Fearful Unity

Watchman Against the World by Flora McPherson (Whitcombe and Tombs)—21/-.

Norman McLeod gripped his people in a unity wrought with hatred and adoration, fear and reverence.

It was not their love for him that united them; some hated him. It was not their agreement with his beliefs; rebellion smouldered in many minds.

At an early age, McLeod set out; from Scotland in 1817 for Nova Scotia. He did not stay long at the first settlement. Pictou, instead persuaded others to launch a new settlement in St. Ann's harbour. Here McLeod became magistrate, landowner, teacher and clergyman, making official his already unofficial leadership of the people.

He was a tyrant in Canada. And he was a tyrant when he led his people to Waipu. New Zealand. But in the Greek meaning of tyrant, he was a man who ruled strongly but sometimes ruled well.

Miss McPherson has made a tolerably good job of this history. However, she approaches her subject with the attitude of always j looking for good points and over-1 emphasising his personal magnetism, perhaps trying to justify herself in writing about McLeod.

Too often does she fall back into a "travelogue" form of writing.