THE POLYNESIAN SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 212, 1 September 1908, Page 2

THE POLYNESIAN SOCIETY.

iai.u.tki people know nuic aouia a valuable and interesting socle,y that Im,- in headquarters in tue capital ol the province. \\c icier to the Polynesian Jiocicty, which exists lor the oiijcct ul' promoting tin; study ol anthropology, ethnology, ■ philology, History and antiquities of thu Polynesian rates. Tile term "Polynesia" enitii„ccs Australia, .New Zealand, -Melanesia, .Micronesia, and Malaysia, as well as Polynesia proper. The Society issues a quarterly journal in vAich appear articles ol particular value, especially to tile stiulenl, of anthropology (the natural hi-tory ~( man), and ethnology .u.o. science which treats of tile division of man into races, ilieir origin, relation, and dillVrenoc-). Tile sludv of these, snlijirls helps lo a dearer knowledge of the plaee of the .Maori anion;,' Die Polynesian people. Intimately related io Uie swlijveia mentioned, is ilie subject I of philology 11 he study of language in general). Tlierc is a similarity in the languages of the Polynesian islanders, ami it is interesting in this connection to note ilie proposal at present■ fci foot I

ill t'liu Auckland district to send Mauris Hi missionaries, to tile Suntlj Sea Island-, lieecnt 'numliers of ihc jourlinl contain sonic intt-rcminpc articles tm tln> history and traditions of tile Taraimki coast---arUi-lv* Unit arc of cf.n-sidei-ablc oiiiK-iilivf value. Mo>t or us arc inclined ,o regard .Vw Zealand hislory as Willi the arrival of the while iiuiii. hill- w.- have lo m> a 1 tony way further bark for our Mni'linj; | j pohit—even before llie arrival in 'l'm' J. I raiiaki of the liiv. canoe-loads of , .Maoris from llawaiki: somewhere, if ■ we accept tin- conditions of antliori- I , I ties like Mr. IVrey Smith, in the tiimsli- I ■ borhood of KloO. 'about fhe vcav of the I llaltlo of (.'i-.rv in tin- ii-iu'ii of 1-M- I , ward I Ml. For when ;he Marnier* j | landed, llie eomitry was i.ihahited liy a , ]ieople railed (he Moriori, who in enur-e ' . of time were assimilated by (lie slr,in,{- j | but neveilheless Surely, are bc'mo' ah- I sorhedby the Anulo-Saxon. The Society , is doiiifr i\ jrvpal national work, all ili-o ) more valuable liy reason of its di.sin- n tercstcdiKss, and deserves the support ' f

and encouragement of all tvho have the true interests of New Zealand at heart. The subscription to the Society is, we understand, XI a year, and this covers the charge for the journal. We hope the general public will recognise the duty tliey owe to tile Society and give it all the Support in their power.