BOOK NOTICE.

Evening Star, Issue 10339, 12 June 1897, Page 1

BOOK NOTICE.

Tkt Art WorljiuoukipAtf At Maori Bate t» New Zealand. By Augustas Hamfltoe, Registrar of the University of Otago, Dunedin. Printed and published lor the Board of Governor* of the New Zealand Institute by Fargaawn and Mitchell, Princes street, Dunedin. PaxtL

The first instalment of a work in fire parts on Maori art workmanship does great credit to the enterprise of the New Zealand Institute, and to the publishers, oar fellowtownsmen, Messrs Fergasson and Mitchell. In undertaking such a work the Institute does much to redeem its somewhat waning reputation—waning through the steady decline in the character of its annual Tofoaae —and makes a forward step towards that position which it ought to -hold among the institutions of the country. Mr Hamilton, the author of this work, is nothing if not thorough, and into it he has thrown all the skill and care of which he is so capable. This part treats of the canoes of the Maoris, giving a list of all oanoes which, according to Maori tradition, have borne immigrants to New Zealand. These are over ninety in number, though only a few met—as Tainui, Arawa, Takituno, Aotea, Matnari, etc.—are popularly known. These names are carefully treasured, with scraps of history or myth, by the tribes which claim descent from their people. It is now impossible to determine the exact hktorical nature of these ancient narratives, bat it is probable that some of them actually narrate the origin of a people who long ago came hither by sea. - There is farther a vocabulary of canoe-words. This may in the future prove of value to the comparative philologist, who may find in it the means of tracing the migrations of these people, A few of these words in our own tongue give volumes of unwritten history— e.g., "starboard," «" e., the steer-board, on which the helmsman sat to watch the Pole star, from which (as it never changed it* place) he would take his course. This points back to a time before our savage ancestors bote down on the flanks of the Roman Empire. I "Rudder," from the German word for an oar, " poop," from the Latin for a ship, and ! many others, like " deck " and " sprit," show our intercourse with foreign shipbuilders. The illustrations of this part include technical drawings of the parts of a canoe, and reproductions from photographs of a magnificent selection of prows, stern pieces, and other carved ornamental objects. Of the delicacy with which these have been reproduced we cannot speak too highly. Apart from its scientific value the work will take a first place as a work of art. We understand that the photographs relied on are chiefly those of Mr Frost, of George street. Of the beauty of the carvings illustrated we need only say that they represent some of the choicest pieces of Maori art It would be difficult to find anywhere more beautiful work than that shown in the stern pieces figured in plates 7 and 8. Maori art is varied and to some extent free from conventionalism. It certainly deserves to be perpetuated, and might well be imitated for such purposes as decorating parts of houses and furniture. Such a work as this renders it possible to make its character known both at home and abroad. In publishing to the world the objects here figured the author and the New Zealand Institute have performed a genuine service, and we hope that the same care and energy will be thrown into the production of future parts. ______________