DOMINION MUSEUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 20

DOMINION MUSEUM.

collection OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS. WELLINGTON, September 24. It is not ail a question of safe custody, but the collection of historical New Zealand documents in print and handwriting is fast growing. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. O. W. Russell) has just received the letter book of Mr John Busby (fust British Resident in New Zealand). The dates of the letters begin in 183 a, and the originals are addressed to the Colonial Secretary for New South Wales. This correspondence is heart-revealing because Busby, as history shows, bad a hard row to boo and no "big stick" to enforce his authority. He began to write a history oi New Zealand also, and this was mainly done on the voyage Home. The manuscript; is now in possession of the Minister and in charge of Dr Thomson,, as custodian of the National Historical Collection. The gift of these extremely interesting and, historic-ally-speaking, highly valuable papers, is that of Mr William Busby (Tokomaru Bay). The history -was never finished, but much of its material was made public by its recorder in the form of lectures delivered and papers read at various times. Miss M'Glashan (Uunedin), a daughter of one of the founders of the Otago Settlement, has also sent to the Minister a copy of "Pictorial Illustration of New Zealand," by S. C. Breen (engineer to the New Zealand Company), published in 1847. It is remarkable for the great beauty of its steel en"■ravings. A lot of printed matter connected with the camps and the war as it directlv concerns New Zealand is in the nature* of it ephemeral, but steps are being taken to preserve it. Dr Thomson has been. highly gratified by the receipt through tho Department of Internal Affairs of portraits of soldiers and sailors who have distinguished themselves in the war—decorated or otherwise. All ranks are represented. To the war section it is desired to add uniforms, medals, decorations, souvenirs, printed and written documents, not only relating to the great war now in progress, but to the South African and the Maori wars also. Mrs Turton, a daughter of the late ME William Swainson, whose drawings of early New Zealand are such a great acquisition to tho National Art Collection, is arranging and classifying the documents and otlieu national records in tho collection under D* Thomson's direction.