TEMUKA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20308, 6 January 1936, Page 3

TEMUKA

MAORI PILGRIMAGE ANCIENT CAMPING GROUND By the courtesy of Mr H. McCully, of Peel Forest, members of the Arowhenua Maori Women’s Institute will be afforded the opportunity of visiting the ancient and historic Maori camping ground on the south side of the Waitaki river near the sea coast, on Thursday next. It is expected that the party will comprise 60 Maoris, for whom the transport will be provided by Mr McCully in redemption of a promise he made recently when addressing them on “Ancient Maori tools and Implements.” The grounds are remarkable in that within the last two decades many hundredweight of worked Maori tools and implements have been found on the area, which comprises roughly 20 acres. Hundreds of full skeletons of moa bones have also been taken, the bulk of which are definitely asserted to have gone to manure works, and many still remain.

From the evidence adduced by museum authorities. Professor Speight, of Christchurch, and Mr H. D. Skinner, of Dunedin, as well as of Mr McCully and an enthusiastic group of research workers in Timaru, much of the little known history of the Maori people of the South Island has been revealed. However, the identity of the actual occupants of the camping ground must, it would seem, remain forever a mystery. At the present time the evidence indicats that the people concerned with the camping ground belonged to an era previous to the traditional first migration of the Maori people from overseas.

From the great number of moa bones that still remain around the unusually large Maori ovens (umus), it is evident that the birds were captured from distant places and brought there for cooking and preserving. Students of Maori research have long known that the habitat of the moa was the Mackenzie Country, and it is presumed that the moas were brought down in raupo canoes (mokihi) by the hunting parties. Probably 1000 years later than the period of occupation of the early inhabitants, Maoris returned to live in the locality of the ancient camping ground. They were the people who returned from the back country of North Otago, after an unsuccessful attempt to settle above Kurow in the late sixties of last century. Although they lived for some years in the immediate vicinity of the camping ground, their leader forbade them to set foot on the area. The visit next week will be the first organised pilgrimage of Maoris to the historic ground. . MILFORD SCHOOL PICNIC The Milford School held its annual picnic at Geraldine on Friday. A motor lorry and several private cars left early for Tripp’s Settlement, where the picnic was to have been held, but heavy rain was encountered north of Geraldine and the excursionists returned to Geraldine where, through the courtesy of the Motor Camp Committee, the picnic was held in the motor camp. The weather remained fine and both parents and children ’ spent a happy day playing games and exploring the surrounding bush. During the day races were held and these resulted:

Girls, 5 years: Maureen Nolan 1, Joyce Kennedy 2, Ruth Brown 3. Boys, 5 years: Stephen Comer 1, Enid Cameron 2, G. Thomson 3. Boys, 6 years: J. Thomson 1, C. Rainey 2, T. Comer 3. Boys, 7 years: B. Nolan 1, C. Simpson 2, R. Prattley 3. Boys, 8 years: G. Fisher 1, R. Comer 2, R. Lyall 3. Boys: 9 years: C. Nolan 1, D. Simpson 2, Gordon Fisher 3. Girls: 9 years: Joyce Turley 1, S. Harris 2, M. Prattley 3. Girls, 10 years: Betty Dale 1, Marion Harris 2, E. Hendry 3. Girls, 12 years: Jean Westaway 1, Betty Crossman 2, Jean Paterson 3. Boys, 10 years: L. Rogers 1, L. Lyall 2, W.* Simpson 3. Boys, 13 years: A. Jones 1, N. Simpson 2. Girls, three-legged: J. Westaway and J. Paterson 1, B. Dale and S. Harris 2. Boys, three-legged: N. Simpson and L. Rogers 1, K. Paterson and J. Lyall 2. Single women: Mis? W. Downes 1, Miss H. Horgan 2, Miss B. Woodhead 3. Married women (lucky spot): Mrs R. Prattley 1, Mrs F. Nolan 2, Mrs G. Harris 3. Single men: F. Jones 1, A. Horgan 2. P. Hickey 3. Married men: P. Dale, W. Westaway 2, G. Simpson 3. Committee men: D. Crossman 1, R. Comer 2, R. Lyall 3. Long distance: L. Rogers 1, N. Simpson 2, D. Simpson 3. Girls’ handkerchief race: Jean Paterson 1, Ella Hendry 2, Frances Barratt 3. Boys’ wheelbarrow race: K. Paterson and C. Nolan 1, N. Simpson and L. Rogers 2, W. Simpson and B. Nolan 3. SEADOWN INSTITUTE In the Domain on Saturday the Seadown Women’s Institute held its annual picnic, arrangements for the day being under the control of the president (Mrs S. Cargo), and secretary (Mrs W. Cain). After swimming and games, the picnickers held a sports programme which resulted:—Little girls: Nola Barker 1, Chrissie Purie 2. Eight years: Joan Pemberton 1, Beryl Hughes 2, Bessie Greenlaw 3. Eleven and 12: Nola Gudsell 1, Dorothy Cargo 2, Carrie Hewson 3. Older girls: Winnie Hewson 1, Margaret Edgar 2, Myrtle Hewson 3. Young women: Misses B. Brosnahan and J. Topham 1. Little boys: Mal-

colm Cargo 1, Alan Pierce 2. Boys, 9 and 10: John Hewson 1, Jim Forrest 2. Twelve and 13: Gerald Anderson 1, Dick Hewson 2. Senior boys: Claude Kennedy 1, Alan Cargo 2, Lindsay Edgar 3. Girls, three-legged: Margaret Edgar and Winnie Hewson 1, Dorothy Cargo and Muriel Hughes 2. Smaller children’s three-legged: Carrie Hewson and Bessie Greenlaw 1. Older boys: Lindsay Edgar and Claude Kennedy 1. Married men: G. L. Hughes 1, R. J. Edgar 2. Married ladies: First heat: Mrs S. Green 1, Mrs Kennedy 2. Second heat: Mrs Hughes 1, Mrs Barker 2. Final: Mrs Green 1, Mrs Kennedy 2. PERSONAL Mr and Mrs C. Bell and family returned home from a holiday yesterday. Mr D. Parke, Wellington, who has been staying with Mr and Mrs G. R. Parke, Milford, left yesterday for Christchurch. GENERAL NEWS Through being unable to field a team, the Temuka third grade cricket team lost its match against Old Boys on Saturday by default. Saturday afternoon was a slightly better business day than the afternoon of the previous Saturday for some of the local shops. It was again noticeable, however, that the majority of the people came to town in the morning. Procter’s, the Premier Opticians. Christchurch, will be making their next professional visit to Temuka early i- the New Year, when they may be consulted on all defects of eyesight at the Crown Hotel. Appointments can now be made by ringing the U.F.S. Dispensary. ’Phone 240 M