NEWS IN BRIEF

Te Ao Hou, Spring 1954, Page 49

NEWS IN BRIEF The New Zealand Archaelogical Association was formed recently with the object of carrying out a systematic survey of historic Maori sites in New Zealand. Two major excavations are planned for early next year. One in Otago will be on the site of a recently-discovered moa-hunter camp. The other project will be on an offshore island near Auckland, which has a variety of sites ranging from ancient times to the early European period. * * * The new centre for adult education in Auckland has its entrance hall decorated with Maori scroll work (kowhaiwhai) and reed work (tukutuku). The scroll work was carved by one of the tutors at the centre, Mr H. Toka, and part of the reed work was done by the Auckland University College Maori Club and pupils from the two Maori colleges in Auckland. * * * A Maori feast was held at Burnham Military Camp, near Christchurch, in July, in place of the customary K. Force passing-out dinner. This was most appropriate, as about half of the 110 men in the draft, which was about to go on final leave, were Maoris. All the food was prepared in a hangi, and prominent among the cooks was a Maori, Sgt. H. Preston. * * * A member of the Waitara Volunteer Fire Brigade, Mr J. Eriwata, was the first Maori fire brigadesman in New Zealand to earn the gold star for 25 years' continuous service. Almost all his service was with the Waitara Brigade. * * * In the August holidays 50 Maori children from the Waiomio and Karetu schools, near Kawakawa, in the Bay of Islands, visited Auckland and saw a city for the first time. Parents and teachers raised money for them to spend a week sightseeing in the city. The children brought kumeras and cabbages with them to help meet expenses at the Maori Community Centre in Freeman's Bay, and a hostel in Parnell. * * * Many of the children at Paparore Maori School, on the scrub-covered shores of Lake Ngatu, Waipapakauri, in Northland, recently took citrus trees home as part of a project directed by their teacher, Mr C. A. McConnell, who hopes to popularise the growing of subtropical fruits in the district. The pupils were enthusiastic about the project, and Mr McConnell said their parents shared the interest. The citrus trees were provided by the Education Department, and were sold to the children at a subsidised price. * * * There were two Maoris among recipients of awards in the last Queen's Birthday honours list. Mrs Maraea Ngarimu, of Ruatoria, was awarded the M.B.E. for social welfare work in the East Coast area. Mrs Ngarimu is the mother of the only Maori Victoria Cross winner, 2nd Lieut. Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa Ngarimu, who was killed in winning his award. She was presented to the Queen at the Maori reception at Rotorua. The M.B.E. was also awarded to Mr Rawiri Pehiatea Tatana, of Poroutawhao, Levin, for services to Maoris as an elder and leader of the Ngatitoa and Ngatiraukawa tribes.