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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 3

Literature

page 7

Literature.

The third volume of Cassell's Picturesque Australasia is published, and fully maintains the high reputation the work has already secured. In additien [sic: addition] to its well-written chapters, it contains about a hundred-and-seventy original woodcuts, all of high class. We naturally look with most interest to the New Zealand chapters, of which there are three— « Christchurch, » by Mr R. E. N. Twopenny, « Wellington to Napier by Coach, » by W. Waite—(this title is scarcely correct—the « coach » part of the journey is only from the Rimutaka to Woodville—half-way to Napier; and there Mr Waite leaves his reader—a hundred miles by rail from his destination)—and « Lake Wakatipu, » an anonymous chapter. The view of the Avon in the chapter on Christchurch is strikingly true and beautiful. Where else is there such a quiet willow-fringed stream? And what would that most flat and formal of cities—laid out in squares like a multiplication table—be, without that wilful sinuous river, breaking up the stiff rectangles into the prettiest of green and grassy curves?—We have a charming bit of the Seventy-mile Bush road illustrated, and a fine full-page view of the Mariawatu Gorge—a locality fast losing all its natural beauties in the merciless march of civilization (?) as exemplified by railway cuttings. The grand scenery about Lake Wakatipu is well illustrated. All the articles are ably written, but native names are (as usual) somewhat mangled. The information is brought down to date, and the pictures are new. Not a single old electro has been pressed into service; and the result is a readable and highly artistic volume.

We have received from the Government Printer a batch of official publications. A Manual of the Grass and Forage Plants useful to New Zealand, by Thomas Mackay, is issued by the Crown Lands department. Only the first part is yet published, treating of plants which have been or should be introduced from Britain and other countries. It is an excellent book, of a practical kind, and contains numerous colored lithographed plates, mostly of familiar old-world forms, such as the cabbage, carrot, and sunflower. The coloring is not in all cases true to nature, the very green ear of maize (plate xxv) for example. The lettering on the plates is too large, and they are all incorrectly headed « Fig. » instead of « Plate. » —From the same department we have the Crown Lands Guide, No. ix. It is a considerable time since the issue of No. viii, but the whole plan of the work has been changed, and in every respect the publication is a vast improvement on its predecessors. No special knowledge is now required to identify sections of land offered for sale—every lot is properly classified, and the nature of the land clearly described. The present Government, in the matter of land administration, compare very favorably with their predecessors, and appear to be conducting the department on something like business principles.—From the Survey Department there are four large sheets illustrating and describing some of the more remarkable scenery of the colony. One of these is devoted to the central thermal springs of the North Island; another to the interior cold lakes of the South Island; another to the western lakes and sounds of 'the South Island; and the fourth to Aorangi (Mount Cook), its lakes and glaciers. These are all illustrated with beautifully lithographed views of the scenery, and with locality maps. It is time that the Survey office dropped the name « Middle, » as applied to the South Island. It is quite obsolete, except in official publications.—Several publications of the geological department are included in the parcel—the Reports of Explorations during 1886-7—a large octavo of lii—270 pp., illustrated with maps and sections, and reports on the Tarawera eruption of 10th June, 1886, by Professors Hutton and Thomas, profusely illustrated.—The same department also issue Studies in Biology, by A. Purdie, m.a., No. 3 being devoted to the common mussels (Mytilus latus, edulis, and Magellanicus). One other publication is included in the parcel—the Registrar-General's Report on the Statistics of New Zealand for 1887. For all practical purposes this invaluable digest is sufficient, and though it may be advisable to compile the enormous and intricate tables annually issued by the department, we cannot but regard the printing of them as an unnecessary expense. It may, for example, be useful to know how many Irvingites or Romanists there are in New Zealand, but what possible object is served by printed tables showing the manner in which they are distributed in every town, village, and road board district in the colony? A new feature in this year's report is an appendix containing « dates of some of the principal events in the history of New Zealand. » The list contains about two hundred and fifty items, and as far as it goes is useful; but might be revised and made more complete. Some of the dates are left blank, and we are doubtful of the accuracy of some that are given. We would like to see dates of decease of some of the prominent men connected with New Zealand—ex-governors and others. The deaths of ex-Governor Fitzroy and ex-Premier Domett, for example, are not mentioned—in fact the deaths of men of note who have died in the colony, and actually in harness—as for example, Sir D. M'Lean and Mr Macandrew—are ignored. These and similar matters are sometimes to be found in almanacs, but often incorrectly given. On the other hand, the murders and skirmishes in the troublous times of thirty years ago are carefully noted, making a very black list. Surely the « history » of the colony is something more than a catalogue of ministerial defeats, Maori outrages, visits of princes, and days of thanksgiving for their recovery from illness! We hope that this table is only the nucleus of a much fuller and better one in future volumes.

From Messrs Innes & Co. we have received the sixth annual issue of the Hawera Star book almanac. The directory has been expanded to include the whole of the coast between Wanganui and New Plymouth—a field covered by no other publication. The volume maintains its reputation as one of the best-printed in the colony. Not only does it exclude the annoying colored insets, but it does not admit a single advertisement among the pages devoted to reference matter—in that respect, we believe, standing alone among New Zealand almanacs.