MAORI HOUSE AT WEMBLEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19196, 12 June 1924, Page 11

MAORI HOUSE AT WEMBLEY.

ALLEGED VANDALISM. REPLY TO MR PEMBERTON. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, June 11. Mr J. M'Donuld, assistant director of the Dominion Museum, has replied to tho charge of alleged vandalism made by Mr X. J. Pemberton in London in regard to the decoration of the old Maori house in the New Zealand pavilion at tile Empire Exhibition. He states that the photographs Mr Pemberton takes exception to are not tourist photographs, but that each is a study of ethnological interest, illustrations of the arts and crufts of the old-time Maori, photographs of famous old chiefs and warriors, and studies of the Maoris us they were when the pakeha earn a to New Zealand, including such men us Ngakurapaua, of tho Ngaputii Tntangi Wainui, a famous chieftain of Wanganui, who claimed for himself the somewhat unpleasant distinction of having shot Von Ternpaky at the fight at To Ngutn;, O Te Mona Mila Taupopoki, a noted Aruwa chief, and other men of famnos deeds in Maori history of recent times. Mr M‘Donald adds that Mr Pemberton apparently knows little or nothing of Ihe mentality of the Maori, for as a matter of fact the tututnku, or decorative panel, which alternates with Hie carved panels round the walls of (he house was (he actual picture gallery of the Maont people. Just as in olden times our art was expressed in tapestries, so the Maori, with the limited means at his disposal, sought to express certain highly poetical ideas in plaited panels Mr M'Doindd adds that the modern Maori house is frequently adorned with modern photographs, the Maori being quite willing to improve upon the old and primitive methods of decoration. As an instance of up-to-datenesa which probably will not bring Mr M‘Donald many supporters, ho states that the great meeting house, Porourangi. lias, instead of pawa shell eyes in its teko figure over tho gable, two largo white saucers reversed.