NEW PUBLICATIONS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 16, 22 April 1909, Page 619

NEW PUBLICATIONS

Home exchanges some time ago. Exchanges received this -Veek give Low Sunday as" the date.

Ballads About Business and BacJc-Block Life. By Hamilton Thompson, Dunedin. Otago Daily Times -and Witness Newspapers Company, Ltd. This is a bright, breezy, ra"cy volume of verse descriptive of the various and varying phases of; colonial life. The aiithor, Mr. Hamilton Thompson, of Dunedin, has a light and skilful literary touch, and his book is marked throughout by a vein of genuine humor. The quaint and entertaining characters so often met with in the early digging days are faithfully portrayed, and amusing experiences on stations and amongst tie ' way-back ' folk are related -with vigor and; vim. The names of the ballads — such as ' Der Dredgin' Boom,' ' Yen Money Gets Tight,' ' Ye All Get Our Gruel,' ' How They Served the Blueys,' ' The Rabbit Raid at Kenn McGaw's,' ' Wild Irishman,' etc. — sufficiently indicate the wide range of subject-matter dealt with; and in addition to the ballads there are"" a number of ' Other* Verses,' one or two of which reach a distinctly .high level. Altogether this volume of verse is light reading of a kind which we can cordially recommend; and, both on its own merits and on the patriotic principle of encouraging local talent, we hope it will receive a wide and generous welcome. The book is well printed in large clear type, and the price — two shillings — should bring it within the reach of all.