Awards for work on regional history

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33675, 26 October 1974, Page 7

Awards for work on regional history

* Two books and one article have won the the 1974 J. M. Sherrard awards for studies in New Zealand regional history.

The books are “Port Preservation,” by A. C. and N. C. Begg, published by Whitcombe and Tombs, and “Palmerston North: a Centennial History,” by G. -C. Petersen, published by A. H. and A. W. Reed. The article is B. W. Pritchard’s “Music in Canterbury,” in “A History of Canterbury, Volume II,” published by the Canterbury Centennial Historical and Literary Committee.

The awards were set up to commemorate the work ot the late J. M. Sherrard, author of “Kaikoura, a History of the District,” and to encourage studies tn New Zealand regional history. .This is the second award made, and the period of eligibility was 1972-73. The judges were Mr A. G. Bagnall (former chief librarian of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington), Mr P. J. Gibbons, (lecturer in history at the University of Waikato) and Mr W. J. Gardner (reader in history at the University of Canterbury). Three books were considered worthy of an award, but were ineligible after the death of the author. They were: “Ashburton: a History of Town and Country,”: “Ashburton Borough and County Council, 1972” by W. H. Scotter; Sections II and 111 of “A History of Canterbury, Volume II,” also by W. H. Scotter, and “The Wanganui Story,” Wanganui Newspapers, 1972, by M. J. G. Smart (and A. P. Bates). A fourth book was ineligible because the author was one of the judges, but was considered worthy of an award by the other two judges: “Okiwi, an Outline History,” by A. G. Bagnall, Mahina Press, 1972.