WAITANGI TRUST

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 35, 11 February 1933, Page 8

WAITANGI TRUST

HOUSE AND GROUNDS

IMPROVEMENTS IN VIEW

At the first meeting o£ tlie Waitangi National Trust Board held at Government House, Wellington, the Governor-General, at the special request of the board, consented to act as its chairman for the first year. Mr. Vernon, H. Keedivas appointed deputy chairman, honorary secretary and^ treasurer, and Mr. A. R. Sclanders, public accountant, of Wellington, honorary auditor. ' The following honorary advisory committees were appointed, subject to the appointees being willing to serve'upon them, which they" have all since consented to do:—Architectural Advisory Committee Messrs. W.H. Guminer and W. M.'Page; Historical ' and Maori Life and Customs Advisory Committee,: Messrs. T; Lindsay Brack, G> Archey, H. E.; Vajle, JVC, Mappin, Tau Henare, M.P,, Rev. A. B. ChapSell, Mrs. A. Buchanan; Farm Advisory otumittee, .■ Messrs; L, W. Nelson^ j. W. McAulay.H. H. Mountain; Forestry and Scenic Preservation Advisory Committee, Messrs., E. .Phillips-Turner, A. B. Williams; Golf Committee,.. Messrs. W. A. Kiely and J. W.'Mawson. ' CARVED HOUSE AND REUCS. The Governor-General expressed keen appreciation of the generous offer'of the Maori people to erect a liandsome carved ruflanga (or assembly hall) to mark the centenary in 1940 of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. His Excellency also voiced the hope that some interesting relics and lifelike pictures of the chief dramatis personals at the signing of the Treaty may be available for a small local museum in one of the rooms of the Treaty House. ... . : .-,.:•■'. Votes of thanks were passed by the board to the Lands and Survey Department, for preparing surveys of the Waitangi property, to the Solicitor-General for revision and preparation of the deed of:,trust,and..;to the Crown Law Office for the preparation of the transfer of the property../ ; -r*:; ,;:c". ••".■•■■■•;• ■-.... -• - :.,It>was>also.resolyecl that'the thanks of the iboard' be conveyed; to-the Bank of New-South Wales for its-generous donation" of £500. toward"^ of the trust.;.';' -■■;-v.1- •' '■.■'■'■:{•<.■.■ :\'";;;;v "■'■•.'.::-■;■";, ' ' OLD BRJJISH RESIDENCE; ' A report presentedV'byiMr.;.Yernon H. Reed to. the board itated -that, the-old British residency formerly^ occupied by Mr. James' Busby, and now' fetiowh' as 'the Treaty House, will, need repair and 'reinstatement, that/ the. -formation' of ■ two s^hort.roads. oh 'the trust property,:is desirable, that the clearing of a portion of land now overgrown by gorse and v scrub wiE.be necessaryy and that about two miles of f fencing will be'required* {3\luch' of this wovki.can' be carried out;; with the help of the r ; unemployed; It ds -propbsed to lay out a. .riine-holp golf!* ccnipse:;, for user as from nest, !>viriter, and," arrangements are .being made whereby it is 'expected that it will become, self-supporting. V. ■■ '~ The .rehabilitation of the> old British residency,' or Treaty House, is the most urgent need in connection with the Wai-, tangi "property.:"ln Order to conform to the original plan, the N.E. iving, removed many, years:,agoj-ywill have to be replaced, and'extensive'restoration and repairs are required forthwith if further deterioration of this historic.building is to be avoided. Toward the cost.of restoration of this building aneVthe general re-establishment of the Waitangi estate, .which, is in a somewhat dilapidated condition, no money is at'present available beyond the £1000 promised rby Their.Excellencies, and the £500 "promised by-the'Government* but it is'felt that many New Zealanders may be disposed., to identify -themselves with what is now national property by contributing to .the.cost of this undertaking. Those who aiA willing "to \ do! bo ■ sKiPßld^ehd their con-' tributipns to the Bank of ?Ne>v Zealand at-Auckland, AVellirigt6ri,;Cliristchurch, or Dnnedin, marked -"Waitangi Renovation and Improvement Fund." They will be most gratefully received, and will be ack-1 nowledged in due course by the GovernorGeneral as chairman of the Waitangi National Trust Board. : . ■ .