Southern Māori Archives Project

letter, 27/09/1934, P H Morey, District Engineer, New Zealand Railways to Secretary of Mapoutahi Pa Committee, Says there was no objection to a proposed notice board on Railway Reserve, advises recipient to get in touch with Mr Cook the Department's Inspector of Permanent Way.

letter, 18/10/1934, H D Skinner to Dr Frans M Olbrechts, Brussels, Discusses a poupou (carved slab). Says where the pieces the museum received ended up, and thanks Olbrechts for any more pieces he will send.

letter, 20/07/1934, Frans M. Olbrechts to H.D. Skinner, Stating that they're pleased with the carved house slab and that it arrived in tip top condition, now housed in the Polynesian Halls. Speaks of a debt of honour, will be able to send specimens soon, offers two small Egyptian 'ka' figures, one wood, one stone. Ask if any other Maori or other Polynesian materials were in storage, they'd like to do a exchange. Ends with thanking for lithic materials.

letter, 0/00/1934, Auckland Institute and Museum, Anthropology and Maori Race Section to, Small syllabus outlining the courses/lectures available from May 23rd to October 17th, 1934. Front lists the officers, the inside informs of the lectures, including subjects such as the Excavations at Ur of the Chaldees, Maori artistry, farming, mythological significance in art forms, The Cook Islands, Historical associations of the Ngapuhi people, the development of the spiral in decorative art, primitive string games, Maori as warriors, He Tatau Korero - A folklore discourse, aspects of Pa Maori. All lectures held at Auckland Museum Library unless stated otherwise. Mentions of various field days. On the back, it outlines the sections founding and reasons for being.

letter, 22/11/1934, H D Skinner to H.E. Maude, Island of Beru, Gilbert Islands, Thank you for letter of 17 October and cards describing four Gilbertese pieces. Delighted to hear of prospect of ethnographic survey of the Gilberts. Discusses Kennedy's classification of Ellice Island adzes. Skinner refers to his own classification of Chatham Island adzes and classification work in progress for New Zealand adzes.

letter, 20/10/1934, H. D. Skinner to W. O. Oldman, Thanks for note from September alongside twenty prints. Mentions of Maori pieces. Author has resigned from joint editorship of the Journal of the Polynesian Society so can't say if they will be published as soon as possible. Talks of putorino, curved whistles, as well as two of each straight ones, a trumpet, a flax muffler. Speaks of Andersen most likely asking for larger prints of Polynesian pieces. Goes on to say the finances of the Polynesian society have fallen into a parlous state. Thanks for photographs of pieces willing to exchange, would like to secure a feather-box and Marquesan fan. Goes into collectors in England setting out to furnish art galleries much rather than ethnographic museums. Fishing traps, stone and bone implements, and all other materials are of no account to Oldman, so what could they offer to him, curved whistles, bone-boxes, steel-cut feather-box, stone and stalactite pounders from the Cook Islands are mentioned.

letter, 11/09/1934, W. O. Oldman to H. D. Skinner, Speaks of taking photos of Polynesian instruments. New Zealand items; 8 flutes, 9 whistles, a trumpet and a bone musical stick. Marquesan; 4 drums, 1 trumpet. Harvey Island; all wood drum. Tahiti; Shell trumpet, 2 flute. Tonga; 2 wood instruments, a flute. Fiji; 2 shell trumpets, a flute. Sorry to hear of the funds being limited. Outlines the photographs included with the letter, then goes on to mention some other items, including wood carvings.

letter, 17/05/1934, H. D. Skinner to W. O. Oldman, Thanks for letter from April, discusses how neither parties are likely buyers for the hani, mentions illustration blocks of Oldman's Polynesian drums. Mentions of grants being cut that were offered to the Journal of Polynesian Society by the Maori Purposes Board. Mentions of a small wooden pot for tattooing pigments being unique, says Teviotdale found something similar while digging at Oruarangi, that had a band of figures around it. Wants pictures of items mentioned in Oldman's letter.

letter, 09/04/1934, W. O. Oldman to H. D. Skinner, Thanks for letter, saw article Skinner wrote on Oldman's drums, appreciates these being published in the journal. Means to take photos, but the weather has been very gloomy. Took thousands of photographs while at Brixton Hill that he has sickened himself of his camera, since moving hasn't taken a photograph or fixed up a darkroom. Will send photographs asked for by Skinner and also Mr Andersen. Mentions purchase of a small pot of black tattooing pigment with six figures around the outside of the vessel, also mentions having a red pigment box with a lid.

letter, 30/01/1934, H. D. Skinner. to W. O. Oldman, Thanks for letter and photograph from December, mentions of a Tongan musical instrument, and Andersen will be delighted, mentions of plates of the three drums Oldman had sent through. Speaks of considering the old feather-box and the bone, wood and jade clubs, as well as a Marquesan fan, asks for photographs of the pieces. Wants the stone metate mentioned but does not have the funds for purchase of American items. Two hani are not needed, but will send note to two potential buyers.

letter, 26/04/1934 to Mrs. Orr, Dr Benham has handed over the two pieces Mrs. Orr presented to the Museum, has been recorded as a flaked stone piece from Nelson, but can't recall the locality of the piece decorated with spirals.

letter, 27/04/1934 to H. D. Skinner, Thanks for 20th instant and the enclosures, and call about Grants to Colonial Museums. Will await further data from Skinner before applying to the Museums Association for monetary grants to the Early Settlers Association.