Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] SATURDAY, JAN. 28, 1905. Wanted—A Maori-Museum For Foxton.

Manawatu Herald, 28 January 1905, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878. ] SATURDAY, JAN. 28, 1905. Wanted—A Maori-Museum For Foxton.

Foxton is showing many signs of progress of late months, and we incline to the opinion that not the least manner of evidencing further advancement would be to establish a Maori Museum in our midst. It is claimed that the Maori race are slowly but surely ebbing their existence from this earth } that they are fastly dying out, and that it is only a matter of time and there will be nothing human left to mark the onetime existence of the brave old Maori warriors, on Whom our offspring may gaze and call to mind descendants of the race whom their forefathers had many a doughty battle with. If nature will not allow the Maori race to be preserved in flesh and being, it certainly Will allow relics of that race to be preserved by the means of good care. The average Colonial knows all too little of the Maori race in fact in some parts of the Colony there are people who have probably never seen a descendant cf the canoeexponenta or tatooed chiefs that took up arms and fought to save their country from John Bull’s grasp, but who at present are walking in unison with the boys of the bull-dog breed in every sphere of life. We doubt whether there is a more educated coloured race under the sun than tha Maori, and it is with regret we are compelled to record the fact that they are slowly diminishing in numbers. Little is taught in our schools of New Zealand history, and literature on the early days of the Colony is not too plentiful. So that the most feasible way of education, and of preserving that education, is to establish Museums. There are several museums in different parts of the Colony, and why not one in Foxton ? It is a duty we owe to the Maori race! Surely there are some old Colonists and war veterans in the vicinity who will take the initial step, and call a meeting for the purpose ! Of late years, every distinguished visitor that prefers to include New Zealand in his or her tour quits our shores laden with Maori curios. Many of these find their way into foreign museums, and yet we have no museum of our own. The time will come when there will be no relics left to collect, so ’ere it is too late, Foxton, awake and do your duty to your ancestors ! Establish a museum, so that the Colonist of the future may know something of the history of his own country.