BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 120, 18 February 1928, Page 25

BOOKS OF THE DAY

Two Books by T. E. Donne. Time was when practically all over New Zealand the initials “T.E.D.” were recognised as standing for a gentleman so closely connected with the Tourist Department that to most people he was, indeed, that Department personified. . For many years, however, Mr. Donne has lived in ringland, where, as secretary to the High Commissioner, and, since his retirement from that office, a New Zealander who never tires of making his native land and its many attractions and advantages more widely and fully known, he has done the Dominion splendid service. Mr. Donne, of late years, has devoted himself largely to literary work, the latest evidence of his industry in this direction being found in two handsome volumes from his pen, entitled respectively “The Maori Past and Present,” and “Rod Pishing in New Zealand Waters” (Seiley, Service, and Company). Many books have been written relating wholly or largely to the Native race, its origin, and its development, by various stages, to its present state of a very high standard of civilisation, that no one who peruses Mr. Donne’s volume on the Maoris can deny that he has been successful in investing a fairly well-worn subject with a new, much widened, and in many features quite fascinating interest. It is possible that other writers have dealt with the advent of the Maori to New Zealand from a point of view more strictly in accordance with latter-day researches in Maori antiquity. But Mr. Donne, without posing as a high ethnological authority, retells the early history of the Maoris in New Zealand in a singularly satisfying and agreeable form, his account of tlieir customs and ways of living, art, methods of warfare and other characteristics, mental of physical, being not only usefully informative but eminently readable. There is never anything pedantic about Sir. Donne's descriptions of that fine native aboriginal race of which we New Zealanders are so proud. His narrative is well ordered and equally well sustained in a very liumaii interest. Every possible phase of Maori life, in its past and present stages, is here described in picturesque prose, and to New Zealanders themselves, as well as to the outer world, the record contains a vast bulk of pleasantly worded information 'in detail, not a little of which will be new to most readers. A very agreeable feature of the book is the author’s command of a genial humour which is often so . characteristically reflected in the Maoris’ point of view upon life. The Maori is naturally a verv* genial soul, and Mr. Donne is verv successful in making this clear to those who do not have an intimate acquaintance with the race. Apart altogether from the freshness, vivacity, and general buoyancy of the narrative, Mr. Donne’s book must be greatly esteemed for its weatli of well presented illustrations. The portraits of Maori chieftains and Maori maidens, the pictures of native pas, gatherings, weapons, and costumes, to mention only a few subjects, have been wisely chosen and well produced, several line drawings of considerable ethnological interest being contributed by Mr. W. S. Percy, an excellent map having been supplied by the New Zealand Government. (N.Z. price, 275. Gd.) To the second book, “Rod Fishing i" New Zealand Waters,” which has been written by Mr. Donne, a column of notes from the pen of that well-known Dominion writer “T.D.IL,” has appeared, and gave an adequate idea of the many excellent features of a volume than which no more useful work on the subject has yet appeared. For long the secretary of the Tourist Department, of which, indeed, he was practically the founder, Mr. Donne, himself one of the kez-nest of sportsmen, alike with rod and gun, early recognised the attractions the Dominion has to offer to the angler from abroad. He now affords the visiting fisherman not only a detailed and reliable guide to the fishing waters of New Zeaalnd, but gives a mass of general information which must be most‘’useful to those who visit our shores. Like the volume on “The Maori,” the second book, is well written, and contains quite a host of humorous stories and anecdotes. (N.Z. price, 165.)

Lord Grey as Bird Lover. Not for some time lias been published so delightful a book on nature study, in particular cu the appearance, the songs, the habits of English birds, as “lhe Charm of Birds,” by \ iseount Grey cl I'alloden (Hodder and Stoughton). Al one time, more particularly on the outbreak of the Great War, Sir Edward (now Viscount) Grey, was probably the most prominent figure in the Empire, but since his semi-retirement from politics, we have read more of him as a man devoted to those two delightful hobbies, angling, and bibliophily. Now this new book of his proves him to be as ardent and discerning a lover of birds, and keen student of ornithology as he is known to be the most enthusiastic of Isaak Walton's disciples. Lord Grev here shows himself a most acute observer of bird life, and not only that, but a writer who can communicate much of his own enthusiasm in oi inthology to his reader. He has, he tells us, “taken refuge in the hypothesis that there is, in Nature, some tendency or purpose ever at work for the sake of creating infinite variety,” and that almost limitless variety--the birds song, tlieir flight, nesting, and courting habits, can be found in bird life, is made verv pleasantly manifest in the book. Lord Gley traces bird life month by month, adding much new information as to the seasonal food, habits and wavs of the various birds. His list of his own favourites comprises the nightingale, blackbird, black cap, curlew, and eider drake, but he seems to have found interest and pleasure exceeding in his studv of birds all and sundry. That this ardent bird lover has a lively sense of humour is made clear by manv passages in his delightful book. Tn the opening chapter Lord Grev refers to the sharp notes of the great tit. To one who . knows Ins wavs “the sharpness of his notes suggests that of his beak.” He had same traps in the garden kept for rats and other small nuisances. One of these traps was the scene of an ornithological tragedy. It was easy from the outside to find the way in, but difficult from the inside to find the exit. Into one of these traps had entered a dunnock (hedge sparrow), and a "reat tit. Presumably the tit had entered first, and the tit had come later, attracted by seeing the cage occupied. Whether the tit entered with fell design, or whether, having entered, he was roused bv what Shakespeare calls “vile opportunity.” we cannot tell, but the resu,lt is known. When, m due course, I visited the trap, the dunnock was a pitiful sight. Tt lay dead, the skull was broken, and the brain had been eaten. The great tit alone was alive, a patent nad thriving murderer. “What did vou do with the horrible tit? ’ Madam, T set him free, not feeling competent to assess his moral re-

sponsibility in the matter! Lord Grey’s book, presented in exceptionally tasteful format by the publishers, contains a number of woodcuts, many in the good old Bewick style, by Mr. Robert Gibbings. (165.). Miscellaneous.

In 1926 two experienced Canadian students and observers of economic and industrial conditions, Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Williams, made a lengthy journey in Russia, where they inspected various public and social institutions, studying the questions of education, divorce, measures of social welfare, child-care, and various other subjects, as they found them manifested in Soviet Russia. In their volume. “Russia in 192 G” (J. M. Dent and Company), they give an interesting account of their investigations, their description of their trip being prefaced by a useful historical and geographical summary, and followed by an interesting estimate of probable developments in Russia. (Is. Gd.). One of the most popular of American lady journalists, is the lady whose essays and articles, signed Dorothy Dix, are so widely syndicated in the United States and Canada. “Dorothy Dix, Her Book, Being everyday help for everyday people” (Funk and Wagnails Company; per Dymock, Sydney) comprises a selection from the author’s many messages of “cheer and wit and wisdom” for young and old, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sweethearts and wives. Mrs. Dix deals with many problems of life, and gives in her essays much wise and wittily conveyed counsel.