NEW ZEALAND CENTENNIAL

Southland Times, Issue 23375, 6 December 1937, Page 16

NEW ZEALAND CENTENNIAL

HISTORICAL SURVEYS COMMITTEE’S APPEAL FOR MANUSCRIPTS One of the most important projects under consideration by the National Historical Committee is the preparation of a series of historical surveys covering every aspect of national life over the past century. It is not enough for those compiling these surveys to have access to material already contained in libraries throughout the Dominion; if writers are to present a complete and comprehensive picture of its history, they must have the opportunity to see and use unpublished sources now in private hands, (says a statement issued by the National Historical Committee).

Very useful work in collecting material has been done in the past by institutions such as the Hocken Library in Dunedin and the Turnbull Library in Wellington. In other cities old settlers’ associations have preserved records that would otherwise have been lost or destroyed. There still exist many old manuscripts, photographs and pictures which would be invaluable in reconstructing the social and economic life of the past hundred years. The past lives in such casual records, as it often fails to do in some more laboured work. One of the Paston Letters, for example, may arouse more interest in a reader’s mind than a volume of Macaulay. Imagination is fired to a greater intensity by trifling descriptions of the dress, manners, pastimes, and speech of a preceding era, than by a succession of accurate statistics. No matter how trivial early family papers and photographs may appear to be to their present owners, such material may be of the utmost value to the historian. An old tattered letter may provide the clue to an explorer’s secrets that time has shrouded in obscurity. A faded photograph may provide the only accurate means of reproducing an illustration of some historic landmark since destroyed by flood, fire or earthquake. DRAWINGS MAY BE VALUABLE Early drawings, too, may be extremely valuable. The late Charles Douglas who explored many Westland valleys once sketched Mount Aspiring from the Waiatoto riverbed. Douglas wrote on the reverse of his sketch, “There must be some virtue in this, because the people here say it is no good,” yet the sketch has the merit of photographic accuracy, though it was drawn many years before a camera was to recapture the same setting of mountain and rain forest.

Anyone who has undertaken research into New Zealand history has found that valuable data have been destroyed through ignorance or carelessness. Too often does it happen that a research student will trace reference to a pioneer’s diary only to learn that it was sent to a destructor or was accidently burnt. Despite such destruction and loss, there still remain manuscripts and illustrations that should be available for the centennial. To enable New Zealand writers to delve in these rich deposits the National Historical Committee appeals to the owners of letters, diaries, caricatures, photographs and cartoons to place their material at its disposal. The National Committee desires also to have the power to publish selections from any manuscript, subject to the approval of the owners.

As only two years now remain in which the surveys can be written and published, no time should be lost in making records available. To make it possible for the owners readily to lend their material, Mr F. G. HallJones, the chairman of the Southland Provincial Historical Committee, has consented to receive mauscripts and illustrations of historical value on loan on behalf of the National Committee. Owners may be assured that their records will be treated with every care and returned as soon as possible.