Stupefying facts

Press, 6 February 1982, Page 15

Stupefying facts

Strange Facts and True About New Zealand. By Patricia Chapman. Dunmore 1981. 210 op. Index. $9.95. Stupefying New Zealand Trivia. By Dale Williams. Collins, 1981. 48 pp. $3.95.

(Reviewed by

Alec Saunders)

It was refreshing — almost a relief — to discover Dale Williams’ slim book after an uneasy journey through Patricia Chapman’s work. Even the latter’s title makes me uneasy: when is a fact not true? — Perhaps when presented in Patricia Chapman s book? She is astray on details relating to the Mount Erebus crash (ex Auckland), and the scuttling of the Admiral Graf Spee. Persistent misspellings of placenames (including Lyttelton) are an irritation. However, she does provide a wealth of sometimes little-known detail of New Zealand life, which we in our modesty, embarrassment, or ignorance, tend to overlook.

She has also compiled a useful index — almost a necessity in such a book — but her sources of information are sketchy: a dozen lines for 200 pages of text. On "the other hand Dale Williams omits an index, but provides almost two columns of sources and acknowledgements for only 47 pages. Neither can agree when New Zealand’s first talking picture show was presented. The two are at variance over the fate of the original Ferrymead rail line; I believe history is on the side of Dale Williams here.

While her often witty presentation may compensate for a lack of quantity. Dale Williams could perhaps improve her book by including yet more “Stupefying Trivia.”

On the other hand. Patricia Chapman’s more serious work needs a greater attention to detail, with more thorough research to ensure that her strange “facts” are, indeed, true.