MAORI RELICS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 53, 25 November 1937, Page 10

MAORI RELICS

Our Own Correspondent.)

Historic , Meeting-Place Discovered 'AXE-HEADS UNEARTHED .

(From

PALMERSTON N., Tbis Day. Wbile excavation work was being carried out in cojineetion witb the new block cutting near Mr R. P. Gregg'sproperty, at Tipapakuku, Mr Burrell, one of tbe workmen, found an old Maori greenstone axe bead. How long it bas heen buried tbere cannot be estimated. Evidently tbe spot was a Maori meeting place in years gone by, as plougbing operations about there bave exposed black patcbes eigbt or ten feet aeross witb stones on, wlucb places wero most probably used 'as hangis, or cooking places. The creek, wbicb is to bave a new bridge over it, used to be very xicb in pippy shell fisb. If one explores tbe creek to-day quite a number of good specimens are to be found, wbicb are quite edible, Pakebas are "tabooed" from collecting pippies from tbis creek, as it is considered tbe rigbtful property of tbe

Maoris, as is tbe "lagoon" at Kaitoke, wkere a similar pippy, sligbtly larger. Ls to be found plentifully. Tbe last tangi beld at tbe spot where tbe greenstone axe was found took place some 40 years ago, and as far as ian be ascertained it was in bonour of the day when tbe Tiratu bloCk was lianded over from tbe Maoris to tbe Europeans. Messvs Carlson and Knigbt were tbe two uxen who took tbe block over, and it is believed tbat tbe sottlement derived its name from the fact tbat two wbite men took it over. It would be interesting to collect some data from tbe very Oarly settlers and Maoris regarding tbis district, aa diiferent facts poiul to a very int^robt ing history. Sevoral settlers bave comc across Maori relics in the llst f6w yfears. Mr ReEward bas 1 " o Maori stone ,axes or adzes, wbieb bo plotigbed up, one of a black stone and tbe other a light coloured stone. The ligbt one* is |in quite good repair.