AUCKLAND’S GIFT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 860, 2 January 1930, Page 6

AUCKLAND’S GIFT

MAORI MOTIF FOR GOVERNORGENERAL’S ADDRESS NEW ZEALAND NATIVE WOODS Magnificent Maori carvings that so inimitably and completely represent New Zealand have been the Inspiration of Auckland’s farewell gift to the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson. The casket and the illuminated address to he presented to his Excellency at the civic farewell on Saturday evening are a worthy tribute from the city and a striking memento of the Dominion and his term of office. A magnificent example of the inlay craftsman’s cunning and the illuminator’s skill, the address is a highly artistic production, and particularly so because it reflects the beauty of New Zealand's native woods. Strikingly designed, the highly polished wooden covers of the address depict with remarkable fidelity the Maori carvings and grotesque figures so familiar in the pas and meetinghouse of the native race. The panel of the front cover is of rare beauty, in which the distinctive beauty of the woods of Kohekohe, Tawa, Kowhiwhi, Rewarewa, Bird's Mapou, Whairangi, Pukapuka, Puriri, Matai, Whairangipiro and Porokawhiria have been cunningly wrought into Maori barge and mat patterns, Maori scrolls and inlaid Maori gods’ heads. The central feature is the city’s coat or arms, in which delicate and skilful treatment of the natural colourings of the woods has produced a wonderful effect. Typical Maori scroll-work is represented on the borders of the inside of the front cover. The main panel is a remarkably fine piece of totara, which has a wonderful cloud and burr eqect in its grain. The hack cover is similarly designed. Bound in blue morocco, outlined in gold, the address contains several fullpage pictures in colour, the work of the well-known Auckland artist, Mr. Walter Wright, of civic and scenic spots of the city, including the Town Hall, the War Memorial Museum, a peep at Waitemata Harbour and Rangitoto from Lower Symonds Street, showing St. Andrew’s Church which Sir Charles and Lady Alice Fergusson attended. ■ The Maori motif has been executed with consummate skill in the 23 carat gold borders of several pages of the address, representing Maori scroll, barge, mat, rafter and canoe, pat tens and gods’ heads in gold picked out in paua shell, and with coloured insets depicting scenes in the province. There is only one European touch in the borderings and this is distinctive. No less ornate in design and craftsmanship is the casket in which the address will repost. This, too, is a product of New Zealand woods, mainly puriri. The interior is of plain polished kauri. The moudings are all representative of Maori carvings and round the sides are placed carved replicas of Maori gods and bird gods. The moulded edge of the top is inlaid with paua shell. The whole is surmounted by a magnificent puriri carving of two tuatara lizards, basking head to tail in typical pose.

The casket and address were designed and carried out by Mr. J. Park, architect, of Auckland, who was also responsible for the illumination work. The inlaying was performed by Mr. W. Seuffert, and the carving and workmanship on the casket was that of Mr. W. Forrester, of Mount Albert, who also carved the Maori house presented to the Duke of York when in Auckland. The morocco binding was done by Clark and Matheson.