ROYAL CANOE KAURI

Wanganui Chronicle, 13 October 1948, Page 7

ROYAL CANOE KAURI

TREE FELLED IN NORTH AUCKLAND KAIKOHE, Thursday.- The first stage in the construction of the Royal canoe, which will welcome the King and Queen, was completed last week at Puketi, when the kauri to be used in its construction was felled. “The tree is talking,” came the cry from the base of the kauri. Minutes, passed. The crosscut nuzzled deeper. “The mighty of the forest is falling.” Amid staccato cracks came a whine that rose to a shriek and the giant commenced to fall. It blotted out the sun with its shaggy head. As it came down it thundered into a mass of spindly trees and bushes, smashing and crashing. The ground heaved. Then all was quiet. Four and a-half hours after the felling operations commenced Mr. E. R. Blake, chief State forest ranger, in the presence of Mr. Hone Heke Rankin, taped the fallen kauri. It was 57ft long and 14ft Bin in centre girth. As time is the biggest factor in the ultimate construction of the canoe topping the branches from the trunk will be done on the spot. Within 10 days the long haul will commence to Kaikohe. Seasoning by submerging in salt water must be dispensed with, as time does not permit. Housed in a closely-guarded shed at Kaikohe. the rough hull will be oiled. Craftsmen will shape and carve, an outrigger will be added, and the completed craft will then be launched at Waitangi. The canoe carvings will be an exact replica of Northern Maori designs a.mong the exhibits in the Polynesian section of the British Museum. The intricate carving will be done under the supervision of Mr. Jock McEwen, of the Department of Maori Affairs. Without actual water tests, which would have been possible during the slower seasoning process, judgment of trim will be difficult. The felling was therefore important. Restricted in its fall as little as possible, the giant fell, according to ancient Maori craftsmanship. on to her seaborne balance.