INTERESTING DISCOVERIES IN THE PELORUS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4377, 24 March 1893, Page 3

INTERESTING DISCOVERIES IN THE PELORUS.

IThe discovory of ashes in the Pelorus which we (Post) briefly announced ut short timo back may prove a most interesting one. Mr J.Euthud noticed some oblong mounds on ijjiillside at Fcrndale, Kenepuru, alier the bash was cleared, On opening one of these he found that instead of consisting of tho vegetable mould of tho surface strata around, it consisted of the clay sub-strata, with merely a surface deposit. Further investigation showed that a section had been cut out of tbe hillside, the floors and walb of which had been made smooth and carefully finished off. On tbe floor was a small quantity of ashes intermixed with charcoal, and over tbis layers of clay, obtained by sinkine near by, had been placed until the cut was filled, and a mound raised above tho surrounding aurfnee. The vegetable mound and matter taken from the first exca« vation was then placed in tho nolo from which the clay had been taken. On the hillsido close at hand were several f&fci mounds, It is ovident that no ono*nmking an ordinary fire would have gono to all this trouble, either to prepare the place or preserve the ashes, and the inference is that Mr Rutland has discovered a crematory of some early inhabitants of the Bounds, All tho precautions tukon, and the raising of the mounds to indicate the tapued locality, seem to point to this. Tho Maori inhabitants of the Sounds have, howover, no knowledge of this ancient crematory, and there !b no custom recorded in Maori loro to account for the phenomena. In this juncture what is said to be a local tradition is fallen back upon, viz,, that tbe aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand driven from tho North Island ' by the Maori, fourjd a resting place, iu tho reaches of Pelorus, and that their chief 'lomo was at Konepuru, whence they were finally driven forth and made their way to the Chathams, So far we have been feh. unable to trace any such legend. In |Btho traditions of Ngaitahu there is a HHBreitd'of come Ngatiinamoe chiefs 9||Hiving been blown out from the Hr chores of New Zealand, and ultimately reaching tbe Chathams, but in this legend Akaroa is given as their starting point. Further light on the Kenepuru legend Rould be of interest. Mr Mland "forwarded a tin of ashos taken from the mound oponed to Mr TregeaV. So far as an examination with the. unaided eye shops, there are np trapes of bono among tbe ash sent, but jt is proposed to have it microscopically examined by Wr T. W. I Kirk, F.R.M.S., and to have a careful analysis made on Sir James Hector's i return from Auckland, Tho result will bo awaited with interest.