"Southwest Pacific"

—A New Handbook

A FAIRLY detailed geographical description of Australia, New Zealand and the Islands of the South Pacific is contained in South west Pacific by Dr. Kenneth B.

Cumberland (Professor of Geography at Auckland University) and just published by Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd. The compilation evidently rep resents a great deal of research; and, while it is mostly a summary —a scanning of the geographical and, in some degree, the political highlights—it has the merit of be ing up-to-date. It has some stat istics—none later than 1951 —but it is mainly designed as a handbook for students who need a general picture of the South Pacific.

In the Preface, it is claimed that the book “draws attention for the first time to an area in which the two countries (Australia and New Zealand) have special responsibilities —responsibilities which have often been neglected or overlooked.” The Pacific Islands Year Book was first published in 1932, and is now in its seventh edition, and has world-wide distribution; but apparently Dr.

Cumberland has not heard of it.

The last section of the book, in which Dr. Cumberland makes a politico-geographic survey of the South Pacific, should be of much

Value to all students who are try ing to visualise the future of thi important area.

H Mr. W. G. Johnson has from the chairmanship of the Fi; Travel Assn., and has been sue ceeded by Sir Hugh Ragg.