LITERARY CHAT

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 June 1901, Page 717

LITERARY CHAT

By "The Sage."

Messrs. Angus and Robertson, of Sydney, forward me Number Seven of their popular Commonwealth Series. It proves to be a new edition of Arthur W. Jose's History of Australasia thoroughly revised and brought down to the year 1900 so as to include the Federation of the Australian States. The new portion was carefully revised by that capable historian, R. R. Garran, C.M.G. Of the handy size in which this enterprising firm have already brought out Henry Lawson's and other works, this volume

contains in compact form an immense amount of reliable information concerning the Australasian colonies. A better time than the present could not have been chosen

for publishing such a work, when the world's attention is brought especially to bear on these colonies. There is always a danger in a new country of its earlier history being lost in oblivion, owing to the fact that its pioneers are generally men whose brawny arms and horny hands are more capable of wielding the axe or guiding the plough than the pen. All the more honour then is due to the man who sets to work to record, as Mr. Jose has done, the history of the land of his adoption from the time it was first visited by the earliest explorers. A map showing both inland and coastal discoveries and a jac-simile of the title page of the first book on Australia, compiled, apparently in Portuguese, in the year 1610, are the first

Vol. lI.— No. 9.— 49.

of a series of interesting illustrationH. The author deals with his subject in an accurate and conciso manner, tlio book is well printed, carefully indexed, and contains sixty-four illustrations and six maps. There is no excuse for the too common ignorance of the colonies in which we live when such a work as this under review can be procured in this admirable form for otic shilling. A considerable number of pages are devoted to the la4;e Sir George Grey's capablo administration and consequent success in dealing with the early Maori troubles in New Zealand. In conclusion, this is a book which should command a large sale, both for entertaining reading and to be kept as a useful work of reference.

Messrs. Upton and Co. forward mo a now novel by Myra Swan entitled Ballaxt, published in Longman's Colonial Library, a fact which assui'es its being readable. The heroine, Grey Allison, is a well-drawn character; but much of her life takes its colour from her name, owing principally to the fact of her sacrificing her own and her lover's happiness for many years to an exaggerated sense of duty, which compels her to devote herself entirely to the care of her step-sister, Firenze, who developed a hereditary tendency to drink. However,

after many misunderstandings, all eventually ends fairly satisfactorily as far as most of the characters are concerned, and the reader forgives Miss Grey Allison her mistaken notions of duty in admiration of the manner in which she performs it.

see plenty of faults both in professional training and the routine of the depai^tment." His concluding paragraph states that " it is mainly by one's mistakes that one learns .... the South African campaign must have been a marvellous school for all ranks and departments of the army."

Our Army in South Africa, by R. Scott Skirving, late Consulting Surgeon to the Australian Contingents, is a pamphlet which also comes from Messrs. Angus and Robertson, of Sydney. The author, in his preface, states that, " The following notes are really nothing more than the amplified entries of the daily journal which I kept during the months I spent at the seat of war in South Africa." He commences by giving it as his opinion that before Lord Roberts arrived, thei'e was no real Commander-in-Chief or system of campaign in effect, and that even in Lord Roberts' experienced hands the game of war seemed a very slow one, and not conducted on business lines, apropos of which a distinguished surgeon once remarked to him, "We must let our next war on contract ; this is as bad as a colonial unemployed job on day labour." Dealing with the medical arrangements of the campaign the author excuses the deplorable insufficiency, in that they " were planned to meet the needs of a smaller and more successful army, and consequently sufficient provision was not made for the vast array of casualities which followed swiftly on the commencement of the war." He considers Mr. Burdett - Coutts " has neither the military nor the medical knowledge to qualify him to become a reliable Luther of the Army Medical Department." Of the Royal Army Medical Corps he has also much to say. " Personally I believe," he says, " that no more honourable, hardwoi'king and willing set of public servants are to be found in the service. Many of the cruel things said of these men, who give freely of their best to the State, fill me with indignation ; yet any outside observers can

The New Zealand Literary and Historical Association, whose headquarters are in Auckland, held their annual meeting last month. The Registrar reported much good work already accomplished, and the energetic new President, Mr. Rollett, than whom New Zealand literature has no more consistent supporter, promises much more to follow. So far the Association has been steadily feeling its feet, and deciding the paths in which it is to ti'ead, in the meantime giving valuable criticism and advice to its members, encouraging future efforts in some cases, and as kindly discouraging them in others. The Association's Prize Story and " One of the Judges' " comments on the competition, published in the January and February numbers of this Magazine, did good work in showing — what everybody evidently does not yet know — that there is a special art in writing a short story, only to be acquired by hard study and those essential qualities which constitute genius, infinite patience and perseverance. One of the features of the ensuing year's work is to be inviting all those who wish to advance the cause of New Zealand literature, whether members or not, to offer special prizes through the Association for articles or stories on any subject in which they may be particularly interested, as for instance Sheep Farming, Gold Dredging, Poultry Raising, Fruit Growing, The Kauri Gum Industry, etc., etc., thus encouraging young writers, and at the same time getting vivid and true descriptions of our colonial industries. Success should attend this laudable object, and I commend it to any of the readers of Literary Chat who desire a new outlet for their patriotism.