TO ADORN MANUKORIHI PA

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1930, Page 8

TO ADORN MANUKORIHI PA

PURPOSE OF MAORI CARVINGS. OWNERS ANNOUNCE DECISION.

(Special Correspondent.) Considerable interest ;vas aroused by the publication of Mr. W. H._ Skinners im>e?l to the Atiawa Maoris m conncctrnn with the Maori carvings found at Waitaia. He has always been very in the collection of u " ( ? en . t . tides, and is also an authority on l.ua naki Maori history, and in lin is held in high esteem by the Mamis of this coast. One can quite ““ and appreciate the feelings prompted him to write an opeh lettoi through the Press to his many friends of the Atiawa tribe. The position, However, seems to have been nnsundei stood. The Maori directly concerned is M«. Manu White, on whose property Jie carvings were found. He has informed the writer that there is no intention on his part to give the carvings away, eiUnr to the Dominion Museum or the New Plymouth Museum. . Tho carvings liavo been loaned in order that they may be used as models for the construction oi other specimens, and two of them weic handed to Mr. N. Pomare on that understanding. The final destination of those carvings, according to the owner, will be the proposed carved meeting house on Manukorihi pa. Until the completion of the carved meeting house the owners aro quite prepared to allow those conducting research work to make as much use of "the specimens, as they like. It must also be made clear that Lucre are only two or three people concerned, and not the whole of the Atiawa tribe.

Mr. L. B. Indi states that it has been suggested that in his open letter to the Atlaivas, published on Saturday, Mr. W. H. Skinner charged Mr. Inch—the young European to whom he referred wit.l having dishonestly obtained a piece cl Maori carving. Mr. Skinner states that he had no intention to say anything that could be open to such a construction. ! , .