MAORI ADZES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20650, 23 August 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

MAORI ADZES.

By ROGERS NAYLOR, Cambria Street. Kelson. I read with interest Thelma Millet's letter about the Maori adze she had found. My nncle has'a very fine collection of axes and chisels. He also possesses one very line greenstone ear-ring and bird spear points and fish-hooks, most of which were made from human bones. The axes, all sizes, were used to gouge out the wood on which the Maori was working, and often ho held it in his hand, and sometimes it was lashed by strips of flax to a piece of wood. The chisels were used in much the same way, although these were made of stone, some axes were made of nephrite, a sort of, greonstone. The ear-rings and neck ornaments were mostly of greenstone, and sometimes sharks' teeth, while, I think, most of fishhooks were made out of the bone of the foot, at least my uncle says so, and he is very keen on Maori implements. The bird spears and fish-hooks were lashed to a long stick and tied with flax, and the Maori was an adept in the use of thein. At Easter time my uncle went into some bays round tho Sounds, and was - there shown a Maori implement—round, with » hole bored through tho centre—with notches out of its edges, and although there are others like it in New Zealand, tho man who owned it said none seems to be quite sure to what use the Maoris put it. I should like to hear some more about Maori curios if spaco in our corner will allow.