The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-11-27

lation of land to water always the
same as now? Were the Hawaiians
the first inhabitants of this grouD?
Who carved the huge images of Easter
island? And many other problems OF
no light Importance.
THE PUBLIC INTERESTED.
1t is waste of time to speculate on
most of these questions until we have
collected all the witnesses both living
and dead that may be within our reach.
That is why a museum like this is
never completed, indeed is never final
ly arranged. If it ceases to grow 1t
dies and it's remains should be scatter
ed to the four winds that is to en-
rich other living museums. That is
why we are continually calling upon
our Trustees for funds TO purchase this
and that, and to organize expeditions
to collect objects and information. II
in doing this our legitimate work we
can also afford amusement and in
struction to the public so much the
better, but 1t should not be one
sided arrangement as it has been in the
past. No museum in the world is suf-
ficiently endowed to permit all the
work that it's staff would like to do,
or have done. and in return for the
amusement or instruction afforded 1t
seems right that the public should do
more than criticize. Many of you have
| specimens that should be in this mu-
scum: they are of little use or value
| to you. Why not send them here
| where their intrinsic value Is greatly
increased by comparison with others
of the same class? Many of you who
have none of these things can easily
aid the work of the museum by sub
scribing for it's publications, which
may not be of especial interest to you,
but the subscription helps to make
| them better, and the smallness of the
| edition will in no distant time make
| n set Of considerable money value.
| Then there are some of you who might
build a monument to yourselves by fur
nshing funds for the two or three ad-
| ditional halls that are urgently needed
to carry out the plan of building. At
| present the Papuan or Melanesian COL
| lections are exhibited in Polynesian
hall, but they should have hall for
| themselves. The natural history col
| lections are crowded and need more
room, and most important of all the
| workrooms and storerooms now In de-
tached buildings. small and inconveni-
ent. should be housed in one large wing
where the printing and all investi@n-
| tions could be conducted with economy
| of time and labor. If the TTus:ees
spend much of the income in building
there is less for exploration Or rrr-
chase of material. Five dollars year
would secure all our publications as
issued. $4,000 would provide us with
either of the two most needed wings.
THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED.
Now let me briefly tell you what We
have done. We have separated the
Hawaiian exhibit as the most impor-
tant and extensive in our possession
and placed the greater part of 1t in a
hall where it is classified and arranged
so that anyone can at once find what
most interests him. The nom Hawaiian
| things are also placed by themselves,
| each group in separate alcoves. Then
all these things that to the general
visitor are simply curios become the
objects of careful and patient study,
they are photographed for publication
in the printed results of such study
! and they are compared with similar
objects in other museums or made by
other peoples. For some eight years
| L ola tIlS WDTk dloles HOW 1 HtiNe a
staff of young men trained, hard
working, skilled and learned as you all
may see by looking around at the re-
suits of their labors. The groups of
Hawaiians presenting the work of
former days; the model of the heiau
and of Kilauea; the fruits that are SC
true to nature, and the fish that have
never been better exhibited in any mu-
I oil .tDfn of Arl
they not worthy of your appreciation
and your help? In many countries
common carriers fake free all speci-
mems coming to n large museum be-
cause they recognize the value in mere
dollars and cents that such an insti-
tuition is to a country, and the work
ers are freely carried over railroads
and waterways. AS we are so remote
from other museums our publications
become n very necessary means oi
communication, and today our ex'
changes go to most parts of the civil
ized world and this museum that has
grown up in your midst for thirteer
years almost unnoticed Is today will
ingly accorded the first place in thu
class of local museums by all the mu
scum authorities.
MUSEUM WANTS.
We are Unsuitable in our wants. w,
must have every coral, every plant, ev
cry bird, every fish, indeed every nat
5 ural or manufactured thing that will
help in the study of this Pacific region
We are few in numbers and you mus
{ help us, as some of the young men II
/. the schools are now doing, and in re
turn we will show you beauties o
nature you never noticed before. II
! the gallery of Hawaiian hall will grad
ually grow an aViary where you cal
; see at glance the life history of ou
) Hawaiian birds, and in that same wa
we hope to treat other classes of tn
; children of nature.
Tho handbook will help in finding
I things wanted, but l should feel oblig
: ed to apologize for the absence of man,
F; needed labels did I not know that ther
\ are already labels enough to occup
. your attention in many visits, at leas
4 until our printer can complete tn
9 work. But I will spare your ears an
: leave you to the more pleasing exercis
+ of your eyes.
SEEING THE PLACE.
q. H.. IL