MAORI RELICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11780, 9 October 1901, Page 4

MAORI RELICS.

The Maori Relics Bill, now before Parliament, proceeds in the first place to define what are to be considered such. These are: " Any Maori relics or curiosities, or other articles or things of historical or scientific value or interest and relating to New Zealand." It shall not be lawful to remove any Maori relics from the colony without offering the same for sale to the Government. But in the event of the Government declining to purchase them it shall still not be lawful to remove them from the colony without the Government's consent. All officers of Customs may seize any article which they may deem comes within the scope of the Act. The Bill may require more consideration than at first sight may be thought necessary. The natives at present do a good

deal of carving. There has been of late a revival of ancient Maori art, this having been stimulated by the demand for these things amongst \ Europeans. Even the carved house ,! lately bought by the Auckland Insti- ! tute, a very fine example of carving. j is of comparatively late execution. • After the Act is passed such articles ! would not be the property of those who had made them, because they could not sell them. The Act would probably put an end to all Maori work, because the natives would not care to make or to have anything j which the Government had, as it were, taken possession of. Tourists frequently have employed Maoris to do a piece of carving for them, but they could do so no longer. The I great precedent always relied on in such cases is that of the Greek Government, which prohibited the removal of examples of ancient Grecian art found within the limits of ! the kingdom. But that is a different | case, because it was not proposed to [ interfere with anything the property i of individuals, and which they might i actually have made. It is indeed | disappointing to realise that many j examples of Maori carving and ar- ! tides used by the Maoris in ancient ! times are scattered in the museums ' of Europe, and are not to be found lin New Zealand. But the Bill should J be differently drawn, and, moreover, |it seems almost too late. Then bej hind this Act there is the proposal to I erect a building at Wellington whereI in those articles which the Governj ment chooses to purchase would be 1 stored. Against this we have al- ! ready protested. The Auckland InI stitute has now got together the best I collection of Maori articles in the | colony, and if the Government were | to make a small annual grant many ! things of great value could from time I to time be secured.