DISCOVERIES AT MIRAMAR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 317, 2 October 1908, Page 7

DISCOVERIES AT MIRAMAR.

K • " MOA BONES AND RELICS. Portion of tho skeleton of a; moa has been found in a water-worn cavo at Seatoun, about twelve chains from the sea arid twenty feet above tho water level. The discovery consists of about eight bones, belonging to tho leg and pelvis of a moa of small size. Some old Maori adzes and chisels . were lying above' tho bones. ' None of these contain greenstone, which was not'brought from tho South Island till.the Ngai Tahu migrated thero in the seventeenth century. It looks as though the moa had gone into the cave to die, possibly after being hunted. The discovery is important as proving that moas actually roamed the hills and sands of Miramar, which _ was not established before, though individual bones and ■ remains of moa's eggs have been found on the peninsula. In the course of the present road-widening operations between Karaka'Bay and Seatoun, numerous traces havo been found of the old Maori occupation._ Tho debris from many a Native oven is boing upturned all along the route. Another stone adze has been found, and more human remains havo been discovered. A skeleton unearthed at Townsend's Point was found in a crouching position, with the arms reaching towards tho head. A legend believed to relato to a cave near this spot states that a slip of earth buried a war party who had taken up their quarters in it for tho night. Last wcok quarrying operations disclosed tho existence of two caves in tho hillside on a section belonging to' Mr. James Paul, of ICaraka Bay. Water-worn boulders lio on tho floor of the larger cave, which is soveral feet abovo high-water mark.