FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 181 
The next morning we went to the Police Station and registered 
as required by law, and, as none of us had ever been ordered to 
appear before, the experience was unique. The officers were very 
courteous and explained that we were doubtless perfectly respect- 
able people and would be subject to no further annoyance. We 
then went to the Customs House where our passports were re- 
turned to us without further formality. Upon drawing twenty 
pounds on my letter of credit I found that there was a charge of 
three ‘‘bob’’ (shillings) for exchange. 
Returning to the Auckland museum I met the curator, the veter- 
an botanist, Cheeseman, a man of world-wide reputation as a 
systematist and particularly for his classic work on the flora of 
New Zealand. He was very courteous indeed, promptly agreed to 
allow us to use the museum for working headquarters during our 
stay, and allotted a room in the basement for the storage of our 
equipment and collections. He also told us to make ourselves at 
home in the excellent scientific library of the museum where there 
was a real fireplace. There we spent many hours in comfort while 
consulting the books and scientific periodicals in this extensive 
library, which is not open to the public and is available for ac- 
credited specialists only. 
Mr. Cheeseman was apparently a very old man and quite feeble, 
but he took time to show me through the museum which is one of 
the best in New Zealand, probably actually the best in the world 
so far as ethnological material regarding Maoris or natives of New 
Zealand is concerned. Only a few weeks ago the writer received 
the news of the death of this veteran and well beloved scientist, 
who was probably the most distinguished botanist New Zealand 
has produced. 
In the museum are many zoological treasures, such as an ex- 
cellent habitat group of the kiwi, or Apteryz, a wingless bird still 
rather common in some parts of North Island. But the Maori 
work, particularly the marvelous carvings in wood was the most 
interesting part of the exhibit and is exceedingly well installed 
and displayed. Best of all it has a series of descriptive labels 
printed in large type and giving more adequate information than 
I remember having seen in any other museum. The collection is 
literally priceless and would be ereditable in any of the most pre- 
tentious museums in the world. There was an entire ‘‘guest 
house’’ sixty feet long and elaborately carved outside and in, 
especially on the front, doorway, and interior pillars and posts. 
