HUGH WALPOLE'S CHRONICLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 249, 21 October 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

HUGH WALPOLE'S CHRONICLE.

ITOTE SHORT STORIES. VARIOUS NOVELS. 1 On page one "Cyrano" reviews "Cricket Stories," a collection made by Herbert Marshall. i" Readers are reminded that entries for i the Christmas story competition of the - "Auckland Star" close on November 1. The modern holiday dress of men and ' women seems to me altogether com--1 mendable. It is rational, healthy and ' good to look upon.—The Bishop of St. Edmunds'bury. I confess to an uncomfortable feeling , that the liberties for which our leading Socialists are pleading so passionately in Germany will become non-existent here as soon as they have obtained complete control of the Government.—Mr. Francis W. Hirst. Those who possess, or, not possessing, have read, the first volume of tho sumptuously planned "Legendis. of the Maori," series, written by Mr. James Cowan and the late Sir Maui Pomare, will be interested to learn that the second' volume will be published early in the New Year by Harry H Tombs, Ltd., Wellington. This volume was written by Sir Maui Pomare, and' is his only book. It will contain "Tho Saga of Tainui,'* from the making of the canoe onwards; a history of Rauparaha's expeditions; a section on Polynesian history; Maori legends; pakeha-Maori tales; and Maori proverbs and songs; concluding with a description of Sir Maui Pomare's burial at Manukoriki, and the tributes paid to him. Mr. James Cowan is editing the volume.

THE ATTSTRAUCATT NATIVE. TWO NOTABLE BOOKS. The process of educating England and Australia in knowledge of Australia goes on apace. William Hatfield, of "Sheepmates" fame, has now published through Angus and Kob'ertson "Desert Saga," which should spread the truth about the much-abused aboriginal. This author has written the biography of an exceptionally brave and intelligent native, and allows the story to demonstrate colonial life aa seen from the native point of view. The native medicine, tribal laws, social customs, and sex taboos, are all explained. The tribes vary in physique and mentality, and those of the north are different from those of the south, but Mr. Hatfield has credited them all with some good qualities, and shown some as poets, and as having a wonderful kinship with Nature. Apart from tribal warfare most evil grows among the partly civilised; who, torn away from the anchorage of native laws and religion, are not held to white standards, and become mongrel in character. Following this excellent criticism of the aboriginals comes Mr. lon Idriess' "Drums of Mer" (same publishers), a most exciting story of the Far North of the Great Barrier and the islands beyond. Mr. Idriess is a powerful writer, who puts fire and sparkle into his descriptions and romance into his travels. The nearer one gets to the equator the stranger the lives encountered, and this author has based his story on fact 3 carefully verified and by personal investigation. The wild natives of these tropical latitudes might belong to another planet, so weird their appearance and modes of thought, of worship and of war. To read the "Drums of Mer" is to feel the heat, meet the people and share the life of this ■ almost unknown part of the Empire. We hesitate to make a complaint, but the author might well have omitted the unnecessary horrors of a native execu- ' tion. They are repulsive and give no useful information.