ARAPUNI REMAINS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18413, 20 June 1925, Page 16

ARAPUNI REMAINS.

TO THE ZDITOS 07 "THE PBESS." Sir,~ln reference to the Arapnni human remains quoted in Wednes•*day's issue, it is quite possible the skeletons were headless in consequence of thoV demand for New Zealanders' heads in the early 'eighties. Banks refers to Captain Cook's time, when, in 1770, there were Maori heads dried and stored.' -There wasn business being done in 1834 by traders between Sydney and:. New 'Zealand for .heads, which were sold up to 20 guineas in tho capital city' of New. South Wales. A proclamation by General Darling prohibited the business. under date April Hth, 1832. How many years sacks of dried heads had been taken in whaling and flax-getting ships from New Zealand is not known, but it was usual to And those hideous imports ontered for . the Customs returns at Sydney. In Auckland Museum, I would venturo to say, specimens of trnlSc which deprived the Arapurii remains of, tho heads may. still be seen, the heads having been obtained from the bodies.before burial—in fact, the bo- . heading done to obtain the heads only . and tho other bojies.treated, as "of no consequence or v'aliio, arid simply entombed where the remains have now been discovered.—Yours, etc., OLD HAND.