Central Otago Treasure Under the Stairwell
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Win with Four Square Central Otago page 4 Out and About pages pages 18, 19 MIRRORWednesday, May 18, 2016 Cromwell Museum director Edith McKay and Dr Leslie Wong with a film crew at the museum. Dr Wong performed a blessing on the headstone of a Chinese man that came from an old settlement in Cromwell. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Treasure under the stairwell JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN headstone. ‘‘There is no other New Zealand, the strokes have a in New Zealand. In 2006, the headstone, which calligraphic style that only can be ‘‘It should be regarded as a A national treasure has been measures 130cm high, 50cm wide stone like it in New done by a literate person.’’ national treasure.’’ discovered under the stairwell of and 15cm deep, was found under Zealand. It should Chinese historian Dr Leslie The headstone reveals the man the the Cromwell Museum. the stairwell of the Cromwell Wong then delved into its history – Mooi Chin – came from the Toi The Cromwell Museum Trust Museum where it has sat forgot- be regarded as a with support by Topshelf Shan Province, Ning County, and director Edith McKay said the ten about – until now. national treasure.’’ Productions Ltd – a television and the Otago University’s history large hand-cut schist stone was Auckland University academic film production company work- department records show the man Dr Leslie Wong thought to be a welcome sign to and photographic specialist Dr ing on a series, Heritage Rescue. was 72 years old in 1896 and had Cromwell during the gold mining King Tong Ho visited the museum Wong discovered the head- been away from China for 46 era. in late 2015, McKay said. ‘that’s not a welcome sign. It is a stone belonged to a Cantonese years. However, it the trust’s efforts Dr King Tong Ho had a particu- headstone’.’’ man and the carving would have McKay said the film crew to sort through the museum’s lar interest in Chinese pieces so Dr King Tong Ho said he was most likely been done by Chinese spent several days at the museum archives and artefacts since it the volunteers went to the effort of amazed by the Chinese character hands because there were and Wong performed a blessing took over operation in January dragging the stone out from under on the ‘‘stonehead’’. shortcuts in the characters only a on the headstone which was now 2015, it had been revealed the the stairs. ‘‘Unlike most of the Chinese Chinese would know, he said. displayed. stone was in fact a Chinese ‘‘He took one look and said, characters on the stonehead in ‘‘There is no other stone like it First Impressions Count DRIVEWAYS – TENNIS COURTS – CAR PARKS – SUBDIVISIONS FREEPHONE 0800 525 753 www.jclasphalt.co.nz [email protected] 7139719AA 2 MIRROR, MAY 18, 2016 stuff.co.nz YOUR PAPER, YOUR PLACE did you know... The Queenstown Chamber of Commerce and Westpac are 1. SNOWSPORTS hosting this year’s Queenstown Women’s FROM ATHLETES Business Conference at the The Wanaka Ski and Snowsports Hilton on Friday. Speakers THE Club is celebrating the season’s include Cabinet Minister EDITOR success at the Lake Wanaka Centre, Paula Bennett.. on Sunday. We breed fantastic and world- 2. HUNTING class athletes in this part of the COMPETITION CONTENTS world and this week we are What’s On .......................................page 10-11 reporting news of two stars being 1 Fundraising proceeds go towards a Conversations ...................................page 12 selected for the Paralympics in Healthy Heart for Hunter Moore in Out and About .................page 13 and 18 Rio in September. Roxburgh, from Friday until Sunday Backyard Banter .............................page 16 Wanaka swimmer Hamish Nadia Lim .............................................page 19 McLean has worked incredibly 3. IMPACTS OF Dr Libby and Puzzles .................page 20 hard for inclusionand had his BACKPACKERS Sports ............................................. page 26-27 sights set on Tokyo in 2020. To achieve this goal four years A Catalyst Trust talk on the early and get the phone call while economic and social impacts of sitting at school is an incredible to do list budget backpackers, on Monday. This newspaper is achievement and testament to his 2 3 subject to NZ Press determination and ability. (For 4. TURKISH CUISINE Council procedures. more see page 9.) Speargrass Inn presents Experience A complaint must first In the same week we learned Authentic Turkish cuisine, enhanced be directed in writing, within one month of former Wakatipu High School with Central Otago Flavours, on publication, to the editor’s email address. student Curtis McGrath is also Friday. If not satisfied with the response, the heading to Rio to compete in the complaint may be referred to the Paracanoe events, following 5. ANNIE Press Council. PO Box 10-879, recent success at the Invictis Showbiz Queenstown’s 2016 The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Games (page 27). Or use the online complaint form at production has been getting rave www.presscouncil.org.nz Please I think we can get over the fact 4 5 reviews. Show continues until include copies of the article and all he is now competing for Australia Saturday. correspondence with the publication. and still claim him as one of ours. Good luck to our para-athletes. You continue to make us proud. 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QUEENSTOWN REPORTERS: Che Baker 027 284 0510, [email protected]; Dasha Kuprienko 027 405 3157, [email protected] CENTRAL OTAGO REPORTER: Jo McKenzie-McLean 027 453 5356, [email protected]; WANAKA REPORTER: Marjorie Cook 027 487 2198 [email protected] CLASSIFIEDS OR MISSED DELIVERY: Jo McDougall (03) 441 0690 [email protected] DISPLAY AD DEADLINES: 4.30pm Thursday DIGITAL EDITIONS: ntsI http://stuff.co.nz/southland-times/your-newspaper/5553916/Our-E-Editions nte stuff.co.nz/ southland-times/your-newspaper/5553916/Our-E-Editions ADDRESS: PO Box 770 Queenstown. Picture Framing WOODLOTS All works of art professionally framed & FORESTS Good range of mouldings For creative framing WANTED! with the “WOW” factor One Forest is currently purchasing Pinus Radiata and Ph 441-8405 Douglas Fir woodlots and forests now! 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A mother-of-two who helped There were a lot of kids and Cromwell revive a young girl who sunk to parents there who could see what Bowling Club the bottom of a Cromwell pool was going on.’’ member believes lessons should be learned The first aid equipment should Margaret Wilson, from the incident. have also been pool-side in case of club president Murray Wilson The girl was taken by helicop- emergencies. and winter bowls ter to Dunedin Hospital on ‘‘I had to tell one of the convener Alan Wednesday after nearly drowning lifeguards to get the Ambu Bag Cushnie. in the deep end of the Cromwell (manual resuscitator) for me. The PHOTO: JO Swim Centre. She has since been Ambu Bag and basic things like a MCKENZIE-MCLEAN discharged. foil blanket should have been Haley Roberts, a registered pool-side ready for an emerg- nurse of Cromwell, said she had ency.’’ been at the pool about five Central Otago District Council Cromwell club bucks trend minutes on Wednesday afternoon chief executive Leanne Mash said with her children when she saw a the evacuation bin with blankets woman running to the deep end of were kept pool-side outside the JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN mindset’’ and take the oppor- Cromwell ... bowlers don’t have to the pool yelling, ‘‘where is she?’’. office. tunity to play bowls in winter. put the bowls away for winter. ‘‘The mother had jumped in ‘‘This is as it’s a neutral spot While most bowlers around New ‘‘The new green is still on a They can enjoy an extended and got her off the bottom of the that is close to the pools but also Zealand have packed away their ‘running in’ process. However, season of the sport.’’ pool and passed her to a lifeguard our changing rooms and outside bowls for the winter, Cromwell with more use it will get better The club first pitched the idea who had run around.’’ evac area as more often this gear players are gearing up for a and better. For a sport that is of a new green in 2011 due to A lifeguard and Roberts would be used for centre-wide winter tournament. predominantly played in summer rising costs of maintenance, he immediately began CPR on the evacuations due to fire or some The $200,000 artificial bowling the new surface enables the club said.