NEW ZEALAND BOOKS.

Evening Star, Issue 19660, 13 September 1927, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND BOOKS.

•■’ 10 THE EWTOB. ( Sir, —It is pleasing to read yfmr leader supporting the booksellers’, efforts on beliiilf of Australian and New Zealand authors. This Display Week is worthy of all available publicity. With regard to the public’s comparative neglect and lack of interest in native literature, surely tho Press itself lias something to answer for in this respect. ■ Examining the literature page in 10-day’s ‘ Star,’ ono finds there no mention of this dominion-wide, effort. There is, in fact, nothing original or even topical in this page—nothing -to indicate in what country tho ‘Star’ is published. This page is 90 per cent, columns’and snippets from English and American journals. It could have been compiled by anyone of literary inclinations wielding a pair of scissors for half an, hour in tho reading room of the Public Library. The column headed ‘ The Poet Hits Out’ is from ‘John o’ London’s Weekly.’ It is inserted without any comment as te the injustice df Wordsworth’s criticism of Burns. Apparently the compiler of this page considered the dictum of - ‘John o’ London’s Weekly ’■ above dispute. Surely there arc items of interest concerning writers under tho Southern Cross that would merit their inclusion in tins. page. Such items would certainly stimulate the public’s interest in their works. Are there no literature or poetry societies in the. dominion whose doings and products are worth encouragement and mention?, I* am aware that comprehensive reviews are devoted to the works of all our writers, but is that where the matter ends? Have you any idea as to what extent the reading of Australian and New Zealand literature is encouraged in the schools? I might also add: What of New Zealand art and artists? The neglect of them is even more complete.

—I am, etc., " Shagpat. September 10. [Our correspondent chooses to see with one eye. In the same issue of the ‘ Star ’ we published a short story and instalments of two serial stories—part fiction, part biography—all by New Zealand writers. When New Zealand authors produce work that can vie, or oven suggest comparison, with that of British authors mentioned in the Book column wc shall be delighted to give them greater space than the latter now receive. But onr New Zealand writers are still but a small band, and they do not, generally, give addresses on literature or about each other. When an announcement of interest can be. made about any of t them spccyil prominence is given to it in the Book column. The ‘School Journal ’ does full justice to New Zealand writers. As to the Wordsworthian criticism of Burns which is objected to, it appeared to us to ho a singularly searching criticism made by one poet of another whom he admired, and .whose genius was too great to make unv need for the motto “No reference except eulogy” to he applied to him. Nevertheless, wc shall bo pleased for those who may consider the Wordsworthian comment mainly unjust to give grounds for Micir opinion in trie Book column. The comment was that “ Burns is the poet of human passions and of the social enjoyments and rough friendships and little incidents of tho life of a man in his own grade, but bo never assumes the highest tone which best beseems a poet; bo never spiritualises, much less sanctifies, jus conceptions; he never appears in the priestly robes or with the majestic authority or a bard; while his most beautiful effusions are on a daisy and a mouse, which met his eye as ho followed the plough, and which he has embalmed for ever in immortal strains, yet he nowhere in all his poems mentions the mountains of Arran, which lay constantly before him had ho raised either bis eye or his mind even so liigh.”—Ed. E.S.]