MUSEUM WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20384, 12 October 1929, Page 18

MUSEUM WORK.

A CAREER FOR GIRLS.

BY BETSY TROTWOOD. To divide one's clay into a morning of housework and an afternoon of recreation is the ideal plan for a busy mother. On these glorious spring days golf or tennis seem more alluring than bridgo for most of us, but I know a lady who has decided that recreation may includo stimulating mental activity as well as physical exercise. A brisk walk up through the Domain to tho crest of tlie hill, with its wide panoramic view of the harbour, brings hei to the Auckland Museum. She pauses a moment to see the boats move silentl\ across the water and to catch the outline of Rangitoto, that old familiar friend, before she slips round the corner to the little back entranco of the museum.'

A peep into the deserted ofßce, with its* desk piled high with letters, tells he,r the curator, with his plan, for her afternoon's work, must be elsewhere about the building. A member of the staff, passing by, calls a cheery greeting, adding, "Do come here a moment and see my Egyptian frieze!" Whereupon he ushers her into his office and points to a delightful piece of drawing which he lias designed for his cases. Each figure of the Egyptian gods ho has painted according to the original colouring in the Book of tho Dead, and has added the appropriate hieroglyphics, or name symbols, for each god. Task lor the Aftenoon.

Just then tho curator appears with the plan for tho afternoon's work—tho African exhibit must be completed and tho East Indian classified. Sho can have an assistant to carry all the heavy articles, mount swords and shields, and make any rearrangement of plate-glass shelves necessary. Four hours to arrange four bays oi material! The African and East Indian exhibition hall is located at the far end of the building, past the long Maori wing, with its busy workers weaving mats, painting images, and making the straw roof for tho exhibition whare; past the Polynesian room, now quite completed except for tho strips of linoleum, ready to be tacked into place; and past the main rotunda with its beautiful stained glass roof. At last she comes to the African exhibit, which sho left tho preceding afternoon merely begun. But what a transformation ! Every case, except the one just montioned by the curator, arranged overnight! Was it tho work of fairies.' Sho was half inclined to believo it was, but tho assistant assured her that it had been the curator himself and one of his faithful staff workers who had stayed the greater part of the night to get on with tho job. A Sustaining Interest.

Throwing her hat on the table and donning an all-enveloping smock to prevent the dust of ages from begriming her frock, the little laay sets to work. There was a fascinating, unbound manuscript of the Koran, with a thousand or more pages, in a huge leather pouch. That would go nicely on the bottom shelf with tho North African prayer board and rosary. Swords and knives above were an appropriate setting for a religion that was spread by the sword. But thero wero so many swords, and beautifully chased, too! Half must go back to the store room because there simply wasn't space to show the lot. Now for the Indian stuff! More swords, more knives, more shields, brassware, silverware, and curious long, narrow manuscripts in wooden covers! There were rare old things mixed with cheap modern articles which had to be assorted and classified. The public must not be inflicted with the latter. They must go to the store room.

By five o'clock, official closing time, most of the articles were appfopriately labelled and grouped, though not yet set up in the cases. A glorious afternoon of work, with fresh interest at every turn. As she put on her hat, she wondered whether the fairies would come again that night. And they did!