Maoris “Discover” Iron

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 19

Maoris “Discover” Iron

When the Maori came to know the uses of iron and steel he was quick to realise the advantages that tney possessed over his own implements Of stone, and he was always anxious barter with whalers for supplies of the metals. We have read of the manner in which captains have had to keep close watch .on all their gear when being visited by Maoris in the early days, for the temptation to acquire the prized metals was hard to withstand, and the Maori had not learned to hold back from taking what he wanted. Spike-nails, used for fastening heavy planking, were eagerly sought after, and much trading was carried on by means of these. When the Resolution stood off the entrance to Wellington on November 2, 1773, natives went aboard and were given spike-nails by Captain Cook. Early whalers worked iron into rough shapes for adzes, and the Maoris sought these for use in place of their stone tools. Old planeirons were exchanged for food and native articles, for the Maori found that he could haft the irons in much the same manner that be had hafted his stone .adzes. I have found rusted plane-irons ana spike-nails among rubbish on the sites of abandoned pas and villages. Horseshoes were found suitable for connecting into sinkers and fish-hooks. A round or oval stone, lashed in the bend of the shoe, formed a good sinker for deep sea fishing, and a shoe with one arm filed to a point was easily adapted to hapuka fishing. Wprn-out cross-cut saws were used for cutting blocks of greenstone after a groove had been chipped in the stone. Two men dragged the saw backward and forward and fed it with sand and water.— H. Maynard (Hataital).