FACES IN STONE
Old Post Office “Gallery” To Be Handed Over To City
The carved Maori heads which at present adorn the old post office in Shortland Street will find a home in the Old Colonists' Museum. As soon as a start is made with the demolition of the building the heads will be handed over to the City Council by the Post and Telegraph Department. The council, as custodians of the museum, will house them until a more fitting place can be found to show them to advantage. Mr. John Barr, City Librarian, stated today that because of overcrowding in the Old Colonists' Museum the heads could not be displayed as they should be, but when a more suitable building is available he proposes to have the stone heads arranged on an arch-way, where they can be seen properly. The Akarana Maori Association was the prime mover in the preser vation of the heads for all time in a museum. Most of the stone heads are excellent reproductions of the features of several famous Maoris of the early days of New Zealand. The sculptor who fashioned them is said to be the late Mr. Anton Teutenberg. who also did the heads in the Suprem'e Court building. Queen Victoria has her place “on the line” and the Prince Consort. Albert, and nearby is Te Whero Whero Potatau, the first Maori King who gazes placidly at Auckland. His family is still a most influential one in the Waikato. One of the most interesting heads, to New Zealanders, is that of Matere Tohe, chieftainess of the North Auckland Ngapuhi tribe, which is hidden
behind a notice board on the Post Office. Matere married Kati, younger brother of Te Whero Whero, the marriage being a signal for peace between the northern Maoris and those of the Waikato and Waitemata dis-
tricts. Matere was a niece of the zealous warrior Hone Heke. Both Matere and Kati were buried at Mangere. The gallery at the Supreme Court is more extensive. Colonists and native chieftains are prominent, but the collection includes, in addition, a number of gargoyles.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SUNAK19300719.2.12
Bibliographic details
Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 1
Word Count
351FACES IN STONE Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 1
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