Philosophical Institute of Canterbury , 537 



D. 



Wellington, 26tli November, 1874. 

 To Dr. Hector, F.R.8. 



I was first employed by Dr. Haast during the summer of 1871-2, and accompanied 

 bim while examining the Clent Hill and Shag Point districts on account of the 

 Geological Survey of New Zealand, during which time he frequently commended me on 

 account of my attainments in geology. 



On the conclusion of these surveys Dr. Haast next sent me to make collections from 

 the Saurian beds in the Middle Waipara and Heathstock districts, in which work 

 I acquitted myself much to his satisfaction, bringing, as I did, a large and valuable 

 collection of Saurian and other fossil remains to the Canterbury Museum. 



Having arranged these collections as they now are in the Canterbury Museum, I was 

 employed during the remainder of the winter in washing and varnishing the large 

 collection of moa remains then recently obtained from Glenmark. 



I had already made myself acquainted with Dr. Haast's views respecting the extinc- 

 tion of the moa, as described in his paper on the Rakaia moa-hunter deposits, and during 

 some conversation concerning his views as expressed in his paper "On Moas and Moa- 

 hunters," he mentioned the Sumner Cave as being a locality from which he expected 

 further confirmation of his views as then held, and that as soon as he had collected the 

 necessary funds he would employ me to do the work for him. By the 1st October, 1872, 

 sufficient funds were collected wherewith to begin the work, and I was directed to 

 engage another man to assist me in making the excavations required. Having done so, 

 and conveyed every requisite to the cave, Dr. Haast arrived at the cave a few hours later 

 to give directions as to the method to be pursued during the progress of the works 

 contemplated. I was directed to ticket all articles worth preserving, noting the 

 particular stratum or bed whence they were obtained. This I did for the first two or 

 three days, but on Dr. Haast again visiting us, deeming this process rather too slow, he 

 directed all material preserved to be laid aside, according to the natural subdivisions of 

 the deposit. Complying with these instructions, I laid aside all finds not ticketed, but 

 in three lots — upper, middle, and lower. Dr. Haast, visiting the cave as a rule generally 

 twice a week, removed the collections in this unticketed state (T am sorry to observe 

 that in the postscript to his paper on the cave Dr. Haast says that he removed the 

 collections properly ticketed. I am compelled to deny the statement there made) — with 

 the exception of one day's work, during which Mr. Fuller and himself were with us the 

 whole day. With the above exception his visits seldom lasted more than two hours on 

 any occasion, and thus it will be seen that he could not possibly " direct our proceedings 

 in every respect." 



When the work was fi^nished, and everything removed to Christchurch, by his orders 

 I attended at his study so as to supply him with what notes I had collected, at which 

 time I supplied him with the report mentioned in the postscript to his paper, besides 

 answering many questions relative to the disposition of the several beds and their 

 contents. I told him that there could be no doubt but that the whole evidence proved 

 that the moa-hunters possessed polished stone axes and other tools and ornaments. 

 He replied, rather hotly, that he had no personal views to uphold, and that his object was 

 truth. I was next employed to wash, varnish, and ticket the specimens according as 

 found, either in lower, middle, or upper beds, which I accordingly did, and placed 

 them in an exhibit case in the museum, where they remained for at least twelve months 

 ticketed in my handwriting. 



Since then I expected that he would supply a report on the Moa-bone Cave. But as 

 time went on I foresaw that no paper was likely to appear, which led me to think of 

 adding my views to the original report I supplied Dr. Haast with, and getting it read 

 before a society. :^ 



Mr. Fuller could prove that the idea had occurred to me twelve months before the 

 reading of my paper, that if Dr. Haast did not read a paper on the subject I would do. 

 so, though how I should manage it had not occurred to me. 



When I gave you the paper for publication I had no intention of attemping to 

 forestall Dr. Haast, or to do anything but make known what I knew about the cave, 

 firmly believing, as I did, that Dr. Haast had no intention of publishing anything on the 

 subject. 



I have the honour to be, 

 Sir, 

 Your obedient servant, 



Alex. McKay. 



u2 



