"DIVIDING SEAS"
Sir-Max Harris asks how many Australians have heard of Frank Sargeson, Greville Texidor, Allen Curnow, Denis Glover, and A. R. D. Fairburn, I ask how many New Zealanders have heard of them. The average New Zealander does not read the literature of his own land mainly, I think, because so much of it does not appeal to. him. There are a few of us who consider it our duty to wade through as many of the ‘local efforts as we can, but even we, at times, find the going very heavy and the verbosity very great. New Zealand is said to be known for its lack of social snobbery and social caste but its intellectual snobbery is disgusting. To bridge the Tasman-or any gap-we must overcome that. It would seem by the many references to it in The Listener that "That Summer" is the only worthwhile story F. Sargeson has ever written-simply, I presume, because it was printed in England and France. More snobbery! I bought three copies of Penguin.New Writing so I could read it and, when L had finished, agreed with a friend who said, Sargeson’s writings smell like rotten ensilage." I had .an ensilage stack, once, that was built between my house
and the prevailing wind, and after reading a good deal of Sargeson I knew what he meant. Sargeson is said to write of the typical New Zealander. I consider myself quite an ordinary member of this class but I do not frequent pubs, commit strange sex crimes, revel in petty pilfering, or mix with strange low-down characters. Nor do my average New Zealand friends. As for Denis Glover, does anyone but the Caxton Press (which is his "baby’) ever print his writings? So you want the Tasman gap bridged? Ask Australians if they know Ngaio Marsh, Joyce West, Dorothy Eden, and probably Nelle Scanlan, and you'll get more response, Yes, I realise that they write mystery yarns, silly little love yarns and such "tripe" but they are being read. (And if you want to gush over English publications three of them at least have had books printed there, too!) New Zealanders may read their own literature because they should, but Australians will read it only if they like it. And if it’s rotten ensilage they want, they can stir up a good smell of their own and with far more vitality.
RITA
ATKINSON
(Egmont Village).
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19471024.2.14.14
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 435, 24 October 1947, Page 19
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402"DIVIDING SEAS" New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 435, 24 October 1947, Page 19
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
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