Essay Competitions.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20340, 25 June 1934, Page 6

Essay Competitions.

Dear Sir,—lt is reported that the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Historical Association has chosen for the subject of its essay competition, which is open to all the secondary schools of Canterbury, a topic arising from the efforts of the early New Zealand missionaries. Can you, or the secretary of the local branch of the Historical Association, intimate through vour columns some reliable book narrating the story of the earliest South Island mission? Many books, albeit somewhat expensive, deal writh the North Island missions from the days of Marsden and Leigh, but there is an apparent dearth of books relating to the South Island missionary activities.—l am, etc., A. P. MILLER. Mr E. J. Bell, of the Canterbury Public Library, states that to his knowledge there is no book dealing exclusively with missionary work in the South Island. Reference to the work of individual churches msy be found in “ The English Church in New Zealand.” by the Rev Purchas, “The History of the Presbyterian Church,*’ by the Rev John Dickson, ** Centenary Sketches of New Zealand Methodism,** by the Rev W. J. Williams, and “ The Pioneering Days of Southern Maoriland," by the Rev M. A. Rugby Pratt.