N.Z.’s HISTORY

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 437, 19 May 1937, Page 6

N.Z.’s HISTORY

CENTENARY REVIEW I ! National Committee Appointed Press Association—Copyright. Wellington, May 18. The Government to-day announced the personnel of tn# national historical committee of the New Zealand bentenary iu 1940. The chairman is Mr J. Thorn, M.P., and the, vicechairman, Mr J. T. Paul, Dunettin. The members of the committee are: The Right Rev. Herbert Williams, Bishop of Waiapu; Mr J. A. Lee, M.P., Parliamentary Undersecretary; Professor James (Rutherford, Auckland University College; Air W. T. G. Airey, Auckland University College; Rev. A. B. Chappell, Auckland; Professor F. L. W. Wood, Victoria University College; Dr. J. C. Beaglehole, Victoria University College; Dr. G. H. Schblefield, Wellington; Mr T. Lindsay Buick, Wellington ; Professor James Hight, Canterbury tlhiversity College; Mr Leicester Webb, Christchurch; Professor J. R. Elder, Otago University; Mr H. H. Cornish, Solicitor-General; Mr A. ®. Mclntosh, Prime Minister’s Department; Mr J. w. Hbenan, Un-der-Secretary of Internal Affairs. In making the announcement to.da.y the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon, W. E. Parry, said the national historical committed would be, one of the most important of all the committees set up fob the centenary celebrations. It was a direct result of the Government’s decision to issue in connection with the centenary a series of historical surveys for the first hundred years bf New Zealand’s national life.

“This will be a big task,” Mr Parry said, “and the time left for its’ accomplishment is none too long. The national committee itself will have the general direction find supervision df this work which naturally will be in detail alia will have to be, done by a niirtiber of sub-committees. It is proposed a little later to ap. point a number of associate members of the national committee. These associate members will be called to meetings of the national committee when the subjects on which they are experts are under consideration Probably the first work the committee will have to undertake will be the fixation of the historical dates of 1840 for the purpose o f deciding what should actually be celebrated in our centenary year.” The Minister added that the Govern, ment was looking forwtard to the issue of a series of historical surveys that would no doubt be widely read' — a series Which would give tne people in 1940 a clear view not only of the beginnings Of the country’s national ..life but also of what .had been accomplishbd In the'first hundred years. The first meeting of the national historical committee will be held at Wellington on June 30.