VANDALISM AT THE MUSEUM

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 81, 7 April 1910, Page 8

VANDALISM AT THE MUSEUM

For five years the "open-door policy" was adopted for the Maori hout-c in the Dominion .Mu.seum. While the dooto of tho institution were open 'o the public anybody haa free and cu>y auefS to the japeciaJ Mttor i-ruom, where masterpieces of native carving can be been.' Since Easter the door has been locked, and a placard informs visitors that if they desire -to *cc the treahures they mu«t apply to the director (Mr. Hamilton). Iho cause of this precaution i& the vandalism of certain senseless visitors during tho holidays. Pieces of pawa shell, forming the eyes in some symbolic figures, have been picked out, and portion* of the woodwork have been wantonly flashed and hacked. The damage is not extensive, but (hero is enough of it to pain and annoy those who wished to have all the specimens preserved intact. Generally, .the hand of the vandal has ] not been co noticeable in Wellington's museum ns in others in different parts of New Zealand. The worst sufferer in all the varied collection of animals and objects in the -Dominion Museum is the sea-leopard, whose hide has beer much mutilated. The stuffing peeps out pitiably ithrough the gaps and rents left by the vandal pockelkmves. The imitation mot has also had *omc attention from the ignorant order of turiohuntcrs. They have imagined that the effigy was onre alive, and strutted majestically over the landscape. Hence they have- abstracted feathers from the "biggfst bird in the world," and have proudly gone off with souvenir chips from the plastpr toes. In Auckland's museum the Maorihouse has suffered much more severely than Wellington's. Mr. Hamilton mvs that it has been found almost impossible to keep pawa shell oinamenth in some of the Urge exhibits.