WAR RELICS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 273, 7 August 1918, Page 8

WAR RELICS

AT DOMINION MUSEUM TRENCH MORTARS AND MACHINE-GUNS

Some additional war relics are now on view at-:he Dominion Museum, where space bus been made for them by the re-mov.-il of tho large Maori war canoe formerly displayed in tho ni<un room. The canoe, itself an exhibit of very great interest, has been retired to tlio storo shud that contains a considerable pnrt of the national collections. Presumably it will have to remain there until a proper museum is provided in place of the present old and cramped building. Tho war relics include trench mortars, machiiie-giiJM, shell fragments of various types. a Turkish pontoon, and some of the photographs taken in France-by tho official photographer. They form an exhibit thai already has attracted many visitors to tho Museum. The trench mortars, taken from the Germans at Mejsines, are of two types. They are well-made weapons, mounted on circular etcel beds, which in turn rest on email steel wheels. Their sighting, elevating, and firing mechanism is ingenious in construction and swift in action. Tho ma-chine-guns are of the Maxim type, and one at least of them appears to be quite unworn. There is also ono tripod stand, but, curiously enough, it docs not fit any of the guns. The authorities responsible for the distribution of tho war relics senm to have overlooked the desirability of keeping complete weapons together. The mortars and machine-guns are accompanied by tool boxes containing spare parts and ammunition belts. Tor purposes of comparison there is 6hown beeidn them one of the Cohorn mortars used in the Maori wars. It is simply a dwarf muzzle-loading gun, mounted on a wooden bed, and looks a primitivo weapon besido the products of German ingenuity. Several German bomb-throw-ers are shown. They are steel tubes, fitted with firing mechanism, and attached longitudinally to steel rods that are intended In be bedded in the ground. The Turkish pontoon was taken when Ihe Turks mado their abortive attack on the Suez Canal early in 1915. It was holed «nd sunk at. the time by shrapnel tire, and tho marks of war can bo 6een still upon it. The Turks ehowed much energy and determination in moving the 6teel pontoons across hundreds of miles of roadless desert. Inside the pontoon are shown at present some of tne shell fragments collected in trenches taken by the. New Zealanders at Messines and ekewhere. These fragments have already been on exhibit in the Museum.

Tho photographs taken by the ofhcial photographer show various incidents connected with the work and play of the New Zealanders in France. They are mounted in groups in large frames. They are very interesting pictures, and it is to be hoped that when the negatives become available enlargements will be prepared for exhibition throughout New Zealand; The prints already available nre too small for easy examinalion under museum conditions. A German field gun has still to be added to tho collection. Other exhibits doubtless will come to hand in future months, and the problem of finding accommodation for them is going to be a difficult one. ]f the old Dominion Museum is not to be replaced by a new building of adequate size in the near future, a place will have to be found for the will- collection somewhere else.