LAST OF MORIORIS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 80, 16 March 1933, Page 8

LAST OF MORIORIS

SURVIVOR OF THE RACE CHATHAM ISLAND NATIVE. RARE SHELLFISH DISCOVERED Only one Moriori of pure blood survives in the Chatham Islands, according to Mr A. W. B. Powell, of the staff of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, who has returned from a visit of scientific investigation to the island group. This Moriori is the last of a native race which was the predecessor of the Maori in New Zealand. There was a fairly numerous Moriori population on the islands when they were discovered in 1791 by Lieutenant Broughon, commander of -Mis Majesty’s brig Chatham. The rapid decline of the race is due chiefly to the invasion of the islands by Maoris from the mainland in 1835. Epidemics and famine also took their toll and the surviving remnant was gradually absorbed by inter-marriage. The population now numbers about 450, chiefly Maoris. The main object of Air Powell’s visit was to make a first-hand study of the shellfish of the islands, that branch of science having been somewhat neglected as far as the Chathams arc concerned. As a result, he has added to the recognised list about 20 species, the majority of which are new to science. The outstanding find was a large specimen of a new species of gasteropod shellfish of the genus pachynielon. Previously only one living specimen was known; it was dredger.! by tile Challenger in 275 fathoms 200 miles west of Farewell Spit. The Chatham shell Air Powell secured is a handsome specimen, sin. long. “Pauas are undoubtedly the most abundant shellfish of the Chathams and nowhere else have 1 seen them in such numbers,” said Mr Powell. “The vast heaps of the shells in Moriori middens show that those people must have esteemed them. They are an excellent food. We could not do better than follow the example of the Alaori and Moriori by making more use of shellfish as food.” Another popular native food was the marine animal, boltenia, or kaeo, as the Maoris called it. It resembled a tulip. Air Powell secured for the muaeum a specimen of the bird Buller’s mollyhawk. Previously it had only been recorded on Snares Island.