and i"s rprite unique. The waters around Poor Knights abound in fish of a t-mpiral nature, and here several weird and wonderful specimens were secured. These will be transmitted to the museum, and Mr. Oliver declares they are marvellously coloured.