A MAORI MASCOT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20930, 8 January 1938, Page 8

A MAORI MASCOT

GIFT TO CAPTAIN BURGESS By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON. January 7 On his flight from Wellington to Auckland, Captain J. W. Burgess took with him a mascot which had been

anonymous Wellington admirer. It is a miniature bronze bust, about two and a half inches high, of a tatooed Maori chief, mounted on a base of New Zealand woods and bearing a silver plate engraved with the following inscription: “Hori‘Ngakapa te Whanaunga. This warrior chief was one of the leaders in the attack on the British escort at Martyn’s Farm, Great South Road, July 17, 1863. His brave wife, Hera Puna, accompanied him on the warpath.” In an accompanying letter, the donor, who signs himself “Another Admirer,” writes as follows: “Will you kindly accept the accompanying ‘Maori chief,’ to be with you on your flying trips? As you will see by the chief s record, he was a rangatira, also a native of New Zealand, and it seems only fitting that he and you. also a native of New Zealand and a rangatira. should be acquainted. “Unfortunately, I will have to leave the matter of fixing our friend ‘Hori’ to your own devices, not knowing where he can be placed on your ships. May he prove a lucky companion on your journeys, and may you have a pleasant and safe trip to the Old Country’ and Home again.” Captain Burgess will take the mascot with him on his flight to England. An album of photographic enlargements depicting the activities of the Centaurus during its stay in Auckland for the directors of Imperial Airways. Limited, and miniature albums for members of the crew, were presented to Captain J. W. Burgess at an informal function arranged by the Auckland Harbour Board. The chairman of the Board, the Hon. T. Bloodworth, M.L.C., made the presentations, remarking on the historic value of the visit of the Centaurus to Auckland.