TRIBAL HEIRLOOMS FOR AUCKLAND MUSEUM

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 85, 1 July 1927, Page 1

TRIBAL HEIRLOOMS FOR AUCKLAND MUSEUM

DR. BUCK’S GIFT A VALUABLE COLLECTION Dr. Peter Buck, who leaves for Honolulu on Tuesday by the Aorangi, to take up the Directorship of Polynesian Research, has ; made a valuable gift to the Auckland Museum. Clubs, basket-work, mats, adzes and bowls from the Cook Islands and Melanesia have been given to the museum, which already holds many tokens of Dr. Buck's generosity. TTE has also placed a valuable taiaha, a tribal heirloom, and an ancient paddle, for safe keeping in the museum, likewise a highly polished food bowl. From Mrs. Buck, the curator, Mr. Gilbert Archey, acknowledges a tine old pahu or drum from the Cook Islands. These shark-skin covered specimens are now exceedingly rare. Mrs. Buck has also given a finelywork shell and tortoise disc from Melanesia, also a Polynesian plaited basket. "The museum is exceedingly indebted to Dr. and Mrs. Buck,” says Mr. Archey. "During his residence in Auckland Dr. Buck has taken an exceedingly keen interest in jt, and on every possible occasion has furthered our interests.” FINEST IN THE WORLD Dr. Buck recently publicly declared that the Auckland Maori collection was the finest in the world, he added, and that the ethnological section in the museum had been responsible for his studies into this phase of native history. Other recent gifts include: Mr. H. E. Vaile: Greenstone pendant from Kaitaia district. Mr. George Graham: Ancient mere (for deposit), Polynesian and Melanesian ethnological objects, canoe bailer of Kaipara district type. Mr. A. O. Hodge: Tin and wolfram ores from Bassett mine, Cornwall. Mr. J. P. Kosovitch: Geological specimens of lava through wood, and lava stalactites from Penrose. Mr .and Mrs. John Robertson: The uniform coat and sword of Colonel Duncan Robertson, of the 42nd Highlanders (“Black Watch”), used in the Crimean War. Mr. David Cresser: Collection of photos obtained in Samoa while serving in Expeditionary Force.