Adze 200 Years Old

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31042, 23 April 1966, Page 25

Adze 200 Years Old

At Detention cove, on the north coast of Long Island, a Canterbury Museum expedition to Dusky sound recently found an adze on the ground which is believed to be a relic from two Maori whares noted b; Captain James Cook in May, 1773. The Canterbury Museum Trust Board on Thursday decided to give the adze to the proposed Fiordland National Park museum to be established at Te Anau. Museum scientists accompanied Mr Nigel Duckworth on this second visit to Dusky sound to ascertain w'hether moa bones found there in March last year were from a bird killed there or carried in. The Canterbury Museum Director (Dr. Roger Duff) said the expedition found only one more piece of moa bone and concluded that, at most, one moa leg had been “brought round” from the Southland plain. Other hidden remains showed that the Maori occupants of the area ate crested penguin, little blue penguin, fluttering shearwater, pied shag, white-throated shag, fairy prion, diving petrel, pigeon, kaka, weka, New Zealand quail, and South Island crow—but not moas.