COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1212, 24 May 1895, Page 18

COLONIAL INSTITUTE.

From Our Special Correspondent. London, March 29.

Afternoon meetings do not seem much in favour with Fellows of the Royal Colonial Institute, and there was but a limited attendance in the library on Tuesday at 4.30, when the veteran Mr James Bonwick read a paper on “ The Writing of Colonial History.” A better title would have been “ James Bonwick and his Contributions to Colonial History,” as that was the real subject of the lecture. After a few words of introduction and the assertion that Australian history was not without its myths, the reader got to business and his own books. He recapitulated the latter from “ The Last of the Tasmanians ” (begun in 1841, though not published till 30 years later) to “ The Romance of the Wool Trade.” The difficulties in the pursuit of information were shown in certain adventures. But an interesting list was given of persons who had afforded him news. Among these acquaintances were the founders of Congregationalism in New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria and Adelaide; the first authorised Catholic priest of Sydney, and the first of Melbourne; the founder of Presbyterianism in Sydney, of Methodism in Adelaide, of Baptists and Friends in Australia ; former Protectors of Aborigines; men figuring in the Black War and the Settlement of Melbourne, primitive editors enduring press penal laws: besides a number of Tasmanian aborigines, including the last of her race. Not satisfied with what had been done in Colonial History, Mr Bonwick tried to induce different Australian Governments to follow the noble precedent of Canada, andestablish Record Offices in their capitals. Several partially responded, though New South Wales resolved to have an “Official History,” and appointed him archivist to work up materials for it in this country. The different places in London where the archivist has to seek for facts of history were then detailed,zand especial reference was made to the Record Office, the British Museum, the Colonial Office Library, and other departments of the Public Service, in addition to the archives of the several missionary institutions, and the Catholic Westminster archives at the Oratory. Private letters, referring to early Australian leaders, as Governor Phillip, Dr Bass, Captain Waterhouse, and others, were inspected ; and grateful reference was made to Mr Pownall of Russell square, Lord Percy, and Lord Fitzmaurice for their courtesy with manuscripts. The kind attention of museum officials, and of Mr Hall of the Record Office, was also acknowledged. Some curious stories were told of shameful negligence in the preservation of official documents here and in the colonies. London was praised as the Mecca of visiting Australians, who would find in it and its neighbourhood the graves and monuments of Governors Hunter, . King, and Bligh ; of Vancouver, the navigator; of Lord Sydney, and of the first preacher or chaplain in Australia.