Singer in a Songless Land: A Life of Edward Tregear, 1846-1931

This book is an important biography of a man who played a major role in the founding of modern New Zealand. Tregear was acclaimed as an international authority in Maori and Polynesian studies, and was also a poet, but is best known for his twenty years as the first Secretary of Labor(1891-1912). During this period and despite controversy, he was responsible for some of the most advanced labor legislation in the world.