NEW BOOKS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3, 21 January 1909, Page 95

NEW BOOKS

Messrs. Mills, Dick, and Co.'s Otago, Southland, and South Canterbury Almanac and Directory for 1909 is to hand. The current issue of this useful publication, like its predecessors, contains a great amount of interesting and necessary information. It is a book which should find a place on the desk of every business man and farmer in the districts for which it is intended.

We desire to congratulate our Brisbane Catholic contemporary, The Ape, on :ts very fine Christmas issue of eighty pages and illustrated supplement. There are many illustrations, and the lettor-press consists of stories, articles on various subjects, sketches, and poetry, the whole making an excellent collection of reading matter suitable for the Christmas season.

The Christmas number of the < C.V.M.,' a monthly magazine published by the Adelaide Catholic Club, is a production that reflects credit on those responsible for its publication, and compares very favorably with any of its kind that reach this office. The articles are varied and interesting, and treat of important questions in a manner that will assuredly popularise -this excellent little magazine. The Almanac of the Diocese of Maitland, a copy of which is just to hand, is an extremely handy, useful, and well compiled publication. In addition to a detailed' account of the various missions in the diocese, there are" interesting tables dealing with the increase of the Catholic population and progress of the diocese and other matters of general interest. The usefulness of the publication is so apparent that it is strange similar ones have not before now been issued in connection with other dioceses of Australasia.

The annual issued by the students of St. Patrick's College, Ballarat, is 'a very creditable publication, and in keeping with the leading position which the college holds among the Catholic scholastic institutions of the Commonwealth. The contributions in prose and verse reach a high degree of excellence, whilst the illustrations are numerous and very well done. The collego, which is conducted by the Christian Brothers, has been eminently successful in tlio number of its pupils who have distinguished themselves in the university and public service examinations.