Nephrite jade was considered more valuable than gold or silver. Nephrite jade in New Zealand is known as "pounamu" in the Māori language, and is highly valued, playing an important role in Māori culture. It is considered a "taonga", or treasure, and therefore protected under the Treaty of Waitangi. The exploitation of it is restricted to Ngai Tahu and closely monitored. The South Island of New Zealand is "Te Wai Pounamu" in Māori — "The [land of] Greenstone Water" — because that is where it occurs. Weapons and ornaments are made of it; in particular the "mere" (short club), and the
Ornamental turning of ornamental turning and to restore, maintain and use the old equipment or, to adapt modern lathes for ornamental turning. Some are even bringing the hobby right up-to-date by building computer-controlled O.T. lathes. The accepted definitive published work on ornamental turning is the book "Turning and Mechanical Manipulation", by Charles and John Jacob Holtzapffel. Volume 5, entitled “The Principles and Practice of Ornamental or Complex Turning” is considered to be the "bible" of ornamental turning but there is much related information in the other volumes. Other useful books include: "Ornamental Turning", by J.H.Evans, "The Lathe & Its Uses", by J