MUSEUM ACCESSIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 263, 6 November 1929, Page 9

MUSEUM ACCESSIONS.

QUEEN VICTORIA'S CUP. FINE MAORI COLLECTION. ARTICLES FROM SOLOMONS. "We have already received this year as many accessions as in the whole of the previous year," stated the curator of the Museum, Mr. G. Archey, in a report to the Auckland Institute aud Museum Council at its meeting yesterday. "This gratifying increase is attributable not only to continued public interest in the Museum, but also, to the activities of the additional members of the scientific staff, 'appointed at the beginning of the year. "The number of accessions to date is 295, of which 78 have been received since the last meeting of the council" continued the report. "We have tried to keep our registering and classifying of these welcome additions up to date, notwithstanding the urgent effort that is being made to have the collection sufficiently well arranged for the opening day. Each department of the Museum has received its quota of gifts. "In the Maori collection we have to acknowledge the following: A fine greenstone mere, formerly the property of the Ngapuhi chief Tirarau Kukupa, given by Mrs. R. Wilson; a tongiwai mere with the personal name Parore te Awha, from Mr. Edwin Parore Mitchelson: a carved bone nose flute, from Mr. A. Armstrong, of Kawakawa; old Maori cloaks, from Miss S. Dingwall and Mr. J. W. Brame; from the president, a carved stone figure —a taniwata or Kumara God found at Northcote, also an old bone thatching needle; a bone tewhatewha or fighting staff, added to the George M. Graham collection; sinkers of unusual form, from Messrs. D. N. and A. T. Ariell, and fiom Mr. P. E. Cheal; a carved flute, from Mr. W. D. Nicholas, of Paeroa; a greenstone adze, from Mr. H. B. Moore, and a greenstone tiki and mere placed in the Museum by Mr. C. F. Molloy; an old' carved wooden bowl from Ohura, given by Mr. L. M. Harper.

"A very interesting addition," said Mr. Archey, "is the silver cup presented to Tamate Waka Nene by Queen Victoria in 1861, and given to the Museum by the family of the late Mr. John Webster, of Opononi. who have also presented a series ot fine water colours by Mr. Webster, illustrating native life in the Solomon Islands many years ago. Another gift is a fine collection of articles from the Solomons by Dr. A. W. Firth. We have also received an historic wooden bowl, 150 years old. from the Ariki Tamuera of Mauke. Cook Islands, and his daughter. Mrs. E. R. J. Dyer." The council agreed to accept on deposit from the Auckland Racing Club a silver cup, with cover, formerly the property of Queen Victoria, and a very large and ornate silver trophy awarded as a cup at Goodwood in IS.V 2. Both had been presented to the club by Mr. Moss Davis, who. it was stated, had agreed to the transfer. A number of additions has been made to the war trophies section of the museum, and steps are being taken to build it up still further. It was reported to the council that Major G.- R. Hutchinson had presented his valuable collection of French war posters, as well as documents and trophies. A variety of automatic and magazine pistols was included in a collection presented by the Rev. W. W. Averill and Dr. L. A. Averill. The collection made by the late Sergeant George Hulme, had been presented by his mother, and a sectional aeroplane bomb had been received from the Rev. W. W. Averill. Lieutenant H. A. de Latour had presented a delay-action mine fuse and a series of sketches made in the field had been given bv the artist, Mr. A. Llovd.

The curator reported that on a recent visit to Wellington for the purpose of collecting additions, he 'had acquired several interesting exhibits, including the complete uniform and equipment of a. New Zealand infantryman and certain weapons. Every help had been received from Major-General R. Young, G.0.C., and the General Headquarters Staff. It was stated that the mounting of two -tin guns from H.M.s. New Zealand had also been arranged. The council decided to negotiate for the purchase of an enlarged panoramic photograph, showing transports of the Main Bodv coaling at Hobart in October, 1914.