Page 8 - 1970 News Clippings

Class tackles Maori

carving

A manual arts class of 20 master carver Mr Bill Poutapu, they would be invited to attend
boys at Ngaruawahia High who is encouraging the boys - the opening of the Taupo

School has undertaken the task all aged 14 - to learn and meeting house when it was
of providing the Maori perhaps preserve the traditional completed.
community of Taupo with carved methods of carving the ornate “Mr Poutapu supplied 90
panelling for a new meeting woodwork. feet of timber and some shadow
house. Mr Poutapu supplied the carvings for the boys to follow,”
This is the first time timber and some tools for the said Mr Esselbrugge.
that school pupils - any anyone boys and finds time to check on The class has been working
other than professional Maori their progress. on the panels for nearly two

carvers - have been entrusted Manual arts teacher Mr terms and will send them to
with the task of cutting the Bert Esselbrugge explained Taupo when the Maori building
panels. today that the boys were tackling is nearing completion.
The man responsible for the the project with great
break in tradition is Ngaruawahia enthusiasm. They had been told

SECTION of the manual arts class at Ngaruawahia High School working on the three-foot ornamental
panels. Deep in concentration, 14-year-old Lindsay Hopa (foreground) puts the finishing touches on his
job.