ANSWER: The 555 receiver was patented in 1926 as the very first loud speaker in the world. in time for the first talking pictures in 1927. The Western Electric company commissioned their two best men Wente and Thuras to create a 'loud speaking telephone'. With no permanent magnets available this heavy object created the magnets with large copper coils. It only produced a gentle sound through a 25mm diaphragm but this was enough to drive a very large horn placed behind the theatre screen.' Loud speaking telephone' got shortened to' loud speaker' and then to' speaker' which we use today.

ANSWER: 1901 REPLICA GROUT CYCLE CAR This is a ¾ size replica of a Cycle Car. From 1901 to 1904 over a hundred cycle companies in the USA began producing cars. However they were not robust enough to survive the rough roads of the day and they quickly ceased production but they were an episode in the history of the Motor Car. This replica was built from a picture in a magazine, in 1976, to provide a ride experience in one of these vehicles and has been used at Live Days and Parades ever since.

ANSWER: ALEXANDER SAWMILL TANGYE ENGINE This is a single cylinder diesel engine with a piston diameter of over 300mm The engine without the flywheel weighs 2 tons and the Flywheel 3 tons. It develops 175 hp at 275 rpm drove the entire sawmill at Opouteke through a drive chain of belts and pulleys.It has been completely restored by Merv Birchall who is standing alongside it, and operates on Open Days. It came originally from White Island where it was involved in sulphur mining. One of our projects is to get the entire mill up and operating again. Any offers of help appreciated.

ANSWER: MAIN STREET KAIKOHE This is one of the earliest photos we have of Kaikohe main street and dates from the late 1880s. A diary entry from a young man called Robert Procter who walked through Kaikohe in 1888 remarked that, back then, there was nowhere to get a meal!!.  a huge difference to today. The Kaikohe Hotel was not built until 1890 and the nearest Hotel was Taheke.

BONE OR IVORY BROOCH This beautiful Bone or Ivory Brooch was donated amongst the collection of Kaumatua Fergie Neilson and is probably quite old. It is of grapes and a grape vine and is 80mm long 35mm wide and 8mm deep. We also don't know who owned it before this. If anyone can help we would be most grateful.

ANSWER: This pistol powder flask is only 4 inches long as against 8 inches for other powder flasks. Note by J R Lee, probably pistol powder flask

ANSWER: Called muzzle loading as it was loaded from the muzzle. In general, the sequence of loading is to put in first gunpowder, by pouring in a measured amount of loose powder, historically mostly by using a powder flask (or powder horn), The gunpowder used is typically black powder. Typically two types of gunpowder (and two flasks) were needed, as the priming powder for the pan was finer than the coarse powder used for the main charge behind the ball.

Wadding, is made from felt, paper, cloth or card and has several different uses. In smooth bore muskets and pistols wadding was used primarily to hold the powder in place.

ANSWER: Maioha, a cousin of Potatau Te Wherowhero, the first Maori King. Te Tuhi was a second cousin of Tawhiao, Te Wherowhero's successor, and served him as editor, warrior, secretary and adviser. This copy of the painting Goldie did of him was donated by the Maioha Family to be mounted in Maunganui the Maioha cottage as he was one of their Tupuna.