An interesting addition to the fiction library of this country is “The Lauder Brothers’ New Zealand,” by A. A. Clapperton (A. H. & A. W. Reed, Dunedin and Wellington). The cumbersome, uninteresting title of the book is at complete variance with its contents, for here we have a story of a particularly engrossing interest—superior in many ways to some of the fiction I have read recently from leading English publishing houses. The scene is laid in Southland, the leading characters are two young sheep farmers, an eccentric uncle, a half-caste Maori girl, and a Dunedin typiste. The story is well told and the interest sustained, highlights being provided by a disastrous flood, a sheep stealing mystery and the carrying out of the egregious provisions of a will. While one may be annoyed at times at the amazing forbearance of the hero, one cannot but admire his sterling character, so splendidly portrayed, I cannot imagine any reader being disappointed in this book which sells at the very moderate price of 4/6.

* * *

I wonder that someone has not gathered together the poems of “Kodak,” the famous Australian humorist who died some years ago. His stories have made an admirable volume but I think his collected verse would “go down” equally well. Here is a typical sample of Kodak's humorous verse from my scrap book: —