REVIEW.

Waipawa Mail, Volume X, Issue 1017, 2 December 1886, Page 4

REVIEW.

“ The Defenders of New Zealand.” A shori biography of colonists who distinguished themselves in upholding the supremacy of Her Majesty in these Islands. By Thomas Wayth Gudgeon, Author of “The Reminiscences ol the war in New Zealand,” &c. H. Brett, Publisher, Anckland. It often happens that heroes do not receive honor for deeds of gallantry and bravery on the battle field until long after those deeds have been committed. In tin's colony it has been remarked before now that there is plenty of room for a comprehensive work detailing all that is known or can be ascertained of the past, in connection with the fi»st wars in New Zealand. Many were the hardships, and the risks of personal safely that some of the early settlers wont through, but few are the records describing them.

It is true that Lieut. T. W. Gudgeon has published an excellent book on the native wars, and that many feats worthy of record are in it brought prominently before the public. But the colonists now want to know more of the characters of men who distinguished themselves in the early days. "We want to see their pictures, as they are now, to hear how they came out to this country in the first place, and what they did before entering Her Majesty’s service as soldiers’ In a word, we want to mako heroes of them and pass their names down to posterity as names of which every one of us is proud.

No book, so far as we ore aware, has as yet been published, whose aims have been so comprehensive as this. And it is with tho very greatest pleasure that we learn that Lieut. Thus. Wayth Gudgeon has once more stepped forward to supply the want, in tho work which it is now our pleasant duty to place before the notice of the public/ No one in tho colony could have been found more eminently adapted to the undertaking of such a task as Mr Gudgeou. And the lines on which “ Defenders of New Zealand” is written have been most judiciously selected and followed. The book is being published as well as printed in the colony—another reason why we should be proud—Mr H. Brett, of Auckland, undertaking this part of the work. Only subscribers will be able to procure copies, and tho prospectus distinctly states that the book is not and never will be, placed in any bookstore for sale. There are 130 engravings, most of them being from photographs of the distinguished men of the colony, and the others arc excellent plans of native pahs and battle scenes, from the sketches of artists. It is impossible for us to give an entire list of portraits, but we find the following amongst the number : —Major Atkinson, Mr BalJance, Capt. Bower, Mr Bryce, Sir W. Duller, Major Gascoigne, Col. Gorton, Major Gudgeon, Mr E. Hamlin, Capt. Haultain, Major Von Tempsky, Lieut, and Major Hunter, Te Kooti, Major Kemp, Major Mair, Col. Noakes, Major Porter, Capt. Prceco, Major Richardson, Bishop Selwyn, Major Speedy, Major Tuke, Major Weslrupp, Col. Sir George Whitmore, and Sir George Grey.

Each picture heads a chapter in which an account of tho life and exploits of tho subject are detailed. In the case of Major Von Tcmp&ky, tho whole of that gallant officer's bravo and dashing services are pietuicd minutely. Te Kooti’s name is of course coupled with nil the horrors of a Poverty Bay massacre, and so on. The book contains 700 pages, and the Government have < rdered 30 copies to start with. Numbers of names of private people all over the colony, are being obtained by the ageuts, who are travelling with tho work, and wo understand that already the sale has very much exceeded tho best expectations of tho publishers. An alphabetical list is appended of names of all New Zealand medallists, and the names are also given of the officers who were killed in action in the colonial forces, their rank, corps, and date of death being minutely described. The latter portion of the work deals with tho ten years between 1860 and 1870. The work itself deals with the history of the colony from 1845 onwards. It is dedicated on tho title page to the “ moving spirits who took so active a part in the early wars.” Not the least interesting feature of the work is a Maori history compiled by Lieut Col. McDonnell, from tho personal statements given him by tho natives themselves touching upon the history of tho counlry for 100 years previous to British occupa-

tion, shewing the manner in which the natives trace their ancestry and including a general history of the war. The publisher should, and will, we liopo find that tho book is largely sought after in the colony. In fact, it will bo laid on the bookshelves of every patriotic colonist, as a valued record of the bravery and dashing deeds of their predecessors, whoso names and fame would otherwise die out and fade away, instead of being held up as glorious examples, of which future races should bo proud.