IDEAS IN INK:

NZ Truth, Issue 472, 4 July 1914, Page 12

IDEAS IN INK:

COMPILATION OF NEW> ZEALAND'S HISa'ORY.I .

t s ''The Treaty of^Waitangi, or How v% - ' New Zealand-b ecame a British, - r Colony,'f 1> by T. Lindsay B.uick, „" ' of "Old Marlborough," j : "Old Manawatu," and "An Old ' New Zealander." " Wellington, •■* S. and W." Mackayl "Sk, "■.-;'."■■■■ historians of the, British Empmre, .wien., thei,off springs of the Mother Lan&rhaye. reached:^ sufficient maturity &&rio'^}& granted equality of rights m the.fCouncils of the Nation, and when one'central government will control the destinies^jf-'a^tworld-ericircllng" confededation, .will owe ya'debt of gratitude to Mr-T. Lindsay Buick for his admirable handling. o"£ the story of the "Treaty of Waitangi." Mr.' Buick hastreate^ his stfbject with the calmness ancku'nprejudice*of a juiiiiciat.mind that reminds one^.of Ktnglake'sv classic "History of theCrunea.!' ;iit spite of. a mass of. absolutely necessary-detail, dry-as-dust to the ordinary ; reader, the story has a thread of ' rbmUace running through it' that leads the- bpok-loyer along to the verylast pagei ' In, the preface, th^ au-; thor^says.'^No attempt, has been made here-^o -tell- the whole story. All that I have^trjedf to do -ip to get back to the beginning at thingsV to the birth of law and order, tqithevgenesis 'of the day when.- we were able'to say to;the Mother liand, >We. wilitT-build ( you a, preads nought^and yet|anotner;if needs, must.* "' Again,. 'l*have%otr attempted to ar'-> raign-. or- to. def fend . the various, . real or alleged^" breaches •" of the treaty com - A inide^d>»by oiir Gpyernors and Governmenta. That' jihasfe of the. subject is necessarily .so. controversial' m- character that tos-dch.lt. justice.' would- require a volume-, of .itSjjown.;' • The. first threesections, 'inVthte Beginning," "Seekinga Way,"* and "Finding a Way," dealing^ with the- early^llistory' ofrNew Zealaiidt andHhfi*eventSiimmeciiately,iead / ing up to th&fambus^Treaty^are*so ; 'well done as to niaTk»outj:the,author r .as;one''wh6 coulSfittmglyitakejiip.the task as writer ofca cOmpleTlifhikorx of New Zealand. The I chapte^ihei^ed ><< The,Ma6ri'Magna Charta,' vpresentsisomeinteresting,slde-lights-on*Maori!characterand-customs. and ' reveaJs in#a*strikmg light the in-^ nate i oratory*.o^thej<rajce. For' instance, at the'historicii?nee|ink-"between^ndtive chiefs and Capijtain Hpbson, Lieutenr* ant-Gp^Jioi:'9;t4the NNcrw r possession^, for th&;^urpos^i6)Misning 'the* Treaty, Tareha ■-. " was-' e^iry one ofnhe largest x^tiv^4n.thfi>N^r|hrfandshad';been.one df erocious- :• cannibals. He seldom^Jbu^^ed^himse"^^^"" 01^ 111 ?^ and, ' on this- occasion, \ as if to* show how i^dependei^e^as- of is«oh<Euro^ M^BSsi' luxuries iboi appeaiedt with no- / tnlng :: raorer:than*a -dirty piece, of old' • matting fastened 1 around his, waist-"* After' haranging > the- assemblage m .a, deep?sepxdchmr->K>icevlorsome«time, he dangled ihis^banch.of fern-root m the air :^ a^.pTootttibatv his»^JguMentt w^ not»wd£tliout?f oMitdation— See;..Qasidaony food, the -foo* o£" ! ; ; J jthe»food>-of | the na--tive< people.! Pphaw r Governor, to think^frtetoptingnnen—^os->nativea .-^■with^^aiteUolfctlothing-and-food! •See* X say dhiefs! > If all' Twere-^o-D^auiceHalh^qTial^nwank - ■withftbeW il bufc'yio u »' tne Governor, up^jgh-T^ip^up^as'this^ tall; paddle .. ana X tdoJwn>< unjder > .i>eneath — No^. • ' "no^inol' : '. \";■,'■ ;■ ■ . .-' •; .-. *m& friends^ of . the^ put up-v as powerfnl foU7-to*lTareha m the-T>erson bC!Hone^H«ke X the nephew- and;son-in-ia^^^Bkua^-a3Jd> admittedly one- oL . theimbstrinflneritlaUmen, both;t>y lhae-ag&.iaTid-actdevemenl:, 'in^^ all 'the North. "■ H&^began-'iBL thatsinystical manner>so mncJkJ>etteved<by7Maori» or taors : — TO'Taise^^ip^or^to- bring>down? To raise«iip' < -or'r to bring"' down? Which? Who^fknows^, Sit^ Gov*.ernor» sit. Jfflhou shouldßtJreturn* we nativeswaTe^gone^utterty^^one, . nottiinged,- extinct. What, then* , shall •weidot^Who*are»we2Cßemain, Goveroor^ifatSer^towisl In the-cbapter?*ln»fSearch-c(C |i^igna-^ • tures," the.; tPoutjde- ia." getUng every 1 name 'taiasHkcameni^.conseqoents«upon^ the commm»ak>system*-oQ- ■•■! all-, lands wei^rt^^fe^^efltibKMi^tA-out,, Visits ha6t<to<t)e^pald^too»all the»iinter-: ested. tribes; J&fHfrnrakl, Aperahama, Taonu^-a^poweidSt|tocttief;™ade^aTSfr^ ing' speech^" He«iiasftrfand»said:— • WeraEO»gUed>tio«se©»tho Governor,., i Lot hlnwcome^t(> < b©«».jGovernor t0,,---jthe Pakebas^:. j^s^locus-wo; -want { mo Govecnois'fwe^wai*be.»our own " Governarl How«dO'the Pakehas bchavb'to*the^b3acfc-fellows m Port Jackson?' They treat, them liko dogs! See,- a I?rtkeha kills^a pig, tho blaokTfollpTOiir-come% and eata the refueel. • . ~^ , Tho AppendlXvConjtainsia^valuable collectionof- historical ; documents wliich arc of gneat)servltilo. to a,propor-under-BtandingjofnhjO'niareh of events. But why, ohl-whyiiMr- Author^is' there, non indox? Sucbia contribution to the history 6tj'Ao-te-roa, a volume that will bo- referred to by searchers m the ■ Xuture,i-needS'an^ index, and 'that a most I exhaustive one. However, this deficiency can easily bo remedied ih ( the ' future, ' Mr. Buick is to ■bo heartily • congratulated pn»HiSi effort, which Is a dlstinotfadvanco on *hls first book,' and." points t<& thq- faot that m no distant future- ho* will tnnko a- solid name for 1 himseltias a- -historian.

"Economic Notes on English. AgricultuntrWages;*"by Mr.'-Roginald L.ennard/.ls^describod by tho "Manchester "'Guardian" as*'an admirable piece ot ■work, precisely tho kind of- study that •' i«incodcd^foxvtho successful examination of -the modern problem." TheteathoT'ho» endeavored to answer the question, whothon it is possible to raiso agricultural -wages In England, • without Cho*>advantages of the i change 1 being* out-weighed by disadvantageous con«cqucnccs. Jloro particularly, the argument Is-concerncd with the- policy of establishing* minimum agricultural wago-catc» by law. No -attempt ls< . mttdo-UGosaußCiftho' poverty of tho.farm. laborci' or E to- estimate Uio distresses of bis ioCxiXcepC indeed. In* so far as a conaltloraUon- oftheso Uilnga is essentials to4tho*«conomlc argument. Mr. Lonnard'»«peasonfor'thu»^inrttlnK the Inqutry'is a simplo- one. Ho bel loves that a. dcmonatraHon-.'ot tho possl-< billty of Improvomlcnt is^a sutuclent reason .for action, without tbo sentKjmsntalx* appeal provided Tt»y*V». tale *of borron It>ls interesting to* note that tho essay.- cay which tho*prcsenk work'; was fpuiidod > haH beesa^ awarded the Boolalßosoarcb Prte<S of £100*byrtho. london^Schoolvof'Bconomtes. , In using thoftorm*""Bnglißh./Agricui->j tural I^aboror'*' tluyiiiiulhor moons cx-^ actly what-*hO' flays. Too -many English tiuthotn and English politicians j •when -using tho- term, applyit to Scot- 1 land as vwtt>A«.l3nislaiid,:ana*thO'aian«:j nick nmno? ""Hodgo* Is also goncraUy tf& applied. Tho«ej.''persons 4utvo been no Txnobsonwutt wnot-to notl«o that thenr are-itO" '"Hodge*'* and- no "farm.} laborers^Hn>Bcotland^ In lh<v>north«rn> jdngxioiue«SS«3S^

.farm will respond to .the ; title of "ploughman" or "farm servant," but to no other. And as -the wages are more nearly that of a town worker, the attitude towards the employer is very different. It may be illustrated by Dean ■Ramsay's story of the boy who" stood m, the market place to be hired. A farmer addressed him, "Wba wisyour last maister?" "Yonder he is," pointed the youth. - After a conversation with the late employer, the' farmer returned to the lad. "Weel, laddie," said he, ■ "I've been speerin' aboot ye, and I'm ' to- tak* ye." "Ou ay,", replied the lad, "an 1 I've been speerin' > aboot ye to, an' i I'm no' gaun." . , •'. ' «-'"■ : ' ' ' '• . '. ■■ • '. ... '■ i ' ' In, his new work on '.'The Ownership, Tenure, and Taxation .of Land," Sir Thomas P. Whittaker has brought within' the compass pt a single volume a~ great mass of -information which has hitherto- been scattered over a .wide area of books, papers, and reports,,and the book should therefore prove especially,; valuable to the man of small leisure who is desirous of studying the] lattdiquestion.' . The general attitude of the author m persuing his inyestigations may be gathered from the'following remarks, with which his book is brought to an end. . . If the solution of the many complieated*and thorny problems-which surround those phases of owner- . ship; tenure, arid taxation of land which 'we 1 have 'been considering, is approached with knowledge and a fair mind, avoiding on the one hand any idea that land and-land-owners are sacrosanct and • that • our- land laws and customs come, down from "Sinai, and on the" other any desire to foment class hatred or promote a policy of pillage of one section of the community for •the supposed benefit of the other, •' I there is no reason why, with very general assent, there, should not be such changes made and such conditions established as would "bring about mucbr-needed, improve-' ments:that .would /benefit the whole community, and .not least that pa- : tienl and long-suffering • class of' humble .and extremely worthy folk who cultivate the soil of'-our^couni •' try. • : ■ ''■""':■' ?The/'book.ought to-,be,on« the shelves ofSalh those who«*take any interest;. in. ' the * live) questions of the- day, one of the liveliest of which m all lands is :.tne:Land*Questkm. ; . • , . •• 'y .a The -story of. the- South- African War is now an oft-told rtale, but there is a special interest-attaching to "A.. Captain of the Gordons" (Sampson Lowv ■ 10/6, net) which,-«edited by his mother and sisjter, gives.- the experiences and im-» .pressibns>bf* Captain D. S. .Miller, who after- passing through the Boer .War, died- as- a result otlhe hardships of the SomalUand Campaign m 1903. . Writing vof>the3oer "Wer^he-remarkfl:— „ War is a fearful- thing: The ac- . tual- action, is^not-so bad, but the, . ' .waiting— the cold — the . sndden' jjf move's— bad 'water— : small comforts '■ —men and officers tired out but cheerful; the long, dreary, weary 1 • marchest-alwajte expecting sniping —all this is £he<trying part. "But' Captain Miner, could see the-Boer. pointnof view. . The Boers seemvvery f ultof buck^ just how. , The other day they simultaneously attacked all down, the line, -.but m case were . beaten off. They were desperate men. They crept up to within a few yards of the pickets without being, seen, and m somVcasesTushed m under the sangar — that is, jl wall off." stones with loopholes— ' V: and, seizing the*men!s riflesj crawl- ' ed over- *he ; top down, on ' to the bayonets.. Some seem • absolutely indifferent to life. I suppose alle they have, to live" for is gone. The leader m one case was a Glasgow man — and many of those who at-' tacked our regimental outposts were^Scots- anfl English. •What the war meant- for- the soldier is thus: — It^ia a rotten. game for Private i T. Atkins, of the Infantry of the ( f line. They've been at it here for [ nearlytwo years -on and off.-* They are slanged if they make mistakes. They bury their friends, and see ' f them dumped- into, a big hole rolled in.-* 1 blanket, and they wait weirlly for the end. But they go on doing ' it all right. That is war— dirt, weariness, death, disease, bullets. . Don't try and make it anything else. in a book. , Writer^ has been revelling m a book called "The Plying Inn," by G. K. Chesterton. G.K.C., somehow reminds one of a jovial Monk, whose broad catholicity comes out m his writings. Garmented m a form of paradoxical humor, his latest volume is at times painfully truthful. He has a wholehearted contemnt for the wowser, the kill-Joy, the no-whistling-on-Sunday brigade, and the advocates of "seven days' cold water drink" as a sure cure to.all the ills. that flesh is , heir to. Hu- •' raanltjf, charity, love of, country well from every page of the volume. There is much wisdom as well as humor between Its covers .for the discerning eye and understanding heart. How happily ' does he hit of the grocer and the innkeeper: - The righteous minds of inkeepers Induce thorn now and then To crack a bottle with a friend, Or treat unmoneyod men; But who hath seen the gr6cer Treat housomaids to his teas, Or crack a bottle of fish-sauce, > Or stand a man a cheese! 1 ' ' ♦•■.-•"•-.. •■' "The Confederation of Europe," by Walter A. Phlllipa, M.A., is a book having for its theme tho European ' Alliance, 1813-1823, as an experiment . In: the International Organisation of Peace. Tho main objoct of this work la to correct tho exaggeration, of the pacifist agitation by illustrating from a particular period of history the practical difficulties involved In the application of an international system t.bt taw. /Another question, of oven greater immediate . importance, on which It endeavors to throw some light, 1» that of tho recent developments of tho Monroe Doctrine, under 1 which tho United States would seem '- to bo preparing to play In tho Now • tho part played by tho "Confederation of Europe" In the Old. Tho > ■ writer's object Is to show how Prcsl- • dent Wilson, by his attitudo "towards Mexico and tho I a tin American States generally, has used tho Monroe • Doctrine to consecrate that very prln- :: vciple -of <( intocv«ntion" tMitalnut which it vraa originally a protest, and how, by dolng-so, ho Is facod with precisely the same problem oh that which con- , fronted thc«Holy Alliance, namely, how i to reconcile a system of paternal «u~ i -pcrviaiott- £ ow>r*i«- eosaewtatc unrul*

family of nations with due regard for their. '"sovereign rights.

"Charles. Dickens, the Bookman Extra for 1914." In size and general arrangement this resembles the first of the "Bookman" Extra Numbers, "Robert Louis Stevenson: The Man and • His Work," published last August. .It contains the completest possible collection of Dickens portraits; photographs and; drawings of places associated with him and .his books; portraits and examples of the work of his famous illustrators, and twelve beautiful . color " plate engravings of Dickens's characters ;and{ scenes by Hugh Thomson, .Cecil Aldin, C. E. Brock, Phiz, Fred Barnard,: Frank Reynolds and L. Raven JHill. The letterpress includes contributions by Bernard SKaw, G. K. Chesterton, Alfred Noyes, Sir W. Robertson Nicholl, Jerome K. . Jerome, Richard Whiteing, John Hassal and other. authprs, and presents word pictures; of Dickens by men who knew and worked with him; notes onrthe artists.whb illustrated his novels, poems-and summaries of what has been said of him, by Swinburne,. W,iiliapi. f Watson, Watts-Duntbn, Leigh -Hurit^ Brete Harte, George Gissings, ' G. v A. x Sala, and other writers.- With - its -nu-} merous illustrations,^ itS' biographical, personal and critidal articles' ahd'notes^. this "Bookman" Extra Number forms.; by,, far the viviSesb' most ; varied' and; most interesting record' yet of the career of etfarles Dickens.in a,H' its phases. ' ' ' '■" " : ' .; _

BOOKS AND THEIR BUILDERS.