PETER LLEWELLYN'S TALKS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 25, Issue 632, 10 August 1951, Page 5

PETER LLEWELLYN'S TALKS

Sir-L. D. Austin: voices the opinion of a number of listeners to Peter Llewellyn’s talks. His most nauseating talk to date was on July 8, when most of his time was used apparently advertising for the brewers, and indulging in mostalgic reminiscences of public houses in England. Mr. Llewellyn, »in ~ quoting: statistics, blamed the women here for the overwhelming votes in favour of early closing for -public héuses, and added, in a very arrogant tone-*W hat’s it to do with them?" He répeated this more than once. Well, as one of, the wives and mothers in this democratic countty, I feel it has quite a lot to do with us. Mr. Llewellyn evidently is a throw-back from the bad old days when everyone over twenty-one was entitled to a vote, except minors, aliens, criminals, lunatics-and women. It’s people like him who get us "Homies" a bad e

name here.

E. F.

FRY

(Wellington).

Sir-I should say that L. D. Austih is quite devoid of a@ sense of humour to take ‘so seriously, so literally, everything that Peter Llewellyn said in his recent talks...Whatever would. lL. .D. Austin think ‘of Robert } Bericiiey) I. wonder? I am a NewZealander born and bred and far from taking exception to any of the talks I must ‘conféss ‘that they filled me with delight. Heaven help us if we lose our ability to laugh at ourselyes. I thought PéfeneLjewellyn’s observati t, with just4 the rig io: thrown’ in for g more sor

please?

R. D.

HAMILTON

(Auckland) _

* Sir-From his ctiticism of Peter | Llewellyn’s summing up of New. Zealand and the idiosyncracies of its inhabitants, it is quite apparent that L. D. Austin lacks, the common touch and is living in a,-world of his own superior , conception. His dogmatic denial of the admirable assessment of our weaknesses -and strengths+-by a man who is undoubtedly "an ‘expert observer of human nature is on a par with what we have come to expect from one who considers himself qualified to condemn Shaw as

a dramatic critic largely because his own godfather was a dramatic actor. Since L. D. Austin counts himself fitter to judge New Zealandathan Peter Llewellyn solely on the grotihds of his longer residence here, may sty as a New Zealander born and bred, with con‘siderably more ‘experience of ‘the country and its people than he himself, that I. accept «Mr. \Llewellyn’s views as uncannily accurate? |" ‘ We Lastly, Let ‘L. D. Austin observe that whereas he states that he, is an Englishman living, in New Zedland) Peter Llewellyn to himself as a ‘New Zealander.’ The psychological aspect of this attitude "and the inference to be drawn from it Are doubtless outside Mr. Austin’s compfehension. i

G. N.

WESTON

(Christchurch)_

Sir,So- L. D. Austin is at it sagain! J ust why cannot he confine his gutpourings to subjects of which he-has ‘at least some knowledge? Being myself an average New Zealander, I am too inarticulate adequately to exptess my deep appreciation to Mr. Llewellyn for his talks on my own country and people.

OTAUTAHI

(St. Heliers).

(Abridged.- Ed. )

Sir,-Poor Peter Llewellyn! Is it possible that his gamin wit is to be mistaken for serious censure? To me he is the droll, jester, with his personal opinions given as metaphorical fingers .at. the nose to our way of life. Of course, owe are* not expected to take criticism from any, unless we agree with it, but surely a healthy chuckle when a point finds its mark is good medicine? He was a wise man who said "The important thing is. not what*a man says, because freedom entails saying what one pleases, but is the critical faculty which analyses the saving.’

LITTLE

SUNBEAM

(Hamilton).

Sir,-Once again L. D. Austin has spoken. He has attempted to criticise art, music, Miss New Zealand, and now criticism itself. He "feels himself -competent to assert his knowledge," etc. Mr. Austin makes no attempt to demonstrate his critical powers. Po isdhi ta: We have no idea how long either Mr. Llewellyn or Mr. Austin has lived in New Zealand, but surely the loriger one lives in a country, the less competént he becomes to criticise it from an: outsider’s point of view, As New Zealanders, we could not attempt-to criticise our countty from that standpoint. Mr. Austin may be. more qualified to -criticise us than’ we are ourselves; but after reading so many of his letters, and Ainding so much evidence of the very thing he in Mr Llewellyn-the warped ima in pans fi 2 vgs on ‘dven. t his in this ,) Ga ly. os . ion-we ourselves priwilling

D. C.

PAGE

(Wellington).