MOA SKELETONS FOUND

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1931, Page 2

MOA SKELETONS FOUND

Two complete: moa skeletons were found during the holidays on the Waihi Beach, by Mr H. E. Tonge, of Thames. Mr Tonge, who is interested in Maori implements and work, has for some years been aware of the existence of an ancient Maori workshop on the Waihi Beach, and, calculating that the succession of westerly winds which have altered the. configuration of the beach, he spent a part of his holidays searching for curios. He .was singularly fortunate, for he came across a portion of the workshop, and found four adzes, complete apd polished, apd about half a dozen more ..jft various stages of manufacture, as well as several stone drills used for piercing fibles in im* plements, He also discovered sqmt» well-shaped sinkers excel fen fly preserved t A' little further' awny, however/-, he mnde his principal djßeovery, the complete skeletons of two mons which had been covered by the loose sand, The larger - of the pair was about six feet from, beak to toe, and the other only slightly smaller. Unfortunately, it was impossible to remove them, for the long period of their burial had so acted upon the hones that they crumbled away when touched. -