Beautiful Carvings at Nuhaka

One of the treasure houses of Maori art on the East Coast, the Whare Rununga at Nuhaka, has been the subject of intense controversy of recent months.

A proposal by the Mormon Church that the meeting-house should be transferred complete to the L. D. S. Polynesian Centre in Hawaii was bitterly opposed in some quarters, since the beautifully carved structure is a war memorial as well as a Mormon centre.

For many months it appeared that the house would have to go, but more recently an elderly resident of Nuhaka who sent a private letter of protest direct to America has received a letter from Mr David O. McKay, president of the Mormon Church, stating: "I am pleased to tell you now that the carved house at Nuhaka is to remain in its present location. It will not be moved to Hawaii".

The letter states that a new house will be built in the Polynesian village.

Pictures on this page, by courtesy of "Hawkes Bay Photo News", show some of the rich carvings which apparently are now to be retained in the district.