INTERESTING FINDS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 75, 25 March 1912, Page 3

INTERESTING FINDS.

Two discoveries of deep interest to students of the romantic early history 7 of New Zealand were made pub r lie, if or the first time at 1 Philosophical 'Society’s -meeting recently by Mr Robert McNabi ; i One was tho : finding of a slat slab; unearthed in a cave at Chalky Inlet, Fouveaux Straits, by Dr. Sale, of Invercargill. Mr McNab pointed out that Fouveaux Straits Were a great resort for whalers in the very early days of the colony, and on the slate were found the names of Richard Jones and John Dawson, and the inscription: “Beware of the natives; plenty at Preservation.” Mr McNab looked up his records, and discovered that Richard Jones was the owner of a brig and Dawson was one of his captains, and his death by the natives was made the excuse for' Ruaparaha’s famous raid on Akaroa. Mr McNitb places the date of the slab at about 1823, and considers it one of the most interesting historical relics yet discovered. The other “find” was even more interesting. It was a very old coin discovered in 1879, near the Bluff by Mr Williams, of Invercargill. The wind had uncovered an old Maori oven, beside which there were some bones •and other remains, including the earth encrusted coin. Mr Williams was unable to say whether the bones were human, but he bad the coin cleaned and deciphered. A photograph of it was shown by Mr McNab, and lie informed those present that-the curious Eastern inscriptions showed that it dated/back to the year 1759, and referred to the reign of an Eastern, potentate at that period. It had a hole punched through it, and had evidently been hanging round the neck of some, visitor to New Zealand in the very 7 early days of the colony. Mjr McNab was able to supply the history of this remarkable relic. He reminded his. hearers of a story told in his book “Murihiku” of a number of Lascars belonging'to' ! {i sealing vessel lost off the cost of New Zealand, who were killed and eaten by the Maoris, and said that the discovery of the Mao|ri oven, the bones, and the coin were a striking corroboration of that story.