Dr Michael King -

I don't watch a lot of television (as distinct from "sitting in front of") but last night was an exception.

Feature of the night, the one thing worth watching in the whole week, was a television biography of one of NZ's leading academics, historian Dr Michael King.

I am not going to even try to summarise either the programme or the man, there are others who have done and will in the future far more successfully than I would ever be able.

His death early this year in a car smash was tragic. His ability to write of New Zealand's history in clear, simple and uncomplicated language will be unsurpassable. His research and knowledge of the true (as distinct from the paternalistic colonial ) history of the country will not be seen in a very long time.

Let it be said that if ever you want to read NZ history then you can not go past any of his books.