RELICS AND CURIOS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 25, Issue 3761, 27 May 1936, Page 4

RELICS AND CURIOS

HISTORICAL SOCIETY COMMENDED. The activities of the Te Awamutu Historical Society were commended at the Borough Council meeting on Monday evening. At an earlier meeting application was made on behalf of the society for the care of a number of valued old curios belonging to the Council, it being pointed out that the Council has no facilities for displaying them effectively, and that the increasing use of the Town Hall nowadays would probably lead to some of them being damaged or lost. The Council agreed to hand over some of the articles forthwith, but retained others, despite the fact that the society has secured a very comprehensive and interesting collection already, and has them displayed in a fireproof roomkindly made available in Gifford’s Buildings,—all listed and catalogued, many of them enclosed in glass cases, and available for inspection by those interested in the work of the society, an organisation that has displayed commendable enterprise in saving from destruction many old records, relics, etc., associated with the early history of Te Awamutu and district. At Monday evening's meeting of the Borough Council the position was again referred to. To an inquiry by Cr Gifford, the town clerk said quite a, number of old relies in the possession of the Council could well be'handed over to the local Historical Society. At present they are stored away, and never seen. The Mayor said the time will come when the Council will be asked to provide a suitable building to house the very many curios collected. Cr Rainey expressed interest in the collection made by the society, and Cr Gifford invited ail Councillors to make a personal inspection. The collection is not really open to the public, but he would be pleased to show anyone interested in the society’s objectives the already fine collection of relics and curios.

Cr Gifford went on to explain the Scheme for enrolling "Friends of the Historical Society," their cash contributions being used to mark historic spots in the countryside. It was decided to hand over, on loan, any suitable articles in the possession of the Council.