BOOKS and BOOKMEN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16208, 4 December 1926, Page 11

BOOKS and BOOKMEN

; THE BIG PISH. I ' I DIDN’T ESCAPE HIM. ! ' ' 'ZANE GREY'S BOOK. ! “ BilgMish ” Vat iTu rs In many. jk;its | of the world wilt- Tool envious v.iioji they look a! Air. Zhao Grey N story of | lira New Zealand fishing trip. A COlb. ; “kingy,” or 401 b. tunny, are ail very | well, but Znno Grey got among the i 600 ami 700 pounders, swordfish, sharks i and piker, gianis. ' For a light reercaI •ion,.in between times, ho kill--*! sixty I 701 b. kjngfish. Air. Grey finds us very “provincial.” i Our poor “boobs” of fishermen'do not ; know how to catch big llsbi—or didn’t ; until Air Grey arrived in New Zealand !to show us. Wo ship our reels below lour rods, instead,of above. Borne of jus actually use triple of “gang” | hooks., “From the standpoint of > American angling, it is all wrong.” i It may be admitted that-' the single hook with live bait is a more sporting tackle than the,gang-liook, and it may |be true that the single hook is more effective. Use of both' appears to in-, dieate that the single is at least not less effective. If it bo a fact that the New Zealand fishermen “did not bend the, rod, or pump the.fish,, as. we do,” but chased it out. to sea on their launches, in, the way .it wanted to go, then ityvis necessary. to agree with Air. Grey. Air. Grey’s contention that the business of the angler is to stop a fish and hold him is sound. The book is superbly illustrated with the most amazing photographs, great fish 10f£. long leaping from the water, or ploughing great furrows in it ns the fishermen fight them. There is a little too much of the author standing beside his giant victims, but this appears to be tlie American method ih books of sport. NEW ZEALAND. PAST AND PRESENT. , “England and New Zealand,” by A. J. Harrop, Ph.D., ALA,, with an introduction by Admiral of the Fleet, the lit. Hon. Earl Jcllipoc. The relations between England and New Zealand, from the time of Tasman 10 the Taranaki War, arc described in this book, and it gives for tho first time the story of tho rise, decline, and fall of the New Zealand Company, and accounts of the French and. Gorman projects for the colonisation of the country. Light is thrown on the revolution in Colonial policy in the years 1830-IS6O, and tho strange career of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, the founder of New Zealand, is dealt with at some length. In his introduction, Lord Jcllieoo, after expressing surprise that the memory of Wakefield has not been perpetuated in the Dominion, remarks that during his four years’ stay in New Zealand as Governor-General lie was struck by the exceedingly strong spirit of loyalty to the Arothor Country. ‘ This is accounted for, to a groat extent, by tho fact that only between two and a half per cent, of tho population arc of foreign extraction. ‘‘Owing’ to its educational system,” adds Lord Jcllieoo, “tho Dominion is peopled by an educated democracy, and herein lies one of its principal safeguards against the support of extremist doctrines put forward by those who desire to make rapid changes in the present, order of things, but who find it difficult to convince an educated population that-' thev have any practical method of effecting this sudden change without bringing hardship and ruin cui the coinniuniiy. ” ■The author ol' ; the book stales that his chief sources ''of-'‘information hhvc been the documents' in the Public Records Office. London. Those include. besides the original Gov. ••mnoiit despatches. e Colonial Office reunites thereon, f.li Cie hundreds of volumes of papers ri’o New Zealand Company. Tin pof •of the Briiish Government, in negur**-!s,:g th“ Treaty of Waitaugi. and <>f m/'iirdinatine- Bri-tish-interests to those of the natives, ..as consciously framed srifh a view ;n the verdict' of posterity upon its notions, .and the author remarks that New Zealanders to-day have cause to he n’ra.lified for its ntGtudo, however much th.o curly colonisls may have had suffer by what Seemed to be a foolbit acquiescence in the- demands of the native race. There is a comprehensive index, and the bibliography adds to the value of the book. “MEET AIR. HUGKABEE.” “Meet. Afr. Huekabce,” is the latest Babbit book from America. Air. Huekabce is a publicity agent, whose creed is expressed as follows: “I believe in advertising like Moses believed, in manna. Advertising is the buzz in business, A firm without ads is about as much use as a clean-shaven hedge-hog. Advertising is sure the greatest driving force in history. What gave Hannibal. Columbus, Rhakespeare and Billy Sunday their pull over the picks? Why advertising, rir. What was Nero’s little stunt but a double boost for fiddlers and fire-lighters? What d’you reckon Sadie Godiva was putting over if it wasn’t a new line' in hair restorers? The gink that docsn’t advertise is 'perishable from the napo up.”

GALSWORTHY AS NOVELIST. ' / “THE SILVER SPOON.” j . John •' Galsworthy is a great dramaj j iutl OS af!m\.ri i■ - * also. Ih'S lU'vCi j i.i -if iiilies tin 1 story of flour and All M on t. of Soames ami oilier Fori ,st res Who appeared 'in •' The Foisyte jiSaua.” and reappeared, ri ‘‘The A > ■-i t ■ I Afiuikov.'' Some ne w characters are | also, .introduced. We have iii this hook a picture of ilje .MonO in conflict. 1-icui socially. Michael political!)'. As a young member of Parliament, Alicliael Alont, patriotic, idealistic, espouses the views of Sir .Tames Foggart, who has written a, book on “The Parlous State of England.” and suggests that the remedy for unemployment lies in flic despatch of English children to the Dominions. Michael makes a speech in the House of Commons on the subject, but is only laughed at for his pains. Nevertheless, he keeps on, tliough he gets nowhere. He even starts a “back to the land” movement by putting three men on a bit of lipid he owns—an ex-soldier, an cxbiivbcr, and an. ex-German actor —but if ends rather disastrously, and the former German actor hangs himself by wav of showing lie has no faith in the Scheme. v “ But tho interest, chiefly-centres in the, wife, Fleur ATont, and her schemes fOr “cutting a dash” in high society —fan ambition that receives its deathblow when Marjorie Ferrar, a very iriodern young lady who belongs to the npbibty, calls Iter a “snob.” Flour retaliates by writing letters to her friends, in which she calls Afarjorio Ferrar a snake and other objectionable n juries. Then the latter starts an action for slander, and the reader finds much amusement in watching the various moves on both sides to provpiit the publicity of court proceedings. Ronnies Forsyte, a lawyer, on bt'lialf of Fleur, his daughter, is willing to pay fifteen hundred pounds in settlement, but will not add an apology. Marjorie, who is head over ears in debt, would like the money, and would let the apology go but for her fiance, Sir Alexander AFGown, ALT’., a dour but wealthy Scot, who in< sists on her vindicating her name in court. Afarjorio, who has a “past,” h|is every reason for wishing to keep out of court, but tho fates will it otherwise, and she undergoes a cruel cross-examination. Her general views on morality create a sensation, and her refusal to answer a certain question leads to her counsel throwing up tho case. This court scene is like an act from one of Air. Galsworthy’s plays. It is full of dramatic turns'and twists, and “modern morality “'has a very bad time of ijt. i Fleur wins the case, but it is a hollow victory, for she finds herself eoldshouhlerod by society. As Michael Mont, her husband, puts it, “people resent moral superiority.” CHRISTMAS GIFT BOOKS. Alessrs. Casscl and Company, the well-known English publishers, are catering for the young people this Christmas, with a lavish. hajxd. Their series of gift books should, simplify the task of parents and friends who are looking for suitable presents, for there are books to suit young people of- both sexes and all ages and to give them pleasure for. many a long day. ..“Chums,” for 1920. is the , biggest budget of good things That boyy have ever hail offered to -lib m, ■lf is brought right up to date with stories tUul., uiusi'intibiis of wireless vra'vrs and wonders! of the. .worlrl’s latest aero planes. IT, e»>n I unis twelve thrilling' serial stories By u ell-known v. ri tees, tde more stories i 0 senes, and. titty Siy i-ompbue tale.:; upon subjo.-:K as (Veiling as “The Aeroplane Lxplo.i----q;;;,” '•*'Buee:jn'eei'.'s Gold,”'“Oasi up bv tin Sea,” and “The ALotoi Rat mi.” Theic' are a host of special a rlides on fodrbali. evieket. and nr.het ' sp.■ v' s, wireless, pho!ography,' and a 1 lin'd.red am! fine other subjects of ale sorbing interest to boys. “Chinn.- ” Then there an file New Zealand Annua).-' one for boys' and ilie other foi girls. These have been a specialty of Messrs.‘Casse! and Company for a good nanny years and ha vo always been most acceptable to the young folks. Tfie New Zealand Boys’ Annual tells of tho wonders of modern aircraft, of rivers of romance of wireless and motoring, and lots of other things boys like to know and talk about. It has some good school,stories and. others iijore exciting. Its main fiction is a long complete book-length story by John Hunter, “King of the Speedway.” The New Zealand Girls’ Annual is just as attractive for girls. Ethel Talbot’s story, “The Riddle of the Crimson Fez,” holds pride of place. The rpmance of travel, how to improve your tennis, beadwork are but a few of the topics discussed, whilst many sweet short stories have continued interest: and delight. For younger folk Messrs. Casscl offer Bo Peep’s Bumper Book, full of quaint and funny stories. Its illnstrations are most fascinating. Casscl’s Children’s Annual is of equal value and delight, the illustrations again being most clever. “Tiny Tots” caters for the little people with pictures nnd stories that will bring much happiness.

AN AUSTRALIAN STORY. ..•“Bwlgc.vcc Bill,” nu Australian story for little Australians, is a table of t.iie .Australian fauna and may not have great interest to little New Zealanders who know nothing of wallabis, bunyips and kangaroos, but it Inis its interest nevertheless and the illustrations alone, pen and ink sketches, make the book attractive and,worth while. W. J. O’Neil is the author, and Messrs Angus and Robertson the publishers. mgmmmmmgmmmwmm