"THE. FRENCH IN AKAROA"

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 102, 26 October 1929, Page 25

"THE. FRENCH IN AKAROA"

Mr. T. Lindsay ' Buick, author of "Tho French at Akaroa," writes to tho Editor explaining that in that work ho printod certain references to Charles Meryon, tho French artist. Among these were some letters written by Meryon to his father, whilo he was a junior officer on board the !E*ronch corvette, Le Ehin, stationed at Akaroa in 1844; and a footnote on page 264, detailing a list of Meryon's Akaroa etchings. Mr. Buick found theso letters, he writes, in an article entitled, "Charles Meryon, a French artist in New Zealand," writton by Miss Dora Wilcox (now Mrs. Moore, of Manly, Now South Walos), and published in "United Empire," an English magazine, of Octobor, 1921. He writes, "The lotters were, I now understand, discovered by Miss Wilcox in tho British Museum, translated by her, and published as part of an appreciation of Meryon and his art. The footnote was, I find, portion of anothor article written by Miss Wilcox, and published in the Press some years ago. I regret exceedingly that the reference to Miss Wilcox, and her work in connection with Meryon, at tho foot of page 204, is not sufficiently explicit, and that through an unfortunate oversight on my part I did not fully acknowledge my indebtedness to Miss Wilcox and 'United' Empire.' It was my intention to do so in the Bibliography printed ai the end of the book, in which there are somo 96 references, but when this was prepared, the articles written by Miss Wilcox as well as 'United Empire' wero inadvertently omitted. I have already expressed my regrets to Mrs. Moore at my failure to do her justice in this connection, and my intention to do so at the first opportunity. I havo. also asked the Editor of the Literary Supplement of 'The Times' to publish an acknowledgment similar to this; but as I understand that Mrs. Moore Btill feels very keenly upon the matter lam asking you'to assist ?t? •? I u?? xer. according to her and to United Empire' that measure of recognition to which they are entitled and which they did not reeeivo at the l? 16! -,a?, d iu tho Wfty I intended they should.'" J