NEW BOOKS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1342, 20 January 1912, Page 9

NEW BOOKS.

"An Old New Zoalnnder," or "Te Raupavalia. the Napoleon of I he South." Hy T. Tjindsii.v liuick; Whitconibe and Tombs, 10s. Cd. llr. liuick, who has already dono good service to Kew /calami history in his two books, "Old Marlborough," and "Old Manawatu," has now produced a third which will probably be found to be of more general interest. It is also, from, a literary poiit of view, a move finished production, and it possesses the advantage of having a hero. It is n historical biography, which, ever before Carlyle propounded his theory of great mon, was generally felt lo be the most attractive form of hislory. In the nutterials for such works there are always element: of romance which give a savour to tho facts. Mr. liuick has made good use of the possibilities thus presented Intho life story of To l!;iuparahn, and hs has successfully avoided the temptation to paint too fair a portrait of the old

fighting chief. Doubtless, if Uie Wakefields and other settlers of their day who suffered from Te Rauparaha's nets of violence and viewed him with exaggerated fears, could read Sir. liuicli'.s narrativu. they would regard it a.s a pieu; of sjtilftil "whitewashing." tlut in these calmer times, when the events of the pioneering epoch can be seen in something like historical perspective, it will be generally agreed that .Air. I?nick's treatment of the career and character of Te liauparaha is eminently sano and fair. To .some readers "The Napoleon of the South" may seem at fii-st sight much too big a name for a savag-; ehioftain whose victorious raids extended, after all over wily a_ fraction of these islands. "The Maori .Napoleon" would have been a better phrase, and looking at Te Kaujiaralia in relation to his environment, it must be admitted that Mr. linick has brought together a mass of evidence which proves that the savage conqueror had much of the genius in war and diplomacy, much of the fiery ambition and unquenchable sMf-eonfidenoe and even of the natural brain-power of his European prototype. The biographer does not extenuate" Te Rauparaha's occasional acts of treachery, but he is able to point also to his generous hospitality ami to tho almost statesmanlike moderation which he exhibited on certain critical occasions. A very full account is given of tho Wcirau massacre and the surrounding circums-ances, and it is shown that the blame should rest to a very slight extent upon Te liauparaha, and almost entirely upon the English officials whose unwisdom and unfairness precipitated the crisis in which Te Rnuparahn, as a -Maori, could not do other than acquiesce in his kinsman Rangihaeata's fierce demand for utu. Te Rauparaha's devastating raids were due in the first'placi to his desire to save his people from destruction at the hands of the neighbouring tribes, and when all was over, lie accented with good grace the new order of things introduced by the pakeba and raised the concluding "years of his long life in neaoe with all men. The octogenarian, Te Rauparaha at Otaki, encouraging his people to adopt the new civilisation worshipping in tho groat church which lie caused to he built, and for recreation rreitimr to Bishop Hadfield with dramatic fire t.ho story of his exploits does not compare altogether unfavourably with Napoleon's last stages at "?t. Helena. Sir. Uniek's book, both 011 account of its historical value and its interest to the general reidor. deserves a warm welcome from New Zeaiandcrs.

'River Rovers," by E. _,T. Brady. George Robertson and Company, Melbourne l , Sydney, Adelaide, and Brisbane.

This is the chronicle of an eventful voyage down the River Murray from Albury to Adelaide, 1500 miles, made by tho author and a friend in a IG-foot motor skiff. Of course there were adventures, and some of them unpleasant enough, but thoy arc made light of in the story. Tho two voyagers went out to live with Nature, leaving the world to its foolish scrambles for money and fame. The gladness of this life the author tells in his happiest style. Down the banks there were all kinds of country to pass through, all kinds of people to be met, and ho discusses them as a thoughtful observer, with some facility in the use of his language. Here, for instance, is something of what he wrote of an Aboriginal Mission Station—"Here the Map. of tho Stono Age looks out with sad, polhetic eyes upon the Age of Steel. The neolithic type of humanity is doomed under twentieth century Condition';. All over Australia tho aborigine is fading fast. His extermination is rapid, inevitable. What the rifle begins the roof and tho rum finish. ; Tho body of neolithic man can no more resist the white man's germs than tho whit-n man's methods. . . . The aboriginal is neither a worker hor a house-dweller. He is by law of Nature a hunter, a fisher, and a wanderer." Kilt in the intervals, between flippancy and rumination tho author vigorously preaches a gospelit is that tho vast plains of'the Kiverina. arc capable, under irrigation, of supporting millions of pooplo. "River Rovers" is certainly tho most interesting volume of travel talk that has lately been written about Australia.

"Frivolous Peeps at Tndia." By Ethel ' Kelly. George KobcTt-son and Company. Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and Brisbane.

"This little book does not pretend to enlighten or improve tho mind thirsting for archaeological or geographical knowledge, but to give a truthful photograph of facial India as I saw it"—so much is admitted by the writer in a prefatory note. She has chosen the collection-of-lefcters method of describing her trip, and by so doing has been able to shake herself free from literary conventions, and to arrange her matter exactly as sho chooses. Admiration for the grandeur of things; disgust with the germ-laden squalor of the bazaars; ridiculo of the old stupid customs; and occasional discourse on historical events—all are mixed up with tales cf teas, dinners, polo, gymkhanas, races, and of a man with gaps between his teeth who tried to kiss her. Always the point of view is that of an aristocrat and frequently she refers more in sorrow tiian in anger to poor Labourridden Australia, l'orhaps it was quite worth making into a printed book, for it is a collection of the .bright chat of a smart woman., with imagination and originality, discussing unfamiliar things.

"On the Plains of Nod." By A. D. Bright, author of "Tho Fortunate Princeling," etc. Gordon and Gotcli, 'London and Wellington. Is. 3d. Mark Twain said in' one of his prefaces that he liiul tried not to he instructive, hut found he could not help it: information oozed out of him "like ottu of roses from the otter." Miss Bright's ease is rather different. She is. .by way of regular occupation, what used to he called "an instructress of youth." hut her pretty, whimsical tales for children seem to have come spontaneously, and as though she couldn't help it. Such, at any rate, is one of the' impressions formed upon tho mind of the reader. The present book has all the quaint originality and simple charm of its predecessors. ""With the Midnight Ship" tells exactly how Santa Clans has brought his old-o<-.-.abli?l>ed nnd extensive business un to dale hv doing his round in an aeroplane.

"The Calendar Train" is a phantasy of the same pleasant sort, but the tale from which the little bonk takes its title is a somewhat more old-fashioned peep into Fairyland, while the remaining story, v;hich treats r( Mrs. Goose, who wa= a wonderful bird and never tired of savin? so. has a humour all its sr. The present writer has. enjoyed these pages, and has seen children enjoy them too— and that, after all, is the proper test.