GIFTS TO MUSEUM

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 735, 7 August 1929, Page 6

GIFTS TO MUSEUM

STEADILY GROWING LIST OF SPECIMENS OFFER FOR INCA VASE It was announced at yesterday’s meeting of the council of the Auckland Institute and Museum that accessions for the year to date numbered 277, of which 89 had been received in the last month. The latest gifts included two carved canoe prows from Mr. T. H. Barstow, who had given also two carved sternposts, a tekoteko found at the Bay of. Islands 60 years ago, and stone adzes. Mr. Valle had contributed a bone he! tiki, Mr. R. A. Falla, a pigeon-feather cloak, Mr. A. W. B. Powell, a storae sinker; Mrs. C. R. Farrar, a greenstone chisel; and Mr. and Mrs. W. Potter, a barbed spear from a Mangere swamp. Through Mr. D. H. Graham’s efforts no fewer than 53 Bay of Islands’ residents had given articles. Mr. C. Donald had presented Maori and Melanesian articles, Mrs. F. Quayle, Santa Cruz articles; Mr. A. G. Atkinson, a Samoan adze; Mrs. W. Kay, articles. Other gifts were a whaling harpoon from Auckland Harbour (Mr. J. K. Lowe), Norwegian drinking horn (Mr. J. Solemn), section of metal piping laid to Hampton Court in 1515) (Mr. A. E. Hyde), coins (Mr. H. Winkelmann), tree knots (Sir Edwin Mitchelson), photograph of Te Rauparah’s whare (Mr. E. L. Jackson), war mementoes (Major W. E. Orsborn, Mrs. J. Morgan, and Mr. D. H. Graham), British medal ribbons (Mrs. A. Ross), geological specimens (Miss K. Fitzgerald, and Messrs. C. E. Parsons, A. Edwards, and H. Green), horticultural books (Mrs. J. P. Campbell)* engravings (Mr. T. H. Barstow). CURATOR’S REPORT The curator. Mr. Gilbert Archey, reported that steady progress had been made in the erection of the Maori house, the reed panels having been finished and several of the wooden panels and rafters fitted. The thatching and painting of the two pataka had also been commenced. The classification and display in the showcases was also in hand. Mr. Thorpe had arranged more than half of the specimens in the Polynesian and Melanesian sections; and Mr Griffin had almost completed the fiishes. “I should like to acknowledge the valuable help of Mrs. D. E. Harkness, who devoted the greater part of last week to arranging the American ethnographical section, and who has kindly offered to assist in the African and Indian sections,” added Mr. Archey. The moa case had been re-erected, and the statues had been reassembled and placed in position. The report was received. It was decided that £lO be offered for an ancient Inca vase, submitted for the council’s approval. “The owner says it is worth £200,” remarked the chairman, Mr. H. E. Vaile, who admitted that the authenticity or otherwise of ttye vase was unknown to him. Members examined the vase.-.and, the decision was made.