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King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 222, 5 January 1910, Page 5

Over 70 years ago Gilfil.lan, an artist ] of note in his day, painted a picture of the interior of a Maori pa. It is remarkable for the scrupulous accurary with which the painter treated details of costumes, utensils, and architectural features, and for the admirable and correct drawing of the innumerable figures in the pa. As a record of their life in the days before the Maoris became Europeanised, it was extremely valuable. Moreover, the greatest care, it is believed, was spent on the colouring of the scene, the figures, and the buildings. Day, the celebrated English lithographer, prepared lithographs from the original, although, not in colours. Many of these found their way to New Zealand,but they are now extrmely scarce. A few are to be obtained in England, but even there they are rare. Dr. Hocken, the New Zealand collector of New Zealand literature, .prints, and pictures, endeavoured to find the original picture, and he spent mucljJiime and money in the quest. He made his enquiries from place" to place all oVer the United. Kingdom, here and there picking up little bits of information of its various possessors. At last he tracked it to a shoemaker, who won it in a raffle. Beyond that the doctor, could not go, because all trace here: ended. It is believed that the picture was burned.' However, Mr Av-Hamil-ton has received a copy of the lithograph for the Museum. It is torn, but nothing is missing, : and it can. be mounted and put into fine order at • no expense and very little trouble. '