GREENSTONE ROCK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24549, 6 March 1941, Page 9

GREENSTONE ROCK

NEARLY A TON WEIGHT PRESENTED TO MUSEUM A huge piece of greenstone, weighing nearly a ton, has been presented to the Otago Museum by Mr A. Devlin, who, with his brother, was formerly a lapidary in South Dunedin. The rock, which is 4ft 6in long, about 2ft 6in wide and 20 inches deep, was found in the bed of the Teremakau River, on the West Coast, many years ago by miners. It was then twice the size, but was blasted in half, and the other portion was sold to Europe, probably to German lapidaries The rock is Kahurangi or Kawa Kawa greenstone, and the outside has been weathered to a creamy white The piece is valued at about £IOO. Maori Relics The Museum has also acquired from Mr Guy Morrell. of Manapouri, two stakes which formed part of an old artificial channel used by the Maoris for trapping fledgling ducks. The trap was situated at the western end of the lagoon at the extreme end of the Hope arm of the lake. The stakes have been worn off at the water level, but the lower parts still show the marks of stone adzes. The Morrell family has als o presented some stone implements, including an example of the rare laterally hafted adze, another specimen of which has been given by an anonymous donor. It was bought from the late Sir John Sinclair s collection. _ The Museum staff, under Miss L. h. Daft has just completed the arrangement of a case of Maori lighting weapons. Displayed to the best advantage, they ' include spears, taiahei, tewhatewa, hoeroa and patu. At the same time the case of greenstone adzes, forming an unrivalled collection, has been rearranged so that all the best pieces have been brought together. Solomon Islands Canoe Several other interesting exhibits have recently been presented to the Museum. Mr A. Wilson has given a fine model of a Solomon Island canoe, and a number of weapons and implements from the Solomons, the New Hebrides and Fiji; Mr Adam Campbell, Balclutha, has presented a number of pieces from Argentina, including lassoos and horse trappings, a group of six-foot arrows from the Amazon regions and, in contrast tiny iron-headed arrows from East Africa; Dr F. J.' Borrie, of St. Clair, has given a pair of Japanese Saki jars, a pewter coffee pot, and a group of miniature European snuff boxes. Other additions to the Museum include a small greenstone chisel from Mr G K. Graham (Palmerston), a wooden fern root beater and two adzes from Mr R. H. S. Browne, who has also presented a very fine .example of a Maori eel sword, a Fijian club from Mr J. Ferguson, an adze from Mr D. H. Robertson, and a group.of Maori exhibits from Mr L. Lockerbie.