BY AERIAL SURVEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 936, 1 April 1930, Page 14

BY AERIAL SURVEY

DISCOVERING MAORI PA SITES PROPOSAL IN AUCKLAND An interesting proposal advanced by Mr. A. T. Pycroft and Mr. Gilbert Archey at the annual meeting last evening of the anthropology and Maori race section of the Auckland Institute and Museum was the aerial survey of village sites.

A committee of the section is to investigate the possibilities of the suggestion. Mr. Pycroft raised the question of support by the institute in such a scheme. “The village sites readily accessible ; can be treated by ground survey,” said j Mr. Archey, “but aerial surveys may j reveal traces of occupation which are 5 not apparent on the ground. We are j too apt to direct our attention to the j obvious. One can draw attention to j the unsuspected sites revealed by aerial photography in England.” Mr. Pycroft mentioned the benefit l gained from the map of ancient Maori 1 pas and place-names of the Auckland ! Isthmus prepared by Mr. Leslie G. j Kelly, of Helensville. The annual report revealed a year of successful activity, and a membership which had increased to 50. Addresses on the syllabus were the chairman’s address, Mr. George Graham: notes on Dr. Raymond Firth’s book, “Primitive Economies of the New Zea- | land Maori,” Mr. R. A. Falla; “Primi- | tive Agriculture,” Mr. Gilbert Archey; I “Maori Literature.” Mr. V. F. Fisher; i “The Australian Aborigines,” Mr. W. | W. Thorpe, ethnologist to the Australian Museum; “The Maori and the Land,” Miss Z. O. Lloyd; “An Anthropologist’s Visit to Tikopia,” Dr. Firth.; “A Tramp in Tureha Land.” Miss Lucy Cranwell; “Hawaiki to the ! Present,” the Akarana Maori AssociaI tion. Interest had been stimulated j with the display of the ethnological section of the War Memorial Museum. 1 Officers elected were: Chairman, Mr. i V. F. Fisher: secretary and treasurer, Mr. George Graham; committee, Mrs. G. Osborne, Miss Z. O. Lloyd, Messrs. G. Archey, A. T. Pycroft, and J. MeVeagh. Members praised the services of the retiring chairman, Mr. Graham, and welcomed to the chair one of the younger Maori students of Auckland, Mr. Fisher. Votes of thanks for services given were passed to Professor J. C. Sperrin-Johnson, Mr. Ivo B. Esam, and Mr. A. Geddes.