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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 14, Issue 11 (February 1, 1940)

A Literary Page or Two

A Literary Page or Two

In my notice of the first published volume of Centennial Surveys, “The Discovery of New Zealand” by Dr. J. C. Beaglehole, I propose to write more as to the bibliographical and literary aspects. Other reviewers will, as I know from past experience, deal more with the historical side of the book—its actual contents.

First let me say that this country is fortunate in the control and personnel of its Department of Internal Affairs. Under its control we have a specialised staff to deal with the important matter of Centennial publications and that this work is being carried out in a manner worthy of the occasion has been evident already in the first issues of “Making New Zealand.” Now we have the first of the thirteen Centennial Surveys, the format of which is suggestive of such meticulous consideration as to be the work of a First Editions Society. The type used is monotype, Aldine Bembo, of which the text is set in thirteen point. The printing and binding by Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd. is certainly one of the most satisfying jobs ever produced in this country. Illustrations beautifully produced, appendix, sources and index give their touch of completeness to the book.

As for the contents, the literary style is easy to read and the story is related with clarity, colour, and interest. We meet the early Maori voyagers to New Zealand, then the indomitable Dutchman (Tasman), James Cook and the nature-loving Banks, and finally D'Urville, the navigator with the artistic soul. Their respective parts in the discovery of New Zealand, the adventure and romance of it all as pictured by Dr. Beaglehole, took me back to the joy of reading when I pored over “The Coral Island.”

The next Centennial volume will be “Settlers and Pioneers” by James Cowan.

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A flourishing art society in Wellington is the Sketch Club. From time to time the committee invites art critics and writers to give talks and lectures. On one of these occasions a New Zealand writer who is a bookplate enthusiast suggested that members of the club might interest themselves in designing plates either for their own books, for members of the New Zealand Ex-Libris Society, or for owners of private libraries. By way of inducement he offered a prize of a Norman Lindsay original drawing to the member who would design the best bookplate. I looked over the entries for this competition and felt that the members of the Sketch Club had risen to the occasion. The winning design is reproduced in this issue. It is the work of Mr. Chambers. A good second in the competition was a neat and effective design by Miss Marjorie Mills, daughter of Tom Mills, of Feilding.

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While much publicity has been given to a host of Centennial publications very little has been written about “New Zealand Centennial News” which was first issued by the Department of Internal Affairs some months before our Centennial celebrations commenced. Apart from the publicity this publication has given to the Centennial, many interesting and valuable articles have appeared in its pages. I have carefully filed each of the twelve issues published to date. There are many articles I will have occasion to refer to from time to time and for this reason I hope that the final issue will set the seal on a record of permanent interest by including an index. The wisdom of the Department in appointing as editor an experienced journalist of the calibre of Leo Fanning, has been more than justified.

The winning book-plate design in the competition recently conducted by the Sketch Club.

The winning book-plate design in the competition recently conducted by the Sketch Club.

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