CHRISTMAS 1896.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 284, 30 November 1896, Page 6

CHRISTMAS 1896.

THE "GRAPHIC" SPECIAL

NUMBER.

THE BEST GREETING TO FRIENDS

AHIiOAD.

The special number of tho " New Zealand Graphic" has always been among the earliest; aud most welcome of our native Christmas annuals which coma to remind us of tho approach of the merry teason. 'I his year it- will bo equally timely in making its appearance, so thab our fri'jnds in fcho O.d Country need nob pass their Christmas amid frost and snow without tho reflected warmth of a Now Zealand summer which brightens its page?. Tho endeavour in this iseua has been to make it as characteristic as posaiblo of the country. As a rulo tho artists'have been told to shun the cities, which, after all, arc more reproductions of those of other lands, and to betake themselves to tho mountain?, tho forests, tho more and tho lakes, which arc nature's own, and uniquo of their kind. In following this course, tho tastes of loth New Zealand and Homo renders hns, we think, been Very correctly gauged, for ib 13 very certain thub we dwollora in cities want to forget them at Christmas time, and wo can hardly expect our friends at Home to prefer aggro gabions at colonial houses to tho natural beauties and prandour of tho country. If life is touched on it should bo tho picturesque native life, or those phases of colonial life which aro aiosb distinctive of Ne'V Zenland. These matters havo nob bean lost eight; of in the Graphic Qhristmaa number. Tho annual opens with a profusely illustrated description of Mokoir< island in Luko Rotorua. Mokoia was tho Mount Zion of the Maoris, tho sacred islo whero the nation's holiest things wore kept, the tcene of Hinomoa's devotion, and of manyanancientlegend. Tlief!radnallydisappearing forests of New Zealand givo occasion for a tine poom by Cliall Whits, which tho well-known New Zealand artist, Mr Kenneth Watkins, has elaborately ilJuHtratod. A succinct article on the golden wealth of the iiauraki Poninsula deals with a subject ofppecial inbereeb at this moment:., and that interest; is eioatly increased by the magniiiconb full pago«ngravings which accompany the paper. Waiwera, moit charming of seaside resorts, ha 3 beon visited by the artist, and its beauties transferred to tho Graphic, while in other pajjes one finds exquisite proofs that hia pencil wan busy on tho Waikato, lilount Rgsnonb, and tho unmirpassgcl mountain scenory of the Southern fiords. Onooorir tho protbieat of Maori lovu stories affords scope for pictures of tho romantic native Jifo of tho pnsti, and bhn utilitarian sido of things is touched in «n excellent papor on the kauri timber industry, with handaomo ont/ravinps. An interesting article on r» Christinas in Fiji, with nn account of coral islands, takes us for a brief space beyond the colony, bub wo aro back again in it very soon amid pictures of Wellington and the fr.moua Wanganui River. Along with the number nro issued two Bj)lendid coloured engravings, tho oho of To Heuhou'e historic pa and the other of Milford Sound by enn?et. Liko all tho Christmas coloured supplements published by tho Graphic, both aro works of art and admirably suited for framing. Tha second picture ia a particularly artistic production by a distinguished artist. Tho number can be obtained at all booksollers'. Tho price is one shilling.