For the tourist?

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32705, 7 September 1971, Page 1

For the tourist?

Although two carved and painted canoe paddles in the museum of Cambridge University almost certainly date from Captain Cook’s first voyage in 1769,

they may be the first articles specially manufactured in New Zealand for the tourist A lecturer in anthropology at the University of Auckland (Mr W. Shawcross), speaking at a weekend school at Kaitaia, said that the collection, which includes the paddles, was presented by Sir Joseph Banks to the Earl of Sandwich and later given to the university. It seemed certain that the paddles were cut out and carved with metal tools and painted with European colours, he said. “The quality of the work was rather poor, the rough finish was not good and the painted colours had faded. There were marks round the edges of the paddles as though made by a rip saw. “The museum carpenter happened to have been a boatman and he said the paddles were not well balanced for use. “I do not know whether the Maoris were asked to decorate some rough paddles made by the Endeavour’s carpenter or whether it was done by someone in the ship but I think it was done by Maoris in which case this is the first example of New Zealand tourist artefacts,” said Mr Shawcross.