RECORDS OF PROGRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22422, 17 November 1934, Page 4

RECORDS OF PROGRESS

"The Early History of Wellington College, New Zealand: from 1867 to 1883.” By Frank M. Leckle. Illustrated. Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs. » Port of London: 1909-1934." By Alan Bell. Illustrated, with Map. London: the Port or London Authority. “ National Provincial Bank: 1833 ter 1933. By Hartley Withers. London: the National Provincial Bank of England. Wellington College Wellington College has a notable history among scholastic institutions in '‘hi® country, extending back to 1867, when the school was modestly established by the Kumatato Stream. But its story is older than that, and dates actually from the early years of the New Zealand Company venture at Port Nicholson, from which the city of Wellington has evolved. As far back as 1853 Sir George Grey had taken a leading part in procuring the setting aside of certain lands as endowments for . a college grammar school, and if _ the scheme was not realised until considerably later, the explanation doubtless is that the administrators had more urgent questions with which to deal than that ot fostering the higher education. However, the school certainly filled a distinct need in the growing community, and after some changes of location from one humble site to another, when it removed in 1874 to its present grounds it was one of the principal educational establishments in New Zealand. Through the passing years its prestige has been maintained, while the numbers _ of students increased and the old buildings gave way to new. In ° The Early History of Wellington College,” Mr Frank M. Leckie provides an interesting and carefully documented account of the history of the school from 1867 to 1883. It is a volume which past pupils ofi Wellington College will read with the greatest interest, especially as, in addition to the school history proper, a record has been made of athletics during the period, and a register of old boys up to 1883 is appended. The illustrations are very numerous. The Port of London The Thames has served England well as a port for two thousand years, but Alan Bell, the author of “Port of London, 1909-1934,” claims, doubtless with the best authority, that more has happened to the Thames in the past quartercentury than in any hundred years of earlier life. -It was in 1909 that the Port of London Authority took charge of the tidal reaches of the Thames and of the docks of the capital, and in the succeeding years this pre-eminent Seagate of the world has been rebuilt. In this book the achievement of the Authority receives adequate description and acknowledgment. The record is of more than passing interest to Australia and New Zealand, for, as Mr Bell graphically expresses it, these dominions have within a few miles of London Docks a population market for their produce greater than the combined populations of the two countries. On the Royal Albert Docks alone the Authority has spent’ £500,000 on a warehouse and cold store expressly for the Australian and New Zealand meat trade, and this expenditure represents but one indication of the enterprise shown in equipping London’s docks as

the principal port of the world. The publication is very finely produced, with numerous photographs and reproductions of pencil sketches and a map. National Provincial Bank Mr Hartley Withers is the author of an interesting review of the history of the National Provincial Bank of England during a century of great progress qnd expansion. The bank commenced operations almost immediately legislation was passed which made it possible for institutions of this nature to be formed with more than six partners and other restrictions which had limited the field to the Bank of England and private banking firms were removed. It was not quite the first of the English joint stock banks, but it is the first of those which have risen to a position of international importance, by spreading a wide net through a system of branch-banking ' and amalgamations, and by a process of consolidation and expansion which has enabled banking to meet the demands of the huge British industrial units. The history of this important institution, written by so wellknoivn an authority, is likely to be read with interest by bankers and commercial men of all classes. [ The volume is beautifully produced, with the finest of paper and printing and excellent illustrations. M‘6.