FROM A PAL

New Zealand Listener, Volume 18, Issue 444, 26 December 1947, Page 5

FROM A PAL

Sir,-Oh! Mr, Editor (and Oh! Oh! Mr. David Hall)! To think of all the hundreds and thousands. No, I am not alluding to those pink and white things which appeared on our bread ’n butter at parties, but to those who read your magazine: some because it’s faintly pink, though to me the paper you use is white; some because of the programmes; and some-like me-who enjoy and appreciate most of its articles and accept

them as-well-probable fact. But # shuddered at the review by Mr. Hall-on To-morrow and To-morrow, by E, Barnard Eldershaw. Not at the review, Mr. Editor, which may be O.K., as I have not yet read the book. But sir, surely in these days of haste or turmoil or what-have-you, surely your Mr, Hall should know that "he" is two women. At last you have it from me. Yes, not one female alone to be a "vigorous satirist" and "able to see round corners"; but two, E. Barnard being one, and Eldershaw the other. Did not Mr. Hall’s memory click back to the time when A House is Built was given a prize as the best novel of early Australian life? It was announced then that two women collaborated to write it. Shame, shame! Such a pity in such a good little o" faintly pink paper not to get facts right! So, though I feel strangely like ' the female who writes to The Times saying she has heard the first cuckoo and it must be spring, I just had to tell you.

What a pal I am.

JIB

(Hamilton).

(Mr. Hall writes in reply: "I am grateful to my pal ‘Jib’ for so. courteously pointing out that ‘M. Barnard Eldershaw’ is-or should I say ‘are’?-plural, a fact also pointed out to me in private by another correspondent. For some strange reason I don’t feel ashamed of having so far overlooked such a large feature of the Australian literary landscape as A House is Built and whatever publicity attended it. I suppose it just is that I have got used to living with my, own ignorance. But anyway, thanks pal!’"’-Ed.)