“New Zealand Illustrated.”

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 332, 4 October 1907, Page 3

“New Zealand Illustrated.”

'Christmas number of that popular “The Weekly Press,” has just been and can be summed up in the words, •'better than ever.” Previous experience has shown that by the contents of "New Zealand Illustrate^the public can judge the advance illustrated literature has made in the Southern Hemisphere during the year, and a casual glance through the pre* eent issue proves that the stride this year has been a mighty one. The cover of a magazine is generally casually glanced at and passed over, but that of *• New Zealand lllustrated”holdsyou with its chaste beauty. Here one of the paper's special staff of artist?, Mr Konaway, the Phil May of New Zealand, has surpassed all his previous efforts, and with a few lines of his facile pencil depicts Tennyson's Mermaid, in all the weird beaufcv of the poet's imagination His scheme of decoration has been ably assisted by graverand printer, the result being a beautiful creation. The cover is effectively printed, and while New Zealand can produce such work as this, she enn hold her own even &f»ibrt the older printing nations. But ihe cove is only an index of whitw* are ’o m'et as we turn page after page in the annual. Recognising the importance of our Alpine Scenery, and the opportunity it gives for beautiful pictures, the editor has done well in devoting the first section of the paper to it The Rev. 11, E, Newton is the premier alpine photographer of New Zealand, and bis pictures tn the present num ber are easily the finest he has ever produced. To the resident in the Mother Country who receives his annual Christmas card in the shape of "New Zealand Illustrated,” the Maori pictures will be among the most eagerly sought for Several of these appear from the camera of Mr Chas. M. Phillips, and assisted as they are by the decorative skill of Mr Eennaway and by duplex printing, they arc a feast of art. Of all the work in the number, peihaps the highest place is reached in a page of yachts and shippir*;, in which the vessels are by the aid of col-our-printing shown on a shimmering blue sea. As one looks at this page the salty breath of the sea seems to strike the nostrils and we venture to say that many thonsands of people in Dominion will have this page framed, for we think the proprietors might well have issued this gem as an additional supplement. To most of us flax is such a familiar subject that we hardly look for it producing a set of taking pictures. But the editor has shown that property treated and judiciously selected, the pictures are there, and in a set of eight has traced the plant from the swamp to its dressed state at the ship's side ready for the London Market. The value of this set of pictures is increased by a well-written account of the industry which accompanies it. To attempt to enumerate the dozens of pictures which go to make up this magnificent record would take far more space than wa could possibly give, but it is sufficient to say that the photographers have traversed every part of the Donrnion to secure pictures, and their efforts have been eminently successful a success which is intensified by ,the pretty, light scheme of decoration that is carried throughout the number.

The coloured supplements are always a feature of "New Zealand Illustrated” and thia year they are of an entirely new character. The principal supplement is a magnificent reproduction in the original colours of Mr W. Menzies Gibb’s fine work, "The Wharfs, U ellington.” In this picture the artist hae’eaught the atmosphere of Wellington Harbour so natvally as to turn an everyday subject into a charming study, Cbromo-lithography, in thirte en colours h&j been used to make thij magnificent reproduction, which is certain to be framed by the majority of its purchasers. "Three Little Maids from Mao. ’and,” is a’oomplete Contrast to the other supplement, and chs rmo by its naturalness, The third supplement is "A piece of Wedgwood.” This is a picture of Thorwaldsen’s Hebe, let into a blue background. So well has this been done that one naturally handles the picture as gently as though it were a piece of the celebrated ;pottery. While New Zealand artists and photographers have solely contributed the illustrations, New Zealand writers have contributed the greater part of the literary contents. 'lbs Rev. H. E. Newton tells of some First Asoents at the head of the Fox Glacier in South Westland; Mr Alfred A. Grace contributes a couple of stories of Maori character and beliefs ; J. G, tells amusingly of Fiji life; and three New Zealand a cries by M. Dunlop and Francis Auchinleck, Not the least interesting feature of the Annual iis "The Story of Hinemoa," as told by one of her descendants to Sir George Grey, which adds interest to Mr hillips beautiful pictures of Mokoia Island.

The Annual is New Zealand from cover to cover, every page, as well as the supplements, being printed in the Press Company’s Office, Christchurch, There could not be a better New Zealand Christmas Od.