THE PRINCE’S PRESENTS.

Patea Mail, Volume XLIV, 1 December 1920, Page 3

THE PRINCE’S PRESENTS.

A WONDERFUL ASSORTMENT.

Faekod in 37 large cases, the gifts presented to ithc Prince were despatched from Portsmouth to York House. The gifts arc a wonderful assortment, and the curator of the Imperial Institute, where most of them will be bestowed for the instruction and edification of the British public, will spend many enjoyable hours in examining them. Herci arc magnificent Maori mats made of the brilliant purple feathers of an extinct bird dedicated ■ —when it still existed —exclusively to the ornamentation of the highest chief. Here arc also carved battleaxes and historic meres, a sort of greenstone ■ —liqueur glasses in a case with a kiwi on a greenstone base, the gift of Towalpounaini, a quaint little tiki, a

Buddha-like imago noted as a luckbringer, and many gold ornaments set in greenstone. Whales’ teeth, a model of a Fijian hat, A Fijian war canoe, a stick mounted with polished copper from itho wreck of HALS. Orpheus, a mass of melted silver coinage from the smashed hull of the vamcpiishcd Emden, rare old Australian postage stamps, aboriginal stone tomahawks, a rainstorm from Ivanhoe, 'New (south Wales, a couple of stockwhips, a cushion for the Queen, a necklace for Princess Mary, a Bible for Mr. Lloyd George from a thoughtful admirer residing in Mayfield Street, Fast >St. Ivilda, Melbourne, a silver statuette from the Tasmanian Boy Scouts, a Wedgwood medallion of Captain Cook, a locket made of Westport coni and gold, a collection of dingo skins from

Tarcoola, a casket of Queensland gems, a variety of boomerangs, a gold medal presented by ithc Lord Mayor of Sydney, and an albino opossum with white fur 'and pink eyes, arc a few of the curious objects which tire to be used to illustrate Ihe industries and products of Australasia and the isles.