H.—22.

(7) New Zealand Centennial News. The New Zealand Centennial News, a monthly bulletin published by the Government Printer on behalf of this Department with the object of stimulating interest in the Centennial, is playing an important part in developing a Centennial atmosphere. It is distributed to members of the Legislature, members of Centennial committees, newspapers, consuls, libraries, and local authorities. Apart from its value in making known the Centennial activities in the several provincial districts, its portraits of the principal figures associated with the early government and settlement of New Zealand, its illustrations, and its general historical articles will make it a valuable record for posterity and give it the status of a Centennial memorial. Already some of the earlier numbers are in short supply and it has been necessary to increase the monthly issue to 4,500. (8) Centennial Film. Early in the year a departmental Committee consisting of representatives of the Tourist and Publicity and Internal Affairs Departments, assisted by Mr. 0. N. Gillespie and Mr. Ormond Wilson, recommended the Government to produce as a national record of the Centennial, and as a publicity medium, a semi-documentary film of 5,000 ft. portraying the development of New Zealand from the arrival of the first settlers up to the present time. The recommendation was approved by the Government, and the production of the film was taken over by the Miramar film-studio of the Tourist and Publicity Department. B. National Centennial Histobical Committee. The year 1938-39 has seen steady progress with the Committee's programme of work as outlined in the Department's last annual report. Within a few months of the appointment of an Editor of Centennial publications, preliminary discussion of the series of surveys and other commemorative publications had reached the stage when it was considered advisable to call the Committee together to formulate definite proposals for the Government's consideration. The Committee met on the 17th June, 1938, and in the absence of the Chairman, Mr. James Tliorn, M.P., the chair was taken by Mr. J. T. Paul, Deputy Chairman. At this meeting reports were presented by the sub-committees set up at the Committee's first meeting in June, 1937, and following their adoption it was agreed to recommend for the Government's favourable consideration the production of the following publications : — (1) A series of some twelve surveys, designed to cover all phases of New Zealand history and to be written in a popular manner by authorities in each field. (2) A parallel series of thirty pictorial surveys of New Zealand history intended for popular reading and educational use, each number to contain an authoritative text and an average of fifty pictures or specially drawn diagrams. (S) A Centennial Atlas to provide, within the limits set by cartography and historical research, a comprehensive record of New Zealand's development from the beginning of its known history to the present. (4) A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, modelled on similar overseas publications, to contain brief biographies of eminent New-Zealanders, both European and Maori, not living at the time of publication. Proposals for the authorship of the various publications were then agreed to, and the Committee proceeded to review other activities undertaken during the first year of its existence. These included the issuing of historical propaganda, the collection of manuscripts and illustrative material, and the handling of requests for historical data received from the national Centennial organization, Government Departments, and members of the public. Satisfactory progress in each branch of this work was reported. Following receipt of the Government's approval to the Committee's recommendations, authors were commissioned and arrangements were completed for the printing and binding of the various publications. The arrangements were confirmed at a further meeting of the Committee held on the 2nd December under the chairmanship of Mr. James Thorn, M.P. At this meeting it was announced that, with Government approval, arrangements had been made to hold Centennial competitions for schools, these competitions to take the form of group contests for the best survey of some phase of local history and development. Other activities reviewed included the extension of historical propaganda overseas, the collection of further material of historical importance, and the work of provincial Historical Committees. The appeal mentioned in the last annual report for manuscripts and other material relating to the early history of New Zealand has been productive of excellent results. Altogether, thirty-seven separate gifts or loans of unpublished manuscripts and relics have been received by the National Historical Committee. The more important of the collections which have been made available for the use of the Committee are as under :— Dr. Weeke's Journals (presented by Mrs. Arminel Werring, F.R.G.S.). Holloway Journals (Rev. W. J. Holloway). Hobson Relics (Lieut.-Colonel R. M. Rendel). Eelton Mathew papers (Lady Olivier, Mrs. McCleary, and Dr. T. G. Crump). Stafford Collection (Miss M. M. Stafford). Douglas relics (Mrs. W. Wilson and the late Dr. E. Teichelmann). Fitzgerald relics (Rev. Otho Fitzgerald). Dillon letters (Mrs. K. Dillon). Nixon letters (Mrs. A. E. Hewett). Chevalier Journal and sketches (Mrs. Elizabeth Laing, on b&half of the trustee of the late Nicholas Chevalier).

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