MAORIS’ GIFT TO MUSEUM

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1927, Page 11

MAORIS’ GIFT TO MUSEUM

FAMOUS OLD ANCHOR STONE RELIC FROM TOKOMARU CANOE. HISTORIC AXE HEAD GIVEN ALSO. The historic anchor stone of the Tokoniaru canoe, one of the famous eraft in which, centuries ago, the Maori voyagers travelled from their home, Hawaiiki, has been presented to the New Plymouth museum. Much contention has ■been caused from time to time as to who should look after it, and it has been held by various branches of the Taranaki tribe. Recently, when Dr. I’. H. Buck visited his old tribe, the matter again arose. Sir Maui Pomare was also present, and after discussion it was finally agreed to petition the Government to regain the anchor from its present holders and present it to the. New Plymouth Museum. • Together with the anchor stone the Maoris are presenting to the museum, an ancient axe head which' Poutama Whiria also brought, according to tradition, in the Tqkomaru canoe. ONLY AUTHENTIC RELIC. With reference to the anchor stone, Mr. W. H. Skinner (chairman of the New* Plymouth Library Committee: states that it is the only authentic relic of the migration 500 years ago when the Maoris came to New Zealand. For centuries it lay near the mouth of he Mohakatino River, four miles south of Mokau, where it was deposited from the canoe. About 25 years ago, when the Mohakatino Bridge, on the Main North Road, was being erected under the supervision of Mr. G. F. Robinson, one of the European workmen secretly removed the stone from its resting place at the foot of a cabbage tree and buried it. Mr. Skinner, whose anxiety to sec e the stone for the museum was known, was blamed by many of the Maoris for its disappearance. A search was made by the late Mr. 8. Percy Smith and Messrs. Robinson and J. Strauchon, and they discovered where the anchor had been buried in a hollow not far from its original resting place. They took it further away and again buried it, with the object, it is understood, of eventually having it put in a place of permanent safety. The anchor stone remained hidden, however, for many years. If was not until a ploughshare struck it a year or two ago that it was again brought to the light of day, to the great joy of the Maoris. The stone, it is understood, is now at Parihaka, where it was shown to the visitors who assembled for the big ceremony last Sunday. 4NCHOR STONE DESCRIBED. The stone is roughly pear shaped. It measures 2ft in length by Ift sin in width, its greatest girth being sft Ilin and around the base 4ft 6in. Its weight has been estimated as about 3cwt. About Bin from the top is a hole about Bin longz and lin in diameter. This hole and parts of the surface of the stone show marks of chipping, and general indications do not point to much use. Describing the stone and the circumstances connected with it, the late Mr. John Skinner said: “It was evidently carried to its resting place at the mouth of the Mohakatino, so my Maori guide informs me, by Tupoki, a warrior chief of the Ngati-Tama tribe, who wqs killed in the first quarter' of the nineteenth century. My guide showed me this relic of ancient Maoridom under considerable pressure, as the stone is strictly tapu, and held in great veneration. Beyond the statement given above 1 have been unable to gather any further information. I would suggest, however, that as Manaia and his people remained for some time with the original people they found at Mohakatino, the tangatawhenua, and having cultivated the land and built himself a great house Mare-roto-hia, it is possible the canoe, Tokomaru, was dismantled, and when they eventually journeyed to South Taranaki they proceeded by land, leaving the dismantled canoe and its anchor at Mohakatino. The small sample of stone I send, taken from the anchor, is quite different from any found in Taranaki.” STORY OF THE TOKOMARU.

The. story of the Tokomaru is given by Edward Tregear in his Maori-Poly-nesian Comparative Dictionary. Manaia, a famous ancestor of the Ngatiawa tribe, invited a gathering of his friends in Hawaiiki for the purpose of making spears. In Manaia’s absence some of the guests ravished Rongotiki,Manaia’s wife, a fact supematurally revealed to Manaia before hie return home. He determined on revenge; and, having quietly gathered together his people, he slew his treacherous guests, including their chief, Tupenu. Manaia then found that he would have to leave the country, so fitted up the canoe Tokomaru and, having offered up as a sacrifice his bro-ther-in-law (to wham the canoe belonged), he put to sea. After first landing at Whangaparaoa, he doubled the North Cape and reached Tcngaporutu, leaving his god Rakeiora there. At Mohakatino, a few miles further north, he left the stone anchor of his canoe, a rock called Punga-a-Matori. At Waitafa he found some of the original inhabitants and slew them.

AOTEA LAND SALE

DESIRABLE RESIDENTIAL SITES. To-night Messrs. Newton King Ltd. will offer at public auction certain sections in the Aotea Estate, Avenue Road, New Plymouth. Extremely moderate reserves have been placed on these sections which are certainly among the most desirable within the borough. Two recreation reserves have been provided in cutting up the estate, one, some halfacre of level land, is for proposed tennis courts and croquet lawns. The other, five acres in extent, is partly in native bush. Avenue Road district is undoubtedly the coming suburb. It has all the advantages of the borough services, water, gas, electric light and a regular bus service, as well as the pure air and fine outlook of a country home. The Aotea sections are withn a few minutes’ walk of the High School, racecourse and Pukekura Park. The moderate reserves which have-been placed upon the sections, and the exeeptionallv easy terms of sale, makes the sale to-night an opportunity that is not likely to recur. To the home-seeker desiring pleasant and healthy surroundings, or to the shrewd buyer seeking a rise in values, the Aotea sections should make a great appeal. The sale will be held at the auctioneers’ rooms, Currie Street, and will commence at 7.30 p.m, sharp Adit.