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New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 871, 13 April 1956, Page 5

Sir-As Mr. James K. Baxter has elected to descend from the Olympian heights to reduce the issue of his recent tadio review to mere quibbling, I desire to put the writer of The Sunlit Hour back where she belongs-in the hands of a competent reviewer. In the cable news from lLondon- March 1-the Times Literary Supplement has this to say (referring to the New Zealand Poetry Year Book, 1955)-inter alia"Here again are a handful of poems by Allen» Curnow, ‘Charles Brasch, Denis

Glover, James Baxter and Ruth Gilbert that would not be out of place in any company." It is also pertinent to mention that inside the dust jacket of The Sunlit Hour we read that Miss Gilbert’s poems have been published in English periodicals and broadcast by the BBC, Needless to say they also have their own place in New Zealand publications and have been found worthy of commissioning for the NZBS. In other words, Miss Gilbert-as a contemporary of James K, Baxter-has her own individual distinction which quibbling and pretence cannot deprive her of. As a final paragraph may I add that I was surprised to find Mr. Baxter so insensate in his reaction to justified criticism, I had thought such self-esteem must be unshakable. Maybe a little humility is possible, too. Even a stray bullet sometimes ricochets in the right direction. That my original letter put Mr, Baxter on the defensive-even still somewhat illogically-means something has been achieved. I have nothing more to sav on this subject.

MARGARET N.

KELLY

(Wellington).