Southern Māori Archives Project

letter, 02/03/1935, Rev. D N McDiarmid to H D Skinner, I am sending several copies of a reprint of an article from "Sudan Notes and Records", which I was holding back as I awaited the arrival of a book being printed in Melbourne, but do not know when it will be finished. Did Professor Seligman bring out a book on the Sudan recently?

letter, 08/03/1935, H D Skinner to Dr G N McDiarmid, Thanks for another piece of flax. We are looking, but are yet to find comparable markings on flax bushes. Received a letter from Don [McDiarmid] in reply to my request for publications written by him or his wife on the Soudan languages. Dr Peter Buck is coming to Dunedin and giving a public lecture.

letter, 23/02/1935, Dr G N McDiarmid to H D Skinner, Thanks for your note but I am convinced the flax has natural markings. Handwritten note on the reverse: R G Sinclair; Liverpool Museum; list of items.

letter, 21/02/1935, H D Skinner to Dr G N McDiarmid, Thanks for the interesting blade of flax. Miss L A Daff at the Museum is currently studying flax technique. We believe somebody created the pattern, rather than it naturally occurring. Glad you enjoyed my chapter in the Cambridge History, there are some things I would have changed.

letter, 12/02/1935, Dr G N McDiarmid to H D Skinner, I am sending you a blade of flax I found by my back door that has line markings at regular intervals. I think it inspired the early Maori in preparing flax for ornamental purposes and clothes. I was interested by your article on the Maori in the Cambridge History.

letter, 16/11/1935 to Johannes Andersen, Enclosed paper on the "skull box" recently presented to Canterbury Museum

letter, 30/05/1935 to, Report on he fifth science congress of the Royal Society of New Zealand

letter, 08/05/1935, H.D.Skinner to Miss Smithe, Skinner discusses how he can help Miss Smithe's friend who is interested in their Scottish ancestry however Skinner is doubtful how much help he can be. He suggests her friend to come to Dunedin to see a Scottish community in action.

letter, Miss Smithe to H.D.Skinner, Miss Smithe writes on behalf of her friend who is considering writing a thesis on the effect of the Scottish in New Zealand. Smithe asks if anyone has written a similar thesis and if Skinner could in any way help her friend.

letter, 08/02/1935, H.D.Skinner to Mr. J. Sorenson, Skinner thanks Sorenson for the artifacts from his collection which he loaned to the museum and is having drawings made of them. Skinner expresses his interest in the 'nephrite implement' from Birdlings flat which he believes was made on the East Coast of the North Island. Skinner discuses more artefacts of interest from Sorensons collection, namely I.8 and H.28.

letter, 05/06/1935, H.D.Skinner to The General Secretary, Adelaide museum, Skinner expresses interest in a number of Fijian artefacts in the Adelaide museum that he wishes to study, however he does not need casts. Skinner puts forward the idea of an exchange of artefacts however acknowledges that for this to happen members of each staff would have to meet which was unlikely in the immediate future.

letter, 23/05/1935, H.M. Hale to H.D. Skinner, Mr. N. B. Tindale writes that the Adelaide museum has two Fijian white lotus clubs, but are only willing to make casts of them due to their important histories. Also offers the cast of another Fijian club called 'ivi lala'. Says much of their Fijian collection was obtained by Mr. W. Owen and presented to the museum in 1861.