the institutional Church as represented in the existing structures of the National Council of Churches and dutifully analyses the amorphousness and cohesiveness, respectively, of them and the Roman Catholic churches and the Mormon religion. At the same time he feels bound to point out that cohesiveness sought as an end in itself would be disastrous, and is anyway by no means all that it appears to be in the R.C. and Mormon institutions (he has particularly interesting comments, from the race relationships point of view, on the possibility that Maoris, who form two thirds or more of Mormons in New Zealand, find therein not a new religion so much as a way to ‘westernisation’ while avoiding assimilation by New Zealand's Pakeha majority). However, he reveals his real conclusions in the very valuable last chapter. First, for the churches as they are at present structured, he gives what he frankly calls ‘Patchwork Recommendations’. These are really creative, stimulating suggestions and should be read by every pastor, lay-reader and other member of the ‘People of God’ with an honest eye to present shortcomings in his church community's engagement (or lack of it) in the problems of race relations and understanding of Maori culture and “the painful, but only way to congruity”. But, lastly, his ‘Basic Renewal Recommendations’ are based upon the even more exciting insight: “It is around the intrinsic dynamism and vitality of the Christian faith that new forms can crystallise. The adaptation of both Maori and Pakeha christianity to a changing world should have this dynamic core as the centre.” He urges the churches to freedom to experiment within the race situation with new forms of its life in which cohesiveness happens with smaller, intimate, face to face groups, within which persons of all races truly meet, influence each other and, together, change. Here, ‘aroha’ is no longer the Maori name for a typically rural characteristic to be gradually lost as “young Maoris achieve Pakeha individualism”, but a race-transcending Grace to be found at the root of life itself when men meet each other in meaningful and creative relationships—to which the “intrinsic dynamism and vitality of the Christian faith, crystallising in new forms, bears witness”. This is an important book, the outcome of the initiative of the National Council of Churches whose ordinary, local members will, I trust, receive it, as the author suggests, in study booklet form with modern methods of use outlined in it. Meantime, to anyone who can read it, churchman or not, I urge: this is an important contribution to anyone's understanding of race relations in New Zealand. It is a bargain at 15s.

THE MAORIS OF NEW ZEALAND by Dr Joan Metge Routledge and Kegan Paul, 30s reviewed by N. P. K. Puriri New Zealand is fortunate to possess at the moment a group of authors who are gifted students of the Maori. Constant research and contact with the people gives their work an air of reality. They have to be ‘with it’: they have to sort out, often from a welter of conflicting evidence, details of things Maori … customs, history, attitude, warfare, religion and many other complicating factors. Others less conscientious can present their material, depending on the attitude of the writer, with tongue in cheek, or as a tome of anthropological jargon. Serious students have to be fair. Not merely do they have to have a firm grasp of their subject in both theory and practice, but they have to explain how and why changes have occurred. Finally, they always have to stimulate. Joan Metge is one of this group. One could say that there are far too many books written on the subject. One could also say; ‘what is their earthly use?’ The analysis of a people by a ‘name academic’ usually leaves one cold, the language being in most cases far too technical for people like myself. The writer does not come under this classification. This book is one of a series dealing with studies of societies throughout mankind. Dr Metge has probed deeply and has avoided the pitfalls of superficialities. Quite early in the piece, the reader is impressed with the writer's humanity, her warmth and fair mindedness, and the reader also senses that she is a person who looks at the Maori with friendly and honest eyes. There is no doubt that people who will read this book will like it. They will benefit considerably from the author's years of re-