Books Reviewed

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 647, 26 April 1929, Page 16

Books Reviewed

LAUGHTER AND TEARS. OF ALL the aboriginal peoples of the globe, there surely is none with a more tragic story than that of the aborigines of Australia. Many tribes that numbered, their thousands before the white settlement of Australia have vanished utterly, and even in the most remote, and the wildest, parts of the continent the coloured folk are dwindling. The true character of the people who are being exterminated is rarely understood; the popular idea, based only on one aspect of the Australian aborigine’s life —his primitive material culture —pictures him, too often, as a rather sullen being very low in the scale of humanity, but with a very remarkable talent for tracking. Actually, these natives are a very interesting—and sometimes even lovable — people, and they are not to be judged by their material culture alone. They are also a laughter-loving folk, when their hearts have not been broken by white men.

Some of the classics of anthropology have been written about native tribes of Australia, but apart from these and kindred works there have been very few true representations of Australian natives in literature. A definite contribution to Australian literature has now been made by James Devanney. His book, “The Vanished Tribes,” just issued by the Cornstalk Publishing Company, Sydney, is not an anthropological treatise, but a collection of stories and sketches in which the author seeks to reveal the Australian native as he was in his everyday life, without technical details of his customs. It is creative literary work, done with fine insight, sympathy, and accuracy, and written with real literary skill. The book is, indeed, surprisingly good. The laughter and the tears of native life—more tears came from contact with whites than from even the harshest of native ways and Customs —well up unforced in it. The general reader who can enjoy a wellwritten short story and who is not “above” learning something about these natives should be attracted by it, and the reader with some interest in ethnology should appreciate the skill with which authentic pictures of native life have been worked into a literary effort. “The Vanished Tribes.” James Devanney. Cornstalk Publishing Co., Sydney. Our copy from Angus and Robertson, Sydney.

In New Guinea Goldfields One becomes very tired of the innumerable books written by women who have done something or gone somewhere for the first time. They bear an almost invariable similarity to each other in that they are nearly always very badly written and frequently extremely dull. But “Mountains, Gold and Cannibals,” by Doris R. Booth, decidedly upsets this generalisation. Women prospectors, in these go-ahead times may be as common as flies, but a woman prospector who travels TO miles through the New Guinea bush to the Bulolo and Edie Creek-goldfields is certainly a novelty. Still more of a novelty is a woman who can produce a really interesting and well-written book describing such adventures. Before her marriage Mrs. Booth was a nurse in Brisbane. She settled with her husband in New Britain, near Rabaul, and when gold was discovered in the Morobe district he decided to try his luck on the fields. Mrs. Booth, however, refused to be left behind and after much oflicial opnosition managed, by practically stowing herself away on a small coastal schooner, 'to accompany her husband. After many adventures, delightfully described, the two reached the goldfields in safety. Shortly after their arrival dysentery broke out among the miners and Mrs. Booth, remembering her old

profession, went back to nursing. She did such good work that she came to be known as “The Angel of Bulolo.” She was officially thanked by the Administrator of New Guinea and received a testimonial from the miners whom she had helped. This episode, of course, is largely glossed over in the hook, which is mainly devoted to Mrs. Booth’s adventures when travelling with her husband and to many entertaining descriptions of the natives and of her own life in camp among them. The book gives an excellent picture of New Guinea and the life on a modern goldfield. “Mountains, Gold and Cannibals,” by Doris R. Booth. Published by the Cornstalk Publishing; Company, Sydney. Our copy from Angus and Robertson, Sydney. New Political Review The first number of the “Australian Quarterly” is an admirable collection of articles, upon political problems in the Commonwealth. It is clear 1 throughout that the aim of the new political review is to maintain a fine balance of judgment on party as well as national questions, and to be informative and constructive in criticism rather than destructive. Publicists of high standing, and several State Ministers with ability to discuss problems without favouring their own parties, contribute essays on ‘“Australian Politics and the Federal Elections,” “A Treasurer’s Problems,” and so on. Also there are capital articles on arbitration, aviation and economic questions of the first importance. Those who wish to keep in well-informed touch with Australian politics should not hesitate to secure this quarterly review as a trustworthy guide. ‘‘The Australian Quarterly;” the New Century Press, Limited, Sydney. Our copy direct from the publishers. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED “A Catechism of the Christian Religion.”—lssued by agroup of ministers of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. Edited by the Rev. Geo. Tait, M.A. Designed for ministers, senior teachers and parents. 37 pp. Our copy from the publishers, Angus and Robertson, Ltd., Sydney. “The Month.” —Issue for April. Includes an article on Marshal Foch by the Very Rev. B. J. Gondringer, S.M. “Aussie.”—Current number, dedicated, this time, to the Flapper. ‘The B.P. Magazine.”—March number. Quarterly published by Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd., 7 Bridge Street, Sydney. An excellent production, with splendid illustrations. Edited by Miss Dora Payter, formerly of Auckland.