Buildings, volcanoes, and streams

Press, 1 February 1986, Page 20

Buildings, volcanoes, and streams

Historic Buildings of Canterbury and South Canterbury. By John Cattail. Historic Places Trust/ Government Printing Office, 1985. 74 pp. $8.50 (paperback). Ninety-eight buildings that appear in the New Zealand Historic Places Trust’s register of classified buildings are described and illustrated in thisbooklet. It has been published, on the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the trust, as the first of a series of regional registers that will eventually cover the whole country. Twelve buildings are listed under the “A” classification — buildings whose preservation is regarded as essential. Some, such as the Canterbury Provincial Government building in Christchurch, are very well known. Others, such as The Cuddy on Te Waimate Station, a tiny dwelling built near Waimate in 1854, are much less familiar. The lesser *'B” classifications covers a wide range of buildings, all of them worthy of notice. They include such curiosities as the rabbit fence on Horsley Down Station in North Canterbury, “The Press” building in Cathedral Square (rated as meriting “permanent preservation because of its great historical significance or architectural quality”), and the Kakahu lime kiln near Geraldine. In addition, the book gives the much longer list of buildings that merit preservation or recording. It has been a mark of the trust’s good sense that it has not tried to insist on the preservation of too many different buildings. It has concentrated attention on the best and most important and has had considerable success.

Still, it is sensible to remind the

community that many other buildings and bridges deserve attention. This would make a splendid guide book for a leisurely architectural tour round Canterbury and should. help to stimulate support for the trust’s important work. Extinct Volcanoes: A Guide to the Geology of Banks Peninsula. By S. Weaver, R. Sewell and C. Dorsey. Geological Society of NZ P.O. Box 30-368 Lower Hutt, 1985. 48 pp. $6 (paperback). How to resist a book where one of the chapters is called “Uprisings in Governors Bay.” Are the- good burghers of Mt Herbert County really that restless? Answer — No, but in times past the land has been. This sensible little guide book from the N.Z. Geological Society traces the volcanic activity of the peninsula, the formation of the two substantial craters that became the harbours of Akaroa and Lyttelton and ■ the associated activites that helped to give the peninsula its rugged and unexpected charms. With maps and detailed tour guides, for those travelling on foot or by car, the book identifies and explains a variety of the more interesting geological features of the area. Only the illustrations fall short of the generally high quality. But the whole production is likely to rouse such enthusiasm among readers that they will set off to see for themselves and take their own pictures.

City Streamer “The Press” Walking Guide to Christchurch Waterways. By Stan Darling. Chch Press Co. Ltd, 1985. 68 pp. $7.50 (paperback). Christchurch sits on a tamed swamp, and a variety of small waterways, as well as the Avon and Heathcote Rivers, still help to drain the city. This booklet describes 17 easy walks, most of them' in pleasant suburban areas, tracing the courses of

rivers and streams. Even Christchurch residents are likely to be surprised at some of the less familiar stretches of waterway it locates. But one word of warning — those following some of the descriptions are going to feel like the mouse in the old radio recording, “The Mousetrap” — “He goes along here, but he can’t.” Smaller streams have an irritating habit of vanishing into private properties just as the enthusiastic walker is getting into stride. Never mind. With the help of this booklet the water walker will at least know, how to locate the same stream at its next public appearance.

Stewart Island: A Visitors’ Guide and Souvenir. Stewart Island Promotion Assn and Craig Printing, P.O. Box 99, Invercargill, 1985. 32 pp. $4.95 (paperback). Enthusiasts for Stewart Island call it New Zealand’s best kept secret. Visitors come away with mixed reactions, but most are won over to the delights of New Zealand’s third island, in spite of the vagaries of the weather and the hard terrain. The attractions include forests and beaches and mountains, hunting and tramping, and touches of a European history that goes back nearly 200 years to the early whalers and sealers. All are described briefly in this attractive little book, along with advice on how to get there, where to stay, and how to move round. This book meets an important need for those planning to visit the island and its 450 people, and those who want a reminder of memorable places- and scenery.

The Forest and Bird Book of Nature Walks. By D. Collingwood and E. V. Sale. Reed Methuen, 1985. 186 pp. $24.95 (paperback). Members of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society have been walking New Zealand together for more than 50 years. Here, members bring together their knowledge of the countryside, from North Cape to Stewart Island, with descriptions for nature lovers of where to go and what to see. The book recounts and illustrates hundreds of walks, some familiar and many much less familiar. Even well known locations, such as the Port Hills or Diamond Harbour, take on new interest seen through the eyes of enthusiastic amateur naturalists. The book is a source of a wide variety of ideas for holiday activities.

There is one failing — many of the maps are unclear and the names are difficult to read. People using the book in unfamiliar places will have problems. This flaw should be remedied if there is a second edition; such a useful idea deserves very clear maps.