PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 10

PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

THE EMPIRES JUNIOR PARTNER. The hook that I promised to say something about is entitled “ The Empire’s Junior Partner,” which, of course, is New Zealand. Of this book, Sir James Parr, now in London as the High Commissioner of New Zealand, says : “ The author, Mr C. A. Wilson, has written an extremely interesting book on New Zealand. It is clear that his purpose has been to add to the number of books that have been already published, a volume of general information dealing comprehensively with the most important phases of New Zealand’s history and development, and depicting the Dominion as it is to-day. Mr Wilson, whom 1 have known for a number of years, is prominent in the commercial life of the Dominion, and is the publisher of three important and well-known trade papers there. He is a New Zealander by birth, has travelled extensively, and knows his country well. His book shows that he has acquired about the country a great fund of information, which must have taken many years to gain. In the chapters devoted to a description of the Dominion, localities have been invested with historical data (information), and for that reason New Zealanders, as well as strangers to the country, will find his remarks extremely interesting. As one who has been entrusted by the Government with the important task of making New Zealand better known in Britain, I look forward to the publication of this book.”

Those words were written as a foreword for the book before it was put on booksellers’ shelves by the publishers, and are meant chiefly for the eyes of readci’s at Home and throughout the Empire; but to the people of New Zealand they should make an appeal, for there are thousands in the country who have not read about the facts it deals with, and who have in general very little knowledge of the things and events described in it. It is a small gold mine of information, pleasantly written, and where the necessity demands, according to the author’s ideas, it is interestingly illustrated. All boys and girls in the Dominion should read the book, and, if they are forming a library of their own, should have a copy of the work. Some attempt is being made in our

schools to teach the history of our own beautiful and interesting land, and some of our leading men and educationists believe that not enough is being done along that line in such a way as to give our young folk a proper idea of the very interesting country they live in, and the history of its development since the while man came to settle at the Bay of Islands. There is in the liook a vast fund of information which the reader will find very attractive, both from the facts given and the style of language in which they arc described. The author himself says in his introductory pages: “ It was in the early days that I commenced to set down facts of interest regarding New Zealand—at first of historical incidents of local colour, with a view to weaving the material into a romantic story. Gradually it grew upon me that there was a need for something more serious—a concise, continuous, readable record of Maori and pakeha history from the earliest times, with descriptions of our flora and fauna (plants and animals), and our geographical features so set out and amplified by interesting details that the visitor should have a reliable guide which would prevent overlooking any points of interest.” The book has been written without favouring sides, and strives to show the difficulties., and distractions of those early turbulent times, which now appear so far off. Yet it was only in 1853 that the infant colony received from Britain its constitution, and in 1802, when the earliest, adventurous sailing masters pushed into its unknown seas in search of the seal and the whale. A chapter on the island possessions of New Zealand, with a description of their discovery and settlement, forms a record not easily obtainable elsewhere, -proving the statement that the “Empire’s Junior Partner ” has made good use of its time, and has become, indeed, a miniature empire at the Antipodes. The fact that Great Britain did not wish to add the colony to its possessions has been dealt with merely as of passing historical importance. It is to be hoped that the stone which the builder rejects will be one of the best fitting corner-stones in that great fabric —the Commonwealth of British nations. “ It is a lonely land, the Dominion of , New Zealand, and if anything written herein makes that fact better known, the labour of the author has not been in vain.” —Tattooing.— ’ Tattooing was practised on chiefs and freemen, women being tattooed on the chin as a rule. The process was exceed1 inglv painful, the patient lying down while the operator tapped the stone ! chisel to draw blood and rubbed in the pigment, which when completed and the [ cuts healed left a blue pattern. The process made the warrior a fearsome object, which was probably the intention. Later on the faces of slaves were tattooed, and the head cut off and smoked for the purpose of selling to curio hunters, in order to get axes, fishhooks, blankets, muskets, and gewgaws from the traders. —Tapu.— Pre-eminent among the social laws of the Maori was that of “ tapu,” which means sacred, and the ramifications of the . law were practically unlimited. The per-

sons of all chiefs and priests (tohungas) were tapu, so were the bodies of the dead and all who came in contact with them, persons employed in planting the kumera, sick persons and their attendants,war parties, those engaged in making fishing nets, weaving mats, in fishing excursions, and food touched with anything was tapu. Trees suitable for canoes, particular tracts of land, and fishing grounds were tapu, and, in fact, it was within the power ofthe priests to render anything tapu. Those who violated the law of tapu were told that they would be punished not only by men, but also by the gods. Many of the quarrels of the pakeha and their subsequent violent deaths were not due to the bloodthirstiness of the Maoris, but to the supposed need of avenging desecration. The law of tapu assisted the priest in his “ black magic,” all that was necessary being a lock of hair, or a scrap of clothftig of the person, to be “makutu”—• and the days of the victim were numbered. His own terror usually killed him. Women and slaves were the chief bearers of burdens, for the free men carefully had their backs made tapu. A most useful law was tapu. If one wanted his property made safe from the greed of others, that is, from thieves, he got the tohunga to put tapu on it. Anything a chief touched became his property because it became tapu. Such a state of affairs led to insult, anger, and bloodshed on a British war vessel, on board which some Maori chiefs were invited. They were given food and drink, and everything handled, knives, silver forks, spoons, and mugs were immediately taken possession of by the chiefs and stowed away in their dress, or given to attendants. The British officers, not knowing the law of tapu, looked upon the act as thieving, asked the warriors to surrender the goods, and, upon refusal, took the articles back by force. Such was one of the many causes that led to the estrangement between Maori and pakeha.

OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS. The New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society invites all those who have respect for our wonderful and unique native birds, all those who realise the great usefulness and the beauty of birds, all these who wish to preserve our unrivalled scenic beauties to band together with the society in an earnest endeavour fully io awaken public interest and secure efficient- preservation, conservation, and intelligent utilisation of our great heritage. To men, women, and boys and girls this appeal is made. With the co-operation, appreciation, and assistance of the general public New Zealand can stand unrivalled. Without such our forests will be hopelessly marred and destroyed by fire, imported jja-me animals, and wasteful exploitation—our birds a memory of the past. * * * Native birds can be attracted around our homes by artificial feeding, as well as by planting suitable berry-bearing plants. Thus three tuis were successfully supplied with food in the Oamaru district for many weeks by placing a bottle up a tree, and filled with thin honey, in the mouth of which a wick of red worsted was inserted. A better mixture would be four parts of water to one of sugar by measure, as this is akin to nectar, upon which tuis feed, not honey. The silver eye can be made a regular visitor be feeding with beef suet, and the aphis on one’s roses kept exterminated by the birds at the same time. * * * Sanctuaries, as they are called in England, or in America and Canada birdrefuges, arc the foundation of bird protection, game or otherwise. Insufficient attention is paid in New Zealand to the establishment of game-bird sanctuaries, which should be inviolate. (The protection perfects.) Finding national laws insufficient to protect migratory birds, including ducks and the like, treaties have been signed between Great Britain, America, and Canada with a view of international co-operation in protecting migratory birds. An Act is now before the American Congress, supported by many bird-protection societies and game commissions, to provide adequate funds for purchasing a chain of sanctuaries, including lakes, swamps, etc., along the route of certain birds. The modern gun is so deadly that it is found even game birds, with all their cunning, become exterminated unless efficient sanctuaries are provided. * * * The Honourable the Minister of Internal Affairs is to be congratulated on the stand he is now taking with reference to this matter. The department’s policy in future will be that permission to take native birds will not be granted to persons not resident within the Dominion, and that if at any time it is decided to supply specimens to persons or institutions outside the Dominion, such specimens will be taken only by Government officers. Consideration was also promised hv the Minister that authority to kill certain protected birds will be declined.