A PRE-MAORI RACE

Grey River Argus, 29 June 1925, Page 2

A PRE-MAORI RACE

DK’ OVERIES AT ARAi’l Nl. I , AUCKLAND. L -. ' ' 111 ‘ lel ■ l:is I'inspired in -on v.ul, the 1,,,,,,,,,, l„, lles , ]is( . (n ere.l 1 . x ,,, v:1ti „„ ](|(| ' e i«w n„. s „m 1( .,. , l( Al , lllllui The lorenian of „f t |„. excavating gangs Ims, Innvev.-r, coll,l s ,„„e fresh material for investigation. All c. A. Moore, of Putaruru, wlio reporieil the discovery of limb bones v\ rites follows:— f ‘l am waiting j n } l( q )es of at least a j.ortion of a -d<iill before sending away to Dunedin for a further report. Th e bones I have examined up to date !ire mostly limb bones, and whereas they furnish some idea ol the stature ami physiipie of the individual. they give very little, if any. idea, ot the type. We must therefore rely almost, entirely on the possibilit v of securing a skull, or essential parts of one, before making any definite statement about the race of people to whom the bones belonged. As the final phase in the development of man was refinement of facial features, a skull would determine the type, I lie intellect, and to some extent the character of the people. 'The strata of rock in which the bones lay is of the middle 'Tertiary or ATiocene period, and this if anything gives additional support to the theory that they were those of a pre.Maori race. However, although it is impossible to make a direct statement concerning them at present, fresh material may be uncovered in the course of further ‘excavation and provide lhe required data. ‘'That there existed in New Zealand a. race of people before the Maoris is generally accepted, but concerning tXmn and their history vve know practically nothing. In the South Island, lor example, drawings and inscriptions have been discovered on the walls of certain caves and offer a baffling riddle to archaeologists as to their origin and meaning. Knowing, therefore, that .a race of people actually existed prior to the advent of the Maori, the remains lately uncovered, lying as they do in the very heart of a cliff, are well worth thorough investigation.”