Bullocks And Waggon For Museum Exhibit

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27670, 28 May 1955, Page 6

Bullocks And Waggon For Museum Exhibit

Mick and Pat, Mr Rex Chapman’s two bullocks which led the Canterbury centennial procession of 1950 drawing an old waggon, will be preserved at the Canterbury Museum as soon as the new wing is completed. The exhibit will be prominent in the hall of early colonial transport, whaling and exploration, and will show the bullocks hitched to the waggon. Mr R. J. Jacobs, preparator of the museum,'■ visited Mr Chapman’s home at Little River this week to prepare the skin of one of the bullocks, which had to be destroyed recently. The other bullock died last year. The waggon is still on Mr Chapman’s farm as there is no space available yet for housing it in the museum. Tlie waggon was originally built to be drawn by a horse and was bought by Mr Chapman’s great-grandfather in the Oxford district about 1880. Mr Rex Chapman expressed the wish some time ago that the waggon, which represents the oldest form of wheeled transport in Canterbury, should be

preserved in the museum when the building was extended. His gift includes the two mounted bullocks wooden yokes and chains. ’’ $V r ~ ctor the museum (Dr. i Sald yester day that the Present ethnology room would be used °*. earl ? Coloni al transport, whaling and exploration, when the ne ™ wing was completed. is 4 7 itaU y- important for children to see the actual objects used » V t ng to a P pre ciate pioneering times, he said. .“I am verv to Chanman? one of the fa .™ ers ] n Canterbury to drive a bullock team, for making the gift.”