“Datus,” a New Book on New Zealand.

One of the most interesting New Zealand publications which we have seen is Mr. George Finn's book “Datus,” described as “a chronology of New Zealand from the time of the Moa.” Within a little over 200 pages is condensed the story of New Zealand in chronological sequence from 925 A.D., the approximate date of Kupe's visit, right up to our own time. Interleaved with this concise calendar of events is a compendium of brief articles upon outstanding features of New Zealand history—the things that every New Zealander should know about, but usually has only a vague idea of—all set out in a most readable form. Pelorus Jack and the Macarthy Trust, the Treaty of Waitangi and the Cawthron Institute, the Discovery of Gold, the Mangatapu Murders, and a host of other “head-liners” are described in sufficient detail to make the record historically valuable, and yet with a brevity and clearness that ensures the reader against tedium.

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Our Magazine Overseas.

Writing to the Editor, New Zealand Railways Magazine, Wellington, Elsie Noble Caldwell, 1645 South Van Ness Avenue, Los Angeles, California, expresses appreciation of the Magazine in the following terms:—

Two neighbours, one a retired Southern Pacific conductor, and the other an Oil Inspector for the Santa Fe, take turns at reading the New Zealand Railways Magazine each month, and often Earl Mc-Carty, Division Master at Winslow, Arizona, is in, and he takes it for a day or two. It comes back to me, and I clip an item here and there, then it goes to Ferdinand Perret, art dealer, who has made a hobby of geographical and historical research. He is an acknowledged authority on all countries of the world. He has an entire album now made up, chiefly from the Railways Magazine; augmented, to be sure, by other New Zealand publications which friends send to me from time to time, but the bulk of it is from files of your publication.

Mr. Perret's library is free to the public—that is, the working public—and motion picture people use it continually. So there are many besides myself, who appreciate your fine magazine.

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Sweden's Railway Gardens.

A writer in an Irish contemporary, who appears to have visited Sweden last summer waxes enthusiastic on the subject of railway station gardens, and dilates interestingly on those he came across during his sojourn in that country. At every station, he reports, as well as every signalman's cottage, a garden is laid out at the expense of the State Railways, which also send out special gardening inspectors to advise. In addition, he states, the railway administration has taken wild birds under its protection by putting up no less than 12,000 feeding perches in the trees adjacent to the railway lines. Several different types of perches have been used to suit the tastes of the varied species of birds. The railwaymen are reported to be taking a keen interest in the new activity, and propose to send delegates to a congress for the study of the life of song birds. It is also the intention of the railway authorities to introduce bee-keeping at any early date among their employees—a fact which prompts the aforesaid writer to remark, not without reason, that the life of the “Swedish railway official will presently be one of considerable idyllic attraction.”

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