N.Z. Old Identities Endanger History

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 572, 26 January 1929, Page 1

N.Z. Old Identities Endanger History

ACCURACY AFFECTED THOSE REMINISCENCES •'Up to the present. history in New Zealand has been oppressed by the worship of recollections and reminiscences of 'old identities.* ** This opinion was expressed by Dr. G. H. Scliolefield. Controller oii Dominion Archives, in the course of a lecture on the Now Zealand archives at the Science Congress this morning The lecturer said he hoped that the establishment of the Division of Acliives in Xew Zealand would materially help to set the study of New Zealand history on a proper scientific basis. ‘‘Old reminiscences, interesting: as they may be. are of very little value from the historical point of view.” said Dr. Scliolefield. 'and the prominence that is given to them by well-mean-ing people and societies imparts an entirely wrong perspective to the study of our history. “It stands to reason that the recollections of the most intelligent person regarding events that happened even fifty years ago cannot possibly have the accuracy that characterises a

contemporary letter written by even a moderately educated person at the time the events occurred. “Take the provincial period as an example. During the period of the provinces—1853 to 1876 —no less than 1,000 of the most prominent men in New Zealand served on the various provincial councils. Of these there are to-day apparently only five survivors. and they all entered the provincial councils within five years of the abolition. They are all old men today, and are very careful not to claim any very accurate recollection of the incidents of the provincial days. How is it possible, then, for anybody in New Zealand to-day to speak with real accuracy from personal memory of events that occurred even before the days of the provinces?” On the other hand, said the speaker, diaries or letters written at the time the events occurred were of the verihighest value, and he hoped that as tliryears went by families in New Zealand would be encouraged to make public selections of the letters and journals written by their ancestors in the earli days of the colony. Several such had appeared lately—notably the Grace, Bidwill and Butler letters—and they had a real value in the history of New Zealand.