BOOKS OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3833, 30 August 1927, Page 74

BOOKS OF THE DAY.

NEW ZEALAND COLONISATION. “ The Colonisation of New Zealand.” By J. S. Marais, M.A., D.Phil., Lecturer in History in the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. (Cloth, 15s net.) Oxford University Press. London: Humphrey Milford.

This book, we are told, represents the first attempt to write an impartial history of the colonisation of New- Zealand, the youngest of the British Dominions and the happiest, from all the extant sources. Dr Marais did not write the book because of the paucity of the literature relating to 41 ' r> subject, but because “ it was time that some attempt should be made to write a comprehensive and impartial account of the colonisation of New Zealand from all the sources, official as well as unofficial.” He did not desire merely to add another book to the long list. “ Many books have,” says Dr Marais in his preface, ”-been written about New Zealand—books good,-

bad, and indifferent (the bad and indifferent predominating), books of travel and of sport, books on the Maoris, the whites, and the relations between the two; books on the land and the settlement of the land, books by missionaries, by settlers, and by visitors; books by scientists, historians, and men of letters*; books written in a spirit of sweet reasonableness; and books written in the unreasoning spirit of partisanship; of this latter character, alas! too many for NewZealand, born amid controversy received its baptism in the fiery trials of a war of races.” Though the treatise was oi iginally submitted to the Committee for Advanced Studies in the University of Oxford as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, “the thing which this book sets out to do has never yet been done.”

It will be gathered from this that Dr Marais embarked on an original and ambitious undertaking, an enterprise demanding industry- and constant vigilance in order to avoid the pitfall of partisanship. The data referring to our earlv colonisation is full of controversial sidetracks, and it is highly creditable to the author that he has in such large measure maintained the scientific attitude of mind, though he is certain to incur the displeasure of the anti-Wakefield school. - . . The colonisation of New Zealand was undertaken by men with a gospel to propagate, the gospel according to Wakefield. ... It is just this fact that constitutes the interest of the colonisation of New Zealand for other people than New Zealanders.

South Australia and New Zealand were the only countries where an attempt was matle to carry- out the whole of the Wakefield system, says Dr Marais. In NewZealand alone did Wakefield take a hand in carrying his theories into effect. Onlv in the foundation of Canterbury was the Wakefield system actually carried out in its integrity-. The partial or complete application of the system produced some excellent results, he adds. The important first bodies of colonists which according to its provisions went out to found the several colonies, formed an organised nucleus 1 onntl winch succeeding “ waves ” or driblets” grouped themselves; they founded settlements which mffiht otherwise never have been founded or colonised in a scrambling manner very dangerous in territories where Maoris abounded, and they gave a peculiarly satisfying tone to New Zealand colonisation. Other excellent results were the careful selection of emigrants and the able superintendence of their passage; the partial or complete preparation of colonising sites; the accretion of a valuable Land I’iind; and in general the alleviation of the hardships which have to be undergone in all colonisation.

It is impossible at this date to acquit the New Zealand Company and its officials of serious blundering, both in its dealings with the Maoris and in a lack of foresight in the choice of localities. That the company did a great and necessary work may be fully granted and in the light of comparison with attempts elsewhere its work was really ineritoi ious. Dr Marais analyses the ''hole project in prospect, promise, and fulfilment. “The Wakefield ideal was realised in none of the settlements. The system failed to prevent the dispersion of the colonists; it failed to supply a sufficiency of labour or to restrain labourers from becoming land owners too soon; and it did not prevent the emergence of a ‘ colonial ’ type of society. Before the close of the century NewZealand was to become the most democratic of the British colonies—a character detested alike by- ’Wakefield and Godlev.”

In all, some 300 pages are devoted to the Wakefield scheme, and although the whole book touches it at various points the concluding chapter deals principally with “lhe Last Two Colonies”— Canterbury and Otago. The history and organisation of these southern settlements are faithfully described, and though much of it is familiar to those who have been interested in the beginnings of the provinces, there is much that has not previously- been published in book form Speaking of Otago, Dr Marais savs:— “With regard to men, .the patriarch Cargill, with his cautious and persevering spirit, feeling that his work was nowdone, resigned the superintendentship of the province in 1859, and was succeeded by the merchant-adventurer M'Andrew, who, when he met his Council for the third time, astounded every member with his magnificent schemes. Before the end of that very- year the first gold rush had occurred, and brought M‘Andrew’s visions within the realm of practical politics. Another gold rush, bigger than the first, took place in the following year, and Otago, not so long before the Cinderella among the New Zealand settlements, stepped into the premier position among them.” (The misspelling of Macandrew’s name is a peculiar. lapse in view of the fact that on the same page extracts are made from the official documents of the Otago Provincial Council.) These pages relating to Canterbury and Otago are most interesting as a refresher of the memory. Here and there are sentences which so-’-d strange at this day. For instance: “Both at Otago and at Canterbury there w-ere complaints by people in responsible positions that the colonists were so interested in material things that it was difficult to persuade

them to make provision for the education of their children. Ultimately- it was not Canterbury but Otago that possessed the first University as well as the first high school for girls in New- Zealand.” .Summing up the position, Dr Marais writes:—“And yet, in spite of all the failures that have been chronicled, it would not be quite true to say- that the ideas of the founders of the* two later settlements had turned out utter illusions, and that regardless of them Otago and Canterbury soon became even as the other colonies. These ideals were never entirely- lost sight of. They remained, especially at Canterbury, as a souice of inspiration to the colonists, helping to lift them above the materialistic influences by- which they- were surrounded. They- also left other and more tangible traces in the settlements. We are not referring to the fact that at Dunedin all the streets bore the names of streets in Edinburgh, .while those of Christchurch were called after prelates or dioceses of 'the Church of England. Rather we are referring to the reality that lay behind the appearance. For however ‘ colonial ’ Otago and Canterbury became as the years passed by, they never quite lost their distinctive character as ‘ class ’ settlements. As Captain Cargill put it, like has always attracted like, even in the peopling of provinces. The character of the people that had gone out to the settlements originally did much to determine the character of those that followed. Even a cataclysm like the gold rush at Otago was not able to erase within the settlement all traces 4>f its origin. A discerning Frenchman travelling in New Zealand at the beginnino’ of the present century found that of°all the original settlements Otago was still the most Scotch and Canterburv the most English.”

In every sense this is a welcome book, and the publishers and author deserve a wide recognition of their enterprise. A SELF-RELIANT VIEW.. ’ The Letters of an Individualist to The Times, 1921-1926.” By Ernest J. IL Denn. London : Ernest Benn. Ltd. These letters give a most refreshing presentation of the political thought of a school which too seldom finds expression. It is too generally accepted that the State in its relation to society- should be able to insure prosperity for fill quite independently of individual or collective enterprise or effort by its citizens. Mr Benn's forceful and homely truths constitute a healthy antidote to the popular fallacy. He is under no delusion as to the difficulties which confront the man of indj. nde. thought. In his introduction, entitled “ The Confessions of a Letter Writer.” he admits that the position of the individualist is “ not easy.” He says: In the nature of things he stands alone. There was a time when standing alone was regarded as something of a quality-, now it is universally accepted as evidence of unreliability. Whenever any need arises for work, for food, for coal, for houses, or for anything else, the crowd declares that the Government must no something. The individualist points out that, from its very nature the Government cannot do things, it can only prevent things being done. The crowd passes a resolution and appoints a committee, and the individualist ha s to be content to wait for the crowd to learn, as far as any crowd ever learns, from bitter experience.

In these letters Mr Benn discusses some 20 live public questions. The nation’s wealth, loans to foreign conn’ -ies, the capital lew, unemployment, the abolition of submarines, after the strike, the coal dispute, true Liberalism, the teaching of economics, and similar topics form the subject of the letters. On all these matters the writer develops original lines of thought, and even when one feels inclined to disagree with his opinions and conclusions a feeling of admiration is prompted by the courage displayed in treating live public questions.

NEW LICHT ON BIRTH CONTROL. “ Medical Views on Birth Control.” By H. Crichton-Miller, M.A., M.D.; Professor Leonard Hill, ALB., F.R.S.; Dame Mary Scharlieb, D.8.E., M.D., M.S.; Arthur E. Giles, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.S., R. C. Buist, M.A., M.D.; Letitia D. Fairchild, C.8.E., M.D., D.P.H.; Sir Arthur Newshohne, K.C.8., M.D., F.R.C.P.; Sir John Robertson, C.M.G., M.D.; with an introduction by- Sir Thomas Horder, Bart., K.C.V.0., M.D. Edited by Sir James Marchant, K.8.E., LL.D., secretary of the . National Birth-rate Commission, etc. (Cloth, Gs net.) London: Martin Hopkinson and Co., Ltd. A book on such a controversial subject from the pens of such distinguished members of the medical profession cannot fail to find a welcome from all who desire to arrive at a sound conclusion. The enterprise of the publishers should, therefore, und a ready- and general acceptance. “If any- unbiased seeker after truth has been led to believe that the question of birth control is quite a simple one,” observes Sir Thomas Horder in the introduction, “ or even to wonder why there should he hesitation on the part of any-one concerning a reform which promises so much, both for the individual and the race, a perusal of these pages shows that the subject is, indeed, extremely- complex, the benefits problematical and the methods of attaining them by no means certain or practicable.”

There is a diversity of opinion among the writers, and the book belongs to that class which deserves to be carefully read

from cover to cover. It is therefore unwise to give extracts which, apart from the general text, might be misleading rather than illuminative. Suffice to sav that the reader will find various aspects of the question treated in a scientific spirit, y-et in language plain enough for all to i nderstand.

A ROMANCE OF MOROCCO. “ The Veil of Islam.” By L. Noel. (Paper, 2s 6d net.) London: Stanley Paul and Co., Ltd. One knows what to look for in popular fiction dealing with Morocco and North Africa generally; and here Mr Noel, who has written two previous stories of similar kind, mixes the standard ingredients in a way that will doubtless please the taste of a large reading public. There are the sensuous love scenes in a staging of romantic scenery and moonlight; there is the picturesque desert chieftain, who falls in love with, and carries off. the heroine; there are thrills and suspense and mysteries, and, finally-, a hero and heroine left happy with one another. Mr Noel, however, introduces .nine novelties into his plot, and if these involve glaring improbabilities, well, probability is not what the average reader demands in a desert story.

The heroine, Chalice Dean, who, of course, is alluringly lovely, has, before she goes to Morocco, been often sought in marriage, twice by men each of whom she liked very much as friend and comrade. But she felt no answering thrill of love, and she begins to think that her nature is not one to be stirred by passionate love. She accepts the invitation of Ivy Lessington, the close friend of her school days, to go to Morocco and stay with her. Ivy has been two years in Morocco as the wife of Guy Lessington, one of the suitors whom Chalice refused. Chalice, after a little doubt, accepts her friend's urgent invitation, and her Victorian aunt : oinpanies her. Of course, Guy's former passion for Chalice revives, though he is carrying on an intrigue with a beautiful Moorish girl, who is later shown to be Chalice's half-sister. Revenge as well as love actuates the Moorish chief. Merada, when he bears Chalice away to his mountain fastness, a consenting victim, since Merada holds Guy Lessington in his power, and threatens unless Chalice redeems him to put him to death by slow torture. J lie efforts of Chalice’s honest lover, Rex Farnleigh, are powerless to rescue her. The ensuing chapter is one of illusion. As is later revealed drugged wine and subterfuge of Chalice’s halfsister prevent the threatened wrong. The narrative is continued after the dramatic climax, and shows Chalice progressing to the discovery that she real! loves her constant and chivalrous lover, Rex. TWO POPULAR REPRINTS. I. “ On Desert Altars.” By- Norma Lorimer. (Cloth, 3s 6d net.) London: Stanley Raul and Co., Ltd. This story, which has been filmed, appeared a few years ago, and was then reviewed in these pages. The earlier and the closing chapters have to do with North Africa, Tunis, Carthage, and adjacent regions, but the central portion of the book and the core of the drama show the characters in England. lie central motive is the sacrifice of her honour by the heroine, Alice, in order to win her husband a position that will bring him back from Nigeria, where fever is -upping his life. How the husband discovers to what he owes his good fortune, and how Alice suffers before and after, is elaborated in scenes with strong emotions’ appeal. An earlier lover, Gwynn Stevens, is responsible for the passionate love scenes of the opening chapters, and when Alice returns to Tunisia she is again brought into contact with him. In the end Alice alid her husband are happily reconciled. The local colour of. the African scenes serves to enhance the sentimental and dramatic interest of the story. False sentiment and bad morality are dressed up with a meretricious attractiveness that has.brought the book to a seventh edition. 11. “ The Goat Without Horns.” By Beale Davis. (Stiff paper, 2s net.) London: Stanley- Paul and Co., Ltd. The scene of this story is Hayti, and the most dramatic episodes relate to the “ voodoo ” rites said to be practised by the natives, many of vhom have under the native rule relapsed into primitive African barbarism. The “ goat without horns ” is the native term for a child sacrificed to propitiate the native gods. The two central characters are Felix Blaine, a New York official occupied in war work, who chooses to spend a furlough in" such an unattractive spot as Hayti: and Mme Theresa Simone, a beautiful and attractive woman with a tragica' histor- who is a --esident of the island. The story provides sufficient suspense and excitement, is well and naturally told, and ends happily-.