Jottings About Town

NZ Truth, Issue 1213, 28 February 1929, Page 11

Jottings About Town

Wellington's Poet

Auckland's Kawau

W/HENEVER New Zealand poetry is " discussed it is rarely that the name of Eileen Duggan is heard. Miss Duggan is a young Wellington lady, but she is such a rare and shy bird that very few, even m literary circles, know much about her. As with the tui, far more know h,er by song than by sight for she rarely ever is among those present at the clan gatherings when people of pen compare notes. Years ago a publisher seized upon some of her poems and brought them out m booklet form. ! What was really surprising both to publisher and to poet, was the amount of favorable comment which the verses attracted from overseas critics. Since that publication Miss Duggan's work has been included m all New Zealand anthologies and. m many of wider scope. She is a member of the staff of Victoria College and some day she intends publishing another and a large book of poems. It is safe to say that the publication will mean a- lot for the literary credit of New Zealand writers.

W/HO of us don't secretly long at times ** for an island of our own — a real private island where life would be a thing of breakers and bliss. , Not many miles out of Auckland harbor, writes a correspondent, such an island really exists and holiday makers "m the know" are m the habit of packing up and retreating to Kawau, where most of the Pacific 'island's joys minus the discomforts are a verity. The island was owned once by a New Zealand potentate with a passion for tropical vegetation. He encouraged . the planting of tropic palms and shrubs to such a degree that visitors ! might well fancy the equator to be • somewhere handy. ! There are little nikau palm huts, i built as the Maoris "built them m the ■ good old days, shining sands, and, for , the benefit of the hopelessly civilised, a good hotel. „:■■•■' i Kawau as a holiday, resort at this ; time of the year deserves honorable mention.