Hocken. — On Literature in New Zealand. 483 



would be tiresome here to specify minutely the work clone 

 and the order in which it was done. 



Whilst Mr. Maunsell was undoubtedly the chief translator 

 and reviser of the Old Testament, it would be as incorrect as 

 unjust to omit reference to others who took a large share 

 and interest in the work. The parts as they appeared, even 

 a few chapters, underwent constant criticism and revision. 

 A new revising committee was formed, of which Archdeacon 

 Williams was chairman, his brother William and Messrs. 

 Maunsell, Hamlin, and Puckey being the chief translators. 

 As time passed on additions or alterations in this staff were 

 made. Two Wesleyan missionaries, the Revs. John Hobbs 

 and Thomas Buddie, were added to it ; Mrs. Colenso, the 

 daughter of Mr. William Fairburn, and an admirable speaker, 

 was another. Mr. Colenso himself did some translation also, 

 with Mr. Kissling and Mr. Maunsell's son George. The 

 name of Leonard Williams, the present Bishop of Waiapu, 

 author of many Maori works, must by no means be for- 

 gotten. The missionaries were supplied with what w T ere 

 called "probationary copies" — that is, interleaved copies of 

 all new translations — which were strongly bound in canvas 

 and suited for the pocket. In these they were expected to 

 make their notes, and to return the whole within twelve 

 months to the final judges, the Messrs. Williams and Mr. 

 Maunsell. 



Such is an example of the extraordinary care taken in 

 the perfecting of this great work. I exhibit a few of these 

 earliest translations as they proceeded from Mr. Colenso' s 

 press — all small 8vo, and all jacketed in brown- or drab- 

 paper binding. The translations began in 1839, and as they 

 sufficiently accumulated they were bound in rough canvassed 

 boards and distributed. Three of these bound accumula- 

 tions made up the complete Bible from Genesis to Malachi 

 — rare to meet with, like their predecessors. Again, and 

 with its wonted generosity, the British and Foreign Bible 

 Society reprinted the three instalments as they appeared, 

 which was at long intervals, and sent thousands of copies 

 out from London. The first of these reprinted instalments, 

 or volumes, appeared in 1848. It is an 8vo, of 343 pages, 

 containing the first six books — Genesis to Joshua. The 

 second volume appeared in 1855, and contained the follow- 

 ing twelve books — Judges to the Psalms, paged from 345 to 

 817. In both these the old pidgin imprint has disappeared, 

 and is replaced by " Na te Komiti ta Paipera " (the Bible- 

 printing Committee), which is an improvement. The third 

 and last volume was issued in 1858, and contains the last 

 twenty books — Proverbs to Malachi, 377 pages. Here the 

 imprint is a judicious mixture of the two languages : " I taia 



