hence, when a discussion on the Queen's visit came up, the children were asked to perform. What a joy! What an honour! Then a serious question arose! What about costumes? For up to this time the children had been using rather make-shift costumes and ‘quick-way’ piupius. As is usual when working out any problem, a meeting was called — haka teacher, poi teacher, arts and crafts teacher, school committee; a real gathering of the clans. As a result of this meeting, the old pa is now ringing again with the rhythmic stamp of many young feet. Maori maidens of various sizes, whether engaged in small duties, or going off to school, or returning the cows to the pastures, can be seen nimbly twirling ‘tiny poi’. Smoke is issuing contentedly from the old kauta (cook-house) chimney, from Monday till Thursday. There is not a great deal of activity on the marae — the weather is against it, anyhow; just the arrival of an odd mother with familiar kete (kit) containing perhaps a fresh loaf of rewena (leaven) bread, or perhaps a dozen golden fried scones. Maybe two or three mothers, complete with baby snugly on the back; but inside the closed doors of the old whare kai (dining house) a large group is working with great concentration. Some are weaving. (They take one strand, miss three, turn the next back under first, and whatu (weave) the first, then second, then third, then draw fourth back over first and whatu.) There are the feather artists, carefully sorting into colour groups the feathers of kaka, cock pheasant, pukeko, etc. (Place two feathers together evenly and hold firmly in left Te havo muka: Netana Atutahi. (Desgranges.) hand, rub tip of first finger of right hand across piece of soap, and twirl stem ends of the feathers, thus waxing them together ready for place of honour on garment.) There is the muka (fibre) party, almost ankle-deep in discarded green backs of flax, the muka or topside having been removed with a makoi (shell), a tricky process calling for much patience and a good strong left hand. Schoolgirls making koronae and kono. (Desgranges.)