“TUTIRA”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18322, 12 August 1921, Page 6

“TUTIRA”

THE STORY OF A NEW ZEALAND SHEEP STATION. MR H. GUTHRIE-SMITH’S MONUi MENTAL WORK. ( !Fboii Ocb Own Correspondent.) LONDON, June 2. In “Tutira—the Story of a New Zealand Sheep Station,” Mr H. Guthrie-Smith has produced a monumental work of infinite detoil. If none of the 400 quarto pages are skipped, the reader, as the author himself maintains, can rest assured! that in the examination, as it were under a microscope, of one station ho has discovered what is to be found in all. Indeed, no one who did not love every blade of grass, every lake, and every stream, every tree and the birds which come to make their homes therein for a season could have produced a book such as this. It has well been said that a thing of beauty must be loved to be understood, and in his great affection for that patch of New Zealand, which he has called has home for 40 years, Mr Guthrie-Smith has found an understanding which must be denied to moat men whose lot it is to subdue the rugged forest, fern, and flax lands to the uae of man.

In his preface tho author best explains the object of his work. “First and last,” ho says, “ ‘Tutira’ is a record of minute alterations noted on a patch of land; for tho author’s purpose, indeed, New Zealand is bounded on tho west by the Mckau iver, on the east by the Arapawanui Run, on the south by the' Waikoau, on the north by the Waikari. Every man has his idiosynrasy; it has been that of the writer for half a lifetime to note small things; it has interested him. Perhaps, therefore, there may be found!, if not a hundred, then haply ten righteous men to share that interest—to read, mark, learn, and inwardly to digest the subcutaneous erosion of a oountryeide, the ancient way of the Maori, the fortunes of pioneer man and beast, the acclimatisation of an alien flora and fauna, tho disappearance of the squatter, the rise of the bold yeoman in hds stead.” Mr Guthrie-Smith can rest assured that there will bo more than tho ten righteous men to enjoy this contribution ho had made to New Zealand literature. It is brimful of information, collected by personal investigation over a period of 40 years, and like Sir Richard Burton’s edition of the “Arabian Nights,” not tho least interesting portion of the volume is to be found in the notes at the foot of most of the pages.

The author has devoted a number of chapters to the geological formation of hie particular portion of Hawke’s Bay, and in doing so gives the reader a very good idea of what exactly has happened and will happen in the future to other parts of the dominion. In his study of the Maori pas located on the station he tells the history of the whole race, and in his many chapters on the life history of plants and trees which he has Twitched or tended or attempted to destroy he contributes a valuable addition to the botanical records of New Zealand. Birds, animals, insects, their habits and' their history he lias missed little of, and he shows a mastery not only of the scientific facts pertaining to them, but he brings one into that intimate relationship with Nature’s handiwork which makes every tree and bird a friend and companion. Finally, if one would gain technical knowledge of how to set about running a sheep station, of mistakes to be avoided and opportunities not to be missed, here one has it all in interesting form. Illustrations to the number of almost 200, and the reader in his search for knowledge, and those whoso lot it is to study this volume, will assuredly gam an added joy in the beauty of their native land.

“The writer cannot but exclaim,” says Mr Guthrie-Smith, in conclusion, “when he thinks of what he could have found in his heart to say in praise of his dear adopted land throughout every page of ‘Tutira,’ that like Clive before the wealth of India he marvels at his moderation.” ’