The History of the Matamata Plains 1777 – 1950 by C W Vennell, Mona Gordon, M E W Fitzgerald, T E McMillan, G Gilmore Griffiths, Published by the Matamata County Council, 1951, 1st Edition, Hardcover, Pgs 318, b&w photos, maps, index.

Condition: In clean tidy condition, dust jacket with some edge chipping in archival mylar cover, boards good, name emboss top right corner of front endpaper barely visible, no other markings or inscriptions within.

The definitive history of the Matamata area from early maori occupation and its settlement through until 1950. Chapters include: Part 1 Savagery to Civilisation – Cannibal Conquerors, Coming of the Missionaries, Heathen Darkness, Peace in Their Time, Passing of a King-maker, Story of Tarore, Part 2 The Firth Era – Matamata As It Was, The Nation Maker, Te Kooti, A Great Estate, Farewell to Matamata, Part 3 Early Communication – Bush Tracks and Waterways, A Step in Nation Making, The Horse and Dray Era, The Taupo Road, The Armed Constabulary’s Part, Part 4 The Passing of the Estates – Progress in the Eighties, The Patetere Country, Matamata Under mcCaw, Part 5 Era of Settlement – Closer Settlement, Farming Development, Dairying: The Paramount Industry, Part 6 Development of Matamata County – Story of a Lifetime, Early Administration, Roading Developments, County Finances, Noxious Weeds and Rabbits, Piscatorial, Part 7 Interior Towns and Settlements – Matamata From Village to Borough in Twenty Years, Story of Putaruru Distric, Small Settlements, Shining Records of Community Service, Part 8 Natural Resources and Commercial – Hydro-electric Development, Afforestation and Timber Milling, Building Stone. Now Scarce