STRANGE STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 251, 22 October 1937, Page 9

STRANGE STORY.

BOOK COMES HOME.

COLLECTOR SURPRISED.

HAD BEEN SOLD BY FATHER.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspond! nt.) WELLINGTON, this day. I lie remarkable story of how an old book came home was told to "The Dominion" by Mr. F. I. Jones, a Wanganui collector who specialises in New Zealand historical works and fiction. His father, the late Mr. H. 1. Jones, established a business in 1800. and eight years later sold a copy of the Hev. Richard Taylor's "New Zealand Past and Present" to Mr. Henry Lyon, of 1 litaeuui, or Marlon as the town is now called. Recently, Mr. Jones received a pared of secondhand book.s from a dealer in Scotland and was astonished to tiud in it the copy oi "New Zealand Past and Present" that had been sold by his father in 18t!rt.

The book is in an excellent stnte of preservation, but even more remarkable is the original receipt, dated September 1. iMti.S. and handed to Mr. Lyon bv Mr. Joues' father. This slip 'of paper, slightly yellow with age but otherwise well preserved, was still in the book and had evidently been used to mark the pages. What happened to the volume after it left Mr. Lyons possession and how it came to be in Scotland, are nilknown.

In MI.II Mr. .Toiler took over it small stock of' New Zealand books which he has boon gradually increasing. making many of liis purchases in (Ireat Britain. His father. Henry Ireson .Tones, was a well-known Wanganui resident and a peivonul friend of the Kev. Richard Taylor, one of tlie pioneer Anglicin missionaries in tlie district, in April. 154.5, Air. laylor arrived at Wanganui from the Hay of Jslands. to .succeed the Kev. Mr. Mason at the Putiki mission station. For many years Mr. Taylor lived in the Wanganui district, and some of his descendants are still living in the city.

Link with Missionary. "New Zealand Past and Present'' was published by William Mackintosh, London, in 1808, and as a gesture of appreciation Mr. Taylor included the name of Henry Ireson Jones 011 the title page. r ° *J° nes was evidently in the Rangitikei district selling advance copies of Mr. Taylor s book, for the receipt reads: '1 September, 1808. Received from Mr. Lvon, Tutacnui, 12/0 for a copy of Mr. I aylor s 'Past and Present of New Zealand.' If. Ireson Jones. In adva nee."

Mr. Taylor was also the author of "Te Ika a Maui.' or "New Zealand and Its Inhabitants," another old volume which collectors value to-day. His "Xew Zealand Pant and Present," however, dealt with colonial life at the time and earlier incidents in the young country's history, particularly those associated with Wanganui. He described also how he took a Maori chief named Hipango to England and presented him to Queen Victoria nnd her consort, Prince Albert. Hipango, by the way, was known as John Williams. He was chief of the Xgati-tu* Mango hapu. nnd one of the most influential Maoris in the district. His son, in later years, presented Hipango Park to the citizens of Wanganui for use as a picnic ground.