Talk:Dictionary of Australasian Biography

The source of at least one of the bios

I can't help but observe that Reader Wood's bio in this dictionary is what we would today call a copyviolation. Big passages are copied from the 1886 book Men of Mark of New Zealand by Alfred Cox (1825–1911). @Diannaa: for your amusement. Schwede66 00:29, 24 May 2021 (UTC)

• Mennell: was born in 1821, and educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, London.
• Cox: Born in 1821, Mr. Wood was educated at the Merchant Tailors' School, London.
• Mennell: shortly after his articles had expired left England for New Zealand, arriving in Auckland in 1844.
• Cox: Shortly after his articles had expired he left England, arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1844.
• Mennell: The northern insurrection breaking out in the following year, Mr. Wood was made lieutenant of Volunteer Artillery,
• Cox: The Northern insurrection breaking out in the following year, Mr. Wood, who had been made Lieutenant of Volunteer Artillery,
• Mennell: was present at the attempted storming of Heke's Pah at Ohaeawai on July 1st, 1845.
• Cox: was present at the attempted storming of Heke's Pah, at Ohaeawai, on 1st July, 1845.
• Mennell: He was mentioned in Colonel Despard's despatch describing that disastrous affair.
• Cox: He was mentioned in Colonel Despard's despatch, describing that disastrous affair.
• Mennell: After the war Mr. Wood returned to Auckland, where he practised his profession of architect and surveyor.
• Cox: After the war Mr. Wood returned to Auckland, where he practised his profession of architect and surveyor
• Mennell: About 1848 he was employed by the Government as Inspector of Roads,
• Cox: About 1848 he was employed by the Government as Inspector of Roads,
• Mennell: afterwards he was appointed Deputy Surveyor-General, which office he retained till 1856,
• Cox: afterwards he was appointed Deputy Surveyor- General, which office he retained till 1856,
• Mennell: and in the following year he was brought forward to represent Auckland City East in the General Assembly, but was defeated.
• Cox: and in the following year he was brought forward to represent Auckland City East in the General Assembly, but was defeated.
• Mennell: In 1861 he was returned for Parnell, and in July of that year took office as Colonial Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs in the Fox Ministry.
• Cox: In 1861 he was returned for Parnell. The same year he took office as a Cabinet Minister, being offered the portfolio of Colonial Treasurer in the Fox Ministry.
• Mennell: On August 6th, 1862, this Ministry went out of office, but, with the exception of a brief interregnum of a fortnight, Mr. Wood held the office of Treasurer under the Domett and Whitaker-Fox Ministries till Nov. 24th, 1864.
• Cox: On the 6th August, 1862, this Ministry went out of office ; but, with the exception of a brief interregnum of a fortnight, Mr. Wood held the office of Treasurer in the two succeeding Ministries Domett and Whitaker-Fox till the 24th November, 1864.
• Mennell: The financial statement put before the House by Mr. Wood in the Whitaker-Fox Government contained the outlines of a scheme of military settlement and the issue of a three million loan, with a view of finally disposing of the native difficulty. Mr. Wood toward the close of 1864 went to England as Colonial Treasurer to negotiate for an instalment of one million out of the three to be borrowed, and he accomplished his object. In 1865 he resigned his seat for Parnell, but in 1870 was again elected.
• Cox: The financial statement put before the House by Mr. Wood in the Whitaker-Fox Government contained the outlines of a scheme of military settlement, and the borrowing of a three million loan, with a view of finally disposing of the Native difficulty. Mr. Wood, towards the close of 1864, went to England as Colonial Treasurer to negotiate for one million out of this three million loan; and he accomplished his object. In 1865 he resigned his seat for Parnell. In 1870 he was again elected for Parnell,
• Mennell: He opposed the great borrowing scheme of Mr. (now Sir Julius) Vogel with great vigour and eloquence. In 1878 he again resigned his seat for Parnell, and took a trip to England on private affairs. On his return to Auckland in 1879 he was elected for Waitemata.
• Cox: He opposed the great borrowing scheme of Mr. Vogel with characteristic vigour and eloquence. In 1878 he again resigned his seat for Parnell, and took a trip to England on private affairs. On his return to Auckland in 1879, he was elected for Waitemata.