THE BOOK OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2132, 25 April 1914, Page 9

THE BOOK OF THE DAY.

THE BEGINNINGS OF NEW ZEALAND HISTORY. It should bo a source of intense gratification to: all who aro interested —and what patriotio New Zealandor is not? — in the early history of the Dominion that ever-increasing research is being mado into the circumstances and conditions under which the foundations of tho Bocial and political life were lived. The most recent contribution to the already quite respectable, bulk of literature dealing with: the early history of tho Dominion comes from Mr. T. Lindsay Buick, ex-M.P. for the Wairau, who, in the courso of a long arid honourable journalistic career, has devoted so much of his leisure time to tho fascinating, if at times necessarily monotonous and irksomo, work of historical research. Sir. Buick's previously published works, "Old Marlborough," '.'Old Manawatu, and "An Old New Zealander" (the story, of To Rauparahara), have proved the author's capacity for taking pains, for sifting with quite meticulous care, tho tangled mass of material, sometimes of importance, at others relatively insig-. niheant. The three works mentioned have fully established Mr. Buick's reputation as that of a careful investigator, an aceurato recorder, and a commentator of more than ordinary shrewdness of perception, into the comparative historical value of the events and episodes with- which his books have dealt. Duty and pleasure are to-day combined in the welcoming of his fourth end latest work, "The Treaty of Waitangi, or How New Zealand Became a British Colony," for tho publication of Which we are indebted to that old-es-tablished, and by Wellington booklflvers justly esteemed, firm, Messrs. S. and W. Mackay. It will be quite clear to all who read the work under notico that tho painstaking and ever-indus-trious Mr. M'Nab, who lias,' of late years, almost monopolised the field of New Zealand historical research, has now a worthy, if friendly, rival, in Mr. Buick; indeed/ the work of tho younger man displays qualities" not represented in that of r the older and inoro experienced .recorder ■ of and commentator upon the beginnings of our national history. Mr. Buick makes no pretentions to any special literary style, but. ill this latest book of his lie certainly appears to present a much moro orderly and sympathetic narrative than are the works of Mr. M'Nab.. The fact is, that each writer works on his particular line. Mr. M'Nab's special role is the industrious collection and careful compilation of historical material. With Mr. Bui(jk thero is less amplitude of detail, or, shall I say, less meticulous insistence upon the importance of detail, but, on tho other hand, we have a simply told but directly consecutive historical narrative" which, though not without .value as to detail, has its chief importance as a comprehensive picture. To put it briefly, with Mr. Buick the .whole ia greater' than its part.

No more picturesque nor historicallywomontous! event than tho . Treaty of Waitangicotild by a Now 7Zealand"';-'histdri&ii', and' altbough-'Jlfr; Buick has; aimed high, ho must- v he credited with having succeeded in-fully rising to the occasion. Ho has delved deep and long in the early records; he has been assisted in his researches by gentlemen of special qualifications; ho has been specially successful in separating the trivial and irrevelant from the-really essential and important. His narrative, if not exactly always of smoothness in its flowing, is at least most admirably coherent and convincing. , A more conscientious and painstaking historian one could not desire. No doubt, at certain points, the narrative would have been all the richer, the better, for a touch of that dramatic forco which , the picturesque, almost romantic character of the scenes depicted, seems_ naturally and rightly to demand, but it may be that from the heightening of the colours thero might have resulted a certain artificiality and, historically speaking, misleading striving after mere pictorial cffect. . Mr. Buick has stuck to his text, somewhat, maybe, dulling a little of tho picturesque charm of his narrative, But the simple directness, tho modesty, and quiet dignity of tho story all do a3 much credit to the author as do tho innumerable evidences of painstaking and toilsome research. Here is, as good old Montaigne put it, "un livre de bon foi," a work of sincerity and good faith.

Vor.y ably does tlio author set forth the special circumstances which led to tho assumption of British sovereignty over the islands; the arrival, at tho only too justly ill-famed Alsatia of Kororakea.'of Captain Hobson; tho placing of the Treaty proposals before the Na-: tive chiefs; tho collection of signatures ; and other happenings which precoded the actual conclusion of the Treaty; that Treaty which, as the author very properly reminds the New Zealanders of to-day, was in very truth the foundation of our nationhood. For the Maories, the Treaty was a veritable Magna Charta; for the scanty handful of New Zealand's then European, settlers it represented a pledgo of personal safety and of freedom to conduct all poacoful and legal occupations; to the Colonial Office it spelt—although at tho time there were not wanting, in London, thoso who deemed it a mistake— security from heavy expense, to say nothing of tho then comparatively unconsidered danger of foreign annexation, a danger which, at Akaroa, was only, as we all know, averted by a happy combination of good luck and praiseworthy promptitude on tho part of the British authorities in tho colony. Upon this particular eventj I may add, Mr. Buick has boon successful in gathering much hitherto unpublished and important information; indeed, throughout, his book, there is evidence of individual and successful research in quarters previously unexplored by carlior writers on the history of the Dominion.

Mr. Buick devotes a long and specially interesting chapter to the wording of the Treaty, apd many ways it has been read, to use a popular expression, "between tho lines.". Upon some of the points raised in the author's analysis of tho Treaty there may bo, it is true, some difference of opinion. One point, however, seems fairly clear. That is, Chat, although, as the author says, "it would be radically unsound to pretend that every Nativo who signed the Treaty had perfectly grasped .its provisions, and lenew' with even _ moderate certainty what he was retaining and what he was conceding," what the Natives did most assuredly understand was that tho "mana of their ehiefs, tho mana which it was their duty habitually to obey, had now passed away from these chiefs to the-Great White Queen over the long leagues of water. Equally certain is it that on both sides there was full recognition of the facts that whatever it took from them, the Treaty left the Natives in secure possession of .their lands.

Although primarily and nominally concerned with the famous Treaty, Mr. Buick's book gives a comprehensive and

most instructive picturo of New • Zealand in 1840, and thereabouts. It is specially rich in references to men who may be justly claimed to rank as Makers of New Zealand. _ Amongst tho Europeans figure prominent such contemporary notables as Captain Hobson; Major Bunbury, of tho 80th Regiment (of whoso remmiscencesj so far as they touch-New Zealand, I-might incidentally rocominend tho republication): of tho veteran missionary, Henry Williams; of Ernest Gibbon Wakefield, founder of the New Zealand Company; of Bishop Pompallier, at the head of the Roman Catholic missions; of James Busby, British Resident prior to Captain Hobson's arrival; of Lieutenant Shortland, and Lord Stanley; and last, but not least, Lord Normanby,- to whoso prudenco and wisdom tho author pays a well-deserved tribute. Amongst Natives of whom we hear much in the narrative, aro the famous orator, Here Tamatu Wankau Nene; To Heu Heu of Taupo; that picturesque savage Tu Hawaiki, on his lonely island of Ruapuke: Karitane Nopcra; and many others long ago passed to their rest.

Mr. Buick has_ wisely secured some excellent illustrations which add greatJy to the interest , and value of tlio book. These include portraits, in some m'iistances, cleverly and effectively reproduced, from old photos and prints, by Mr. James Macdonald, of the Dominion Museum Staff, of leading Europeans and Natives; views of Russell; of tho Mission Church at Kororaeka; of Ho-rahora-Kakahu Island; o£ Mr. Busby's old residence; and of tho Waitangi Falls; also facsimiles of some of tho signatures appended to the Treaty. The book has heen admirably printed bv the famous firm of R. and G. Clark, Edinburgh, and neatly and attractively bound. The prices is 7s. 6d.

A word or two in conclusion: It seems to me that it would bo a judicious.and very proper thing to do were the Education Department to secure a number of copies of Mr. Buick's most interesting and historically valuable work for use in the higher standards of the primary schools. Armed with a work of reference such as this, tho teachers could, v with a littlo easily effected ''boiling down," give a series of brief lectures on the beginnings of New Zealand history which should servo to impress his pupils with a much moro adequate comprehension of tho salient and picturesque points in the story of tho famous Treaty than they could otherwise procure. To secondary schools, to tho ordinary student of history; and to New Zealanders generally who aro 1 desirous of learning something of the great basic event in tlio'history of their Dominion, tho book should bo invaluable.