ARTISTIC MAORIS.

Taihape Daily Times, 5 April 1919, Page 7

ARTISTIC MAORIS.

The Maoris arc a thoroughly artistic and cultured race—more so than we are," said Mr. Hurst Scager hi his lecture on town planning at 'Auckland. Throwing on the screen some fine examples of Maori carving on a meeting house facade, he said the , ancient Maoris hfcd hjways aimed jat the beautiful. New Zealanders had a beautiful country, and with the beautiful art of the Maoris and the traditions of the past, there was smari excuse {for them to neglect the beautiful in their towns and villages. The Government, he declared, ha ! d been one of the worst sinners in tnis respect, and to illustrate his meaning he showed ou the screen a view of the Government village iat Lake Coleridge* situated on the ihoi-cs of the lake, and surrounded by ma: estic mountains. The "village" war a haphazard and widely scattered collection of plain cottages and primitive "shacks," The result of this unscientific building, added the speaker, was that the workmen were only too glaoto leave it, instead of being a satisfied community.