BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 22, 20 October 1917, Page 13

BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

(By Libeb.)

BOOKS OF THE DAY A History of South Cantorbi^ry. When the timo arrived, in January, 1901), for South Canterbury to celebrate its jubilee, several leading residents, notably ilr. James Craigie, M.P. t'or Timaru, expressed a wish that an account (should bo written of the progress of rho district during the fifty years following tho arrival of the pioneer immigrant ship, the Strathallan. A committee was set "up, and tho task was finally entrusted to Mr. Johannes C. Andersen, formerly of tho Lands and Survey Department, Christchurch, but now a member of the General Assembly Library staff. Tho result is a portly tome of close on eight hundred pages, entitled "Tho Jubilee History of. .South Canterbury," and printed and published for tho subscribers by Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd. It is safe to say that nothing in tho way of local history and topography has yet been produced in the Dominion of the 6ame extensive aitd exhaustive character as Mr. Andersen's work. It is an open question, indeed, whether the author has not erred in the direction of excess of detail, but the cyclopaedic nature of the book certainly enhances its value as a work of reference. Mr. Andersen has been nothing if not thorough, and tho patient industry displayed in the collection, collation, and arranger ment of the vast bulk ot information he .presents is worthy ot unmeasured praise. Iho statistical information alone must have entailed many weary hours of Avork, the author making frequent use of ingeniously devised eraphs and diagrams to show th* splendid progress made by &outli Canteibury in various directions. A preliminary chapter on he geolo y, 'flora, and fauna of the district k subject in which Mr.. Andersen, himselt an ardent naturalist, is evidentlj specially at home-is followed by an interesting essay on Maori uomenclatiue. The earlier history of the district (durin;, tho whaling period), and the beginning;, of pastoral and agricultural occupation are tlien dealt with. Next comes a much detailed .and historically valuable account of the growth of the port ot liniaru, the building of the breakwater.. t'l? ° slui'nih" disasters m the 'eighties and the splendid development; ot tho trade ot the port Alter I chapter on public works and local bodies. Mr. Anaer=en „i VC s a most readable account c old-time politics in tho district. Laud surveys and settlement and land tenures a" lieu dealt -wuh. the immigration p.riod forming the subject ot a .separato chapter. Educational, comneicial, and industrial progress, pioneering lite, antl journalistic and literary activities aUo receive attention, the final chapta- dialin,, with the growth of tho various boroughs, towns, auu villages, with a specially detailed description ot tlie bouthern Alp» and Alpine exploration. To do full justice to a work of this importance would require far more space than is at my command. throughout the book, even when dealing with the most unpromising sides of lus geneial subject, Mr. Andersen has succeeded in investing his narrativo with a. fine, human interest. His descriptions of the alUtoo-famous : shipping disasters which for a time at?'least earned for the port of Timaru such all unenviable notoriety are vigorous, indeed dramatic,- and his sketches of pioneering life, based, m many,cases, upon specially obtained, interviews with, old settlers, are lull ot picturesque detail. Ml'. Andersen gives a- full and interesting account of the Mackenzie' sheep-stealing cases, which, in their day, created as great a local sensation, as did, in the later 'eighties, the dreadful-.record of sordid and calculated villainy which was unfolded in the course of the Hull poisoning trials. In the chapter entitled ''Politics/' we get some excellent character sketches of such-pro-minent figures as Sir Jidward. Stafford, Sir. John Hall, the Hon. \\ uliani Eolleston, Messrs. J. 14. Fitzgerald. W. S. Moorhouse, Francis Jollie, Alfred Cox, aud others. The author gives much interesting information as to the privation and discomforts with which the earlier settlers had to contend, but which they met- so patiently and cheerfully. The student of - the cost of living awl other, social problems will find in this book matter which should aliord iood for profitable reflection. One cannot help thinking that, despite all the forts and positive hardships which fell to the lot of so many of the earlier sutlers in this country, they led what, on the whole, was. a much happier lift than is led by the present generation. Mr. Andersen's account o fearly journalism in Canterbury, and his extracts from the satirical verse, which, the work of men like Crosbio "Ward, J. T. Morris, and others, seems to have been a specially favoured form of literary activity in the earlier days of the province, are most entertaining. An excellent feature of the book, and one-which- is of general and not merely local interest, is Mr. Andersen's wellarranged antl admirably-written description of the great chain of the Southern' Alps, this is accompanied by illustratons of great variety and beauty, and by what is claimed to be .the most accurately detailed map (the work of the author) yet published. Tf the present writer may be pardoned the suggestion, 1 would express a hope that by arrangement between tho publishing committee and the printers the sections dealing with the Southern Alps region may lie reprinted 111 a separate and more handy form. Such a publication would be a distinct and welcome addition to New Zealand to 110. graphical literature, and would, I. I>eiieve; have a considerable sale. , The book is most generously provided with illustrations of all kinds, town and rural scenes, portraits of pioneer settlers, politicians, and public men generallj. Commendation is due to the author toi an exhaustive index, the compilation o which must have entailed much pnti-i. industry. It is much to bp nesirer thai o.verv province 111 New Zealand mi.,l t furnish an historical work on sunilai, ' if perhaps somewhat less extensive hn *. The result, would be a mass <j 1.1=1" - i-il material ol' verv high value. Ihe book has been published by subscription, but it is probable thai a i. I :,.S Hiav be available tor purchase b\ |,o "Clieral public: The price, 1 under ' . mm-suk-cribers will be about tliirt.v shillings. A. copy ot the book should certainlv find a place in Miiblic library throughout lh« JJmniniou.

Give a man a pipe he can smoke, Give a man a hook he can read; And his home is bright with a calm delight Though the room be poor indeed. Thomson.