OLD MAORI RELICS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3657, 25 June 1927, Page 1

OLD MAORI RELICS

TOKOMARU CANOE A NOHOB

DIET FOR NEW PLYMOUTH.

Another ancient Maori relic has been entrusted to the pnkelm for safe keeping. For some time there lias been a dispute among natives of the Taranaki district as to the keeping of the historic auchorstone of t he Tokoinaru canoe, one of the famous craft in which, centuries ago, the Maori voyagers travelled from their homeland, Hawaiiki. It has been appropriated at various times by several different branches of the tribe, but now it has been linally decided by the natives lo deposit it in the New Plymouth museum. Dr. P. 11. Buck, who is shortly leaving lo accept a position with the Bishop Museum at Honolulu, recently visited his old tribe in Taranaki, and while lie was there the matter of the keeping of the an-chor-stone came up for discussion. Sir Maui Pomare, a member of the same tribe, was also present, and linally the leading men decided to petition the Government to regain the anchor from its present holders end place it in the New Plymouth museum for safe keeping, so that it could be held by Maori and pakelia alike. An ancient axe-head, Poutamawliiris which was also brought to New Zealand in the Tokomaru canoe, according to tradition, is to pass into the keeping of the New Plymouth museum, together with the anchor-stone, and these two should prove imost valuable and historic exhibits. “I should have liked to secure the two exhibits for Auckland, but their natural resting-place is in the district in which the descendants oL* their original owners, reside,’’ Dr. Buck said.