A GREAT CHEISTMAS NUMBER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11195, 16 October 1899, Page 6

A GREAT CHEISTMAS NUMBER.

NOW READY. The press and the public are unanimous in their verdict that the Christmas Number of the Auckland Weekly News is the most beautiful and interesting publication ever issued in the colony. Although it was only issued a week ago many thousand copies have already been circulated, and orders keep coming in from all parts of New Zealand. This extraordinary rush for the Christmas Number is not surprising. All who have seen it acknowledge it to be the finest production of the kind that has been turned out in tie colonies. It successfully challenges comparison with the best work of the English press. Indeed, we question whether any Christmas Number produced at Home lias even approached this splendid issue in the wealth and beauty and variety of its illustrations, in the excellence of its printing. and the artistic effect of its get up. From all quarters come the most favourable and flattering opinions of the Christmas Number. The distinctive note of the Auckland Weekly News Christmas Number is its thoroughly New Zealand character. It is redolent of the soil. Its gallery of illustrations is typical of the land we live in. and its original reading matter breathes the literary spirit of the colony. The Number opens with a beautiful series of pictures, illustrative of Lord P.anfurly's official visit to the Auckland Peninsula. There are nearly thirty of them, many being of a unique character. The Premier, who accompanied His Excellency on the trip, is a prominent figure it! these illustrations. He is shown in many attitudes and situations—fishing from the side of the Government steamer Tutanekai, leading a dispatch brought by a mounted constable, and sitting in meditative mood upon a rock watching the ebbing tide. The letter-press descriptive ot the rice-regal cruise is written in a bright and interesting style, and gives a very graphic account of the incidents of the tour, and of the various places visited. A full-page picture of the Rev. S. Marsden delivering the first sermon in New Zealand is a very striking representation of a memorable scene. The Thermal Region of the North, which distinguishes New Zealand among the countries of tne world for natural wonders, is illustrated by some notable views of iikitere. Wairakei, and Mokoia. The beautitul lake country in the Rotorua district is also illustrated by scenes round Rotoiti and Rotoma. We have next a full-page picture of a stirring incident in the career of the heroic Father Rolland, followed bv a most interesting series of vieivs of netting whales on the northern coast of New Zealand. It is acknowledged that no colony can boast of such scenic charms as our own, and the numerous pictures of New Zealand scenery which the Number contains, justify its claim to be the home of the artist. Among the other illustrations of which special mention deserves to be made, are a study in contrasts, showing the Governor's youngest daughter, and a daughter of the New Zealand bush, and two excellent photographic studies. The children's page, both as regards pictures and reading matter, is exceedingly attractive and novel, and is sure to afford the youngsters unbounded delight. The humorous sketches are also very amusing and original, and the pictures of duck shooting on Lake Waikare are to the life. Altogether the illustrations are not only profuse, but of high artistic merit, and are beautifully printed.

The coloured Presentation Plate is a handsome production, in 12 colours, from a painting specially executed for this number by Captain M. T. Clayton. The subject is the historical gathering of pioneer ships in Port Xicholson, Wellington, 59 years ago, when the immigrants brought out by the Xevr Zealand Company to "form what was destined to become in after years the capital of the colony, arrived at their destination.

The literary contents of the Number are both varied and interesting, and include original contributions from several wellknown writers, among others, Mrs. M. W. S. Myers. Mr. Rudyard Kipling. Mr. D. M. Ross and Mr. W. S. Douglas. There are also children's stories, seven prize competition stories, special articles, original poems, etc.

The whole Number is full of variety, and every page is interesting. It is beautifully printed, on paper of a superior quality, and should be in the hands of everyone.