VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1966, 24 January 1914, Page 11

VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

The Nation's Library—New Volumes. I have mcro than onco' drawn the attention of my' readers, especially those interested' in the study ot social, political, and economic questions of tho tlay, : to that- excellent series, "Tho Nation's Library'! (Collins' Bros, and Co.). ,'Twp- recent additions are "The Caso Against Railway Nationalisation," by Kdwm' A. Pratt; and "The Story of Trusts," by M. E. Hirst, M.A. Air. Pratt's volume is of timely interest just now, especially to English readers, seeing that in the Old Country there Inis been of late, and is still, so much discussion of tho question of State ownership of railways. .Mr. Pratt is an uncompromising opponont-of State ownodprivato or company ownership, and although conditions in Great Britain differ very considerably from thoso prevailing in Australasia, there is not a little iii his book which may piovido food for useful thought by- colonial readers. For the most part Mr. Pratt's examination ■of the results of Stato ownership aro confined to European railways—the State railways of France, Belgium, and Prussia in particular. His only reference to the New Zealand system takes the form of a quotation from a leading article in the New Zealand "Herald' 1 of June; 1912, iii ■ which some very uncomplimentary .-references -are made to the. circumstances under which "many of tho South Island linos." which, by the way, the . writer, of tho articlo describes as "so many sinks for national loan, money expended for political' purposes,"- were constructed. AN'herc Mr.-Pratt's book-will.be of special use jfco New Zealand students of railway problems generally will be ill tho detailed information he gives of the working of many of the European railways.- • ■

During the last'few years so much lias been written on, the. subject of trusts and monopolies tliat a further addition.to the already, large bulk of literature on the subject might appear unnecessary. Miss. Margaret E. Hirst, however, the author of "The Story of Trusts," is a trained and export American authority 011 economic questions, and her .little book . .not only gives a useful summary of the past history of trusts and the attempts made, 'particularly in thn United States, to combat \tlieir evil tendencies, but also embodies the result of much careful personal, investigation 011 her own account. An interesting prefaco is contributed bv the author's sister, Professor G. M. Hirst, of Columbia University, New York. 'Each volume contains a compact and useful bibliogranhv of tho subject dea't with, and a full index. (New Zealand price, fifteen pence.) Ths Everyman Encyclopaedia. Volume, nine of Messrs. Dent and Co.'s excellent "Everyman Encyclopaedia" (per Whitcombe and Tombs) brings tiio work np to "OZ." New Zealand gets about four columns of text, not an excessive allowance, the statistical information being brought tip to the end of 1911. In "tho bibliographical noto at the end of the article the works of Messrs. W. P. Rcevcr, and H. Rroadhead (on industrial legislation, etc.) are recommended, but Mr.. Scholield's very valuable book 011 the Economic Evolution of New Zealand is not mentioned. As in previous volumes.the biographical articles are specially good. 111 its complete form (12. vols, at Is. 3d.) the "Evervman Encvclopaedia" would be a most 'useful-addition to every • private library. "Lcavss from a Hobo's Diary." "Hobo" is good "Mui-kan" for tramp, a lid Mr. J. Robin, the author of "Leaves from a- Hobo's Diary, or How to Travel Without Money" (Montreal "Star" office; per S. and W • Mackay), claims that ha is a genuine "hobo," one who is born with the lutst of travel. Mr. Robin is well known in Wellington, where he arrived, on his first visit, by the, good ship. Rodney, now some forty years or so ago, and worked for a time at hist trado, as a printer on, the "Now Zealand Times." A return, visit was made many years later, the author arriving here_ shortly after" the wreck of the Penguin; • and working for a-, time at the Government Printing Office, returning to London, en route for Montreal, in the s.s. Sussex.. .■!*. his tirtie Mr. Robin has played r>"i'v curious, roles .in tho cbmedy-ri" 'ina of life, .and visited not a few countries. He has some good.stories to tell, none the less amusing, some of ' them, for savouring of tho Munchausen tyfe, '''and gives, incidentally, some curious,pictures;of colonial life in bygone days. Many of' the Maori ■ names .introduced are, sadly, misspelt, which is somewhat surprising, seeing, tho author is. an old. "comp.," and, iis such, should [lavo- seen to, it that his proofs wero properlj'-read. ■ » Liber's Note-Book. The Christmas "Windsor" (Ward, Lock and Co., per' S and W. Mackay) is au amazingly big shilling's worth of good literature and equally good pictures. • A magazine which cr.ntains in one number contributions by such aui liors as Rider Haggard. Anthony Hope,. Beatrice Hanaden, "Q.," Halliwell Suti'lill'e, lidim l'bilpottf. Arnold UeunoU, Marriolt. Watson, ami E. K. Benson, lo mention a few of the lending names in the contents list of the Christinas "Windsor," is well worth buying, and the pictorial features are unusually good. J nolo Dm I "a new serial yam by Mr. H. Rider Haggard is commenced, aiid that- our good old friend, Allan Quatermain, is resurrected. The new romance, which has a South African background.' h entitled, "The Holy Flower.Judging by the first chapter tile story promises remarkably well. To me. the latterrlay style of providing reprints of classics with "introductions" by more or less well-known author.-, of the day, savours somewhat of impertinence. Not infrequently the authors engaged to provide these introductions can't even spell corrcctlv tho names of the characters in the books

they deal with. Thus, in tlie .'.'.Waver-f ley" Dickens, ihe <*;>inno lui tiou:.".!."-.i "Oombey and Son", is . "Lucas Malet" (.Mrs. St; LcgL-r:Tla_rri-.:- ; : soil), who gives us '.."Sir ' Muiberryi; Jlawko (for Hawk); I.ord Yerisoph (for. Ycrisopht);Wir Lciectler. Deadlock (for Dcdlock).Eveii b ( '; name of the leading female character, the novel to which she'is specially.alli.(l-. ing she cannot spell correctly, lor twice.;! "Edith Granger appears, as "(lram-> ger." The introducer, nf pectations" is, 1 notice, .lo'im Oxenham,-. What spccial (iiialificntion ba;; -ilas secoud-rato novelist,, of to-day!i?r-/in;ji. trodiicing one of the finest stories, oi; tiie greatest A'ictorian novelist, ? - .V'ver: buy an edition of Dickens with ..V'.iiiiro-.. ductions" by latter-day writers—Chcs-" verton alone excepted. The introduc-; tions aro nearly always quite ncgligijw; banalities. ■ '--J/