NEW ZEALAND HISTORY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22628, 20 July 1935, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND HISTORY

A FORTHCOMING CONTRIBUTION By C. R. Allen. The bibliography of New Zealand authorship increases with the years. It is natural that as time goes on books of reminiscences should make their appearance. Last Christinas there was issued from n New Zealand .publishing house of enterprise—that of Mr A. H. Reed, of Dunedin—“ The Journal of George Hepburn,” edited by his grandson, Mr Downie Stewart, M.P. This Christmas we are to have another volume of reminiscences from the same firm. The writer in this case is Mrs Howard Jackson, the daughter of Major Mair, who took part in the Maori War, after having retired from the sea. This book should be,,full of interest, as Mrs Jackson has a retentive memory, and has already, by certain articles that have already appeared in the daily prints, proved her ability to write in an interesting manner. Two of Mrs Jackson’s brothers were engaged upon pioneer work in the North Island, and sl\p herself took part in many adventures .and endured many hardships. This book will be welcomed by anyone in search of embellishment to a view of New Zealand history. It should be interesting to visitor aud resident alike. One is, perhaps, too prone to proffer a kind of formula to the visitor, to confront him with an array of names which are familiar to all New Zealanders. Some such fate seems to have overtaken Miss Ruth Mantz, who came to New Zealand in 'search of data for her biography of Katherine Mansfield, It is quite evident from the earlier part of this book that Miss Mantz was overloaded with works about New Zealand and that in her anxiety to put this largesse to the best use she threw her book out of focus. She was justified in setting forth the ramifications of the Beauchamp family, but the condensed treatise on 'New Zealand settlement occupied far too much space. When Mr G. B. Shaw made up his mind to visit New Zealand he received from the office of the High Commissioner a parcel of books about New Zealand. It would be interesting to compare this collection with that which was ‘ put in the way of Miss Mantz. It is probable that the books which were intended for the enlightenment of Mr Shaw were concerned more with the political history of the Dominion than were those which Miss Mantz seems to have studied. There can be no doubt “ The Long White Cloud,” by Mr W. Pember Reeves, • would have been put into the hands of Miss Mantz. Formula or not, we would hardly withhold this masterpiece from anyone who wished to know about New Zealand. Reissued with additional chapters by Mr C. J, Wray, “The Long White Cloud ” may be called the vade mceum for all who would know of this country. A conjunction of circumstances seems to have favoured this work. The author was. both statesman and poet. He knew, too, something of the English ' • point of view, and throughout the book ' 110 does not seem to lose sight of the essential fact that ,he is writing for the English reader as well as the colonial. The early chapters of “Cheerful Yesterdays,” by Mr Justice Alpers, offer a very vivid picture of early days in Aapier. One is curiously reminded of this portion of “Cheerful Yesterdays” when one conies to George Hepburn’s account of his disembarkation at the end of the long voyage on the good ship Poietiers. Dr W. Morrell’s thesis on the history of ■provincial government in New Zealand covers what is, perhaps, the most interesting period of colonial development. Were one restricted in one’s choice of books concerning New Zealand, one would hesitate to jettison this work, revealing as it does the reaction of a young and vigorous mind to the challenge that is always implicit in a mass of documents. Dr Morrell must have been tireless in his search and cerl tainly appears to have been wise In ) selection and arrangement. Some of the historians of the church in New Zealand, such as the Rev. James Chisholm, Canon Stack, Canon Purchas and the biographer of George Augustus Selwyn, first ami only Anglican Bishop of New Zealand, have contributed interesting and vivid passages to the somewhat heterogeneous saga of New Zealand history that one seems to acquire. Selwyn- must have been a giant among men, and it is curious to note how he seems to have carried, in his dealing with the Maoris, the spirit of the parting slogan of his “ Floreat Etona.” One seems to recall, fantastic as it may seem, the presence in 1 the midst of a party of boys from a Maori public school—one uses the expression in its English sense—the Selwyn “ mana.” Fiction presents to the reader an agreeable way to a knowledge of this country. Mr Alan Mulgan’s novel “ Spur of Morning” presented an admirable “ camera obscura ” of the course of events in New Zealand over a number of years. In a lesser degree, perhaps. Miss Nelle Seanlan contributes to the sum total of information about New Zealand in her “ Pencarrow ” series of novels. Miss Brenda Guthrie, in presenting the history of her own people,* has incidentally made the Ba'nks Peninsula a yet more interesting district than ' it already was to many readers. Then Mr Robert Gilkison did for the Otago goldfields in research and pleasing record what Mr Vogel did in fiction and what Miss Edith Howes, M.8.E., has more recently done in the region of drama. Mrs Howard Jackson’s book is to be illustrated with photographs. Though the work has been indited in Dunedin, and is to be issued from a publishing house in this city, it is concerned in the main with' the North Island. To meet the writer of this forthcoming book to-day is to be assured that entertainment and instruction await the reader.

The old order changes, yielding place to new, but literature always proffers a liaison between the two. Mrs Jackson’s book will recall difficulties that may not be present to-day, and for that very reason should appeal to the young and intelligent reader wdio has his own problems to solve. Mrs Jackson is no praiscr of the old times at the expense of the new, for, though’ she writes of a bygone day, her interests are in the present. The title of the forthcoming book is not given in this column, which is intended merely as a fleeting survey of such cognate works as have come the writer’s way.