THE'MURAL DECORATIONS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 98, 19 January 1933, Page 10 (Supplement)

THE'MURAL DECORATIONS

THE most novel, and certainly the most interesting, features of the hotel are the mural decorations that adorn the plaster panels in the lounge and dining rooms, the paintings illustrating two Napier Maori legends and depicting the early whalers going about their duties. Designed in decorative colours, the paintings are not only an unusual, but attractive departure from the usual method of interior decoration, but possess an undoubted educational value, and impart an air of romance, history and tradition, besides conveying glimpses of Napier as it was in the primitive days before the advent of missionaries and civilisation. Designed and painted by Miss J. Lloyd, the allegorical paintings are in themsleves outstanding for the high skill displyaed by the artists, and will undoubtedly attract the attention of visitors to Napier. One of the two legends depicted in the scenes on one side of the dining room is that of Upoko-Poito, or the bobbing up and down of heads. The story centres round a canoe.battle between To Whatui-apiti and a parly of Maoris from Mahia. Te Whatui-apiti was outnumbered, and made his Tohunga offer up incantations for a storm that enabled his canoe to make the river entrance safely at Waitangi, and overturned his opponent’s canoes, drowning the occupants. The other side of the dining room is devoted to illustrating the legend from which the reef off the Napier Breakwater came to be known as the Pania Reef. According to the legend, Pania was a demi-god and a Taniwha (amphibian), who lived with her husband Moremore, also a Taniwha. at the foot of Bluff Hill. Returning naked .from her fishing one day Pania was incensed because Moremore had not noticed her return, and failed to warn her he had a friend, Karetoki, with him. Pania attempted to boat Moremore, who went to his subterranean tunnel, never to return. Karetoki took Moremore's place with Pania, who was eventually turned to stone by her people as a punish,ment for living with a mere mortal.

It is in the Lounge and Foyer, a portion of which is shown in the illustration above, that the.most attractive furnishings are to be found. The luxurious sifting lounge settees and numerous easy chairs were specially designed by "Marshalls” in futuristic designs to harmonise with the fireplace and other features of the building. 'The lounge settees and, easy chairs are covered in an English wool moquette. various shades of fawn and grey grounds, with touches of orange, rose and blue, being the colours in the coverings. There are, also, n. number of smaller oak ehairs, with upholstered sprung seats and backs, covered in wool moquette to match the lounge chairs, and the frames are made of oak and polished in shades in keeping with the surrounding furnishings. Placed around the lounge in suitable positions area number of glass-topped oak tables, and bronze non-spill smoker’s stands. Oak palm stands with palms and flowers set. off the furnishings, the whole effect of the lounge being that of unobtrusive comfort—the ideal sought after by discriminating interior decorators. The floors of the lounge and foyer are covered with beautiful super Axininster Carpet Squares to match the stair carpets. Leading off the lounge is a partially separated foyer, with charming.gold and blue-trimmed curtains and pelmets. The furnishings in the foyer are iu keeping .with those in the lounge.