1934 Was an Important Year in the N.Z. Literary World

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 35, 8 March 1935, Page 22

1934 Was an Important Year in the N.Z. Literary World

A year or two ago we were deploring the fact that New Zealand bad contributed very little of worth to the world of letters, Katherine Mansfield had wou posthumous recognition with her short stories; Pember Reeves had written of New Zealand in verse and prose; Jane Mander and Hector Bolitho had mentioned the Dominion in their stories. But, in the main, New Zealand was net a serious contestant in the battle for literary fame,

But in the past 12 months all that has been changed. New authors have come into view. New Zealanders have writeen books that have provoked the widest discussion. In looking over the 1934 list of publications I give first place to the anonymous story, "Children of the Poor," a story of the Dunedin slums of 80 years ago. It isn't a pleasant story-it is grim and fierce and, in places, beastly. But it is a definite contribution to New Zealand literature, and it is good news that the author, who is a well-known figure in our Parliament, is at work on a second book. George Bernard Shaw rend the manuscript of "Children of the

NN NS NE ON NW ON WW OO OS Pir Poor" and classed it with Lionel Britton’s tremendous story, "Hunger and Love." The MS, finally reached the publishers, Messrs. T. Werner Laurie, with & personal note of recommendation from Upton Sinclair, and it has the distinction of being the only New Zea-land-written book to receive. simultaneous publication in London and New York. Almost as important, but an entirely different story, is Aian Mulgan’s "Spur of Morning," a tale of the New Zealand of 80 years ago. Mr. Mulgan, who is literary editor of the "Auckland Star," writes with an easy pen, and his work bears the stamp of far-sightedness and good humour. "Spur of Morning," which was published by J. M. ‘ Dent, brings some well-known figures. to light-thinly disguised. lis Prime

Minister is obviously "Dick Seddon’with some of the old fighters harder qualities erased, A newcomer to the New Zealand literary world is J. Wilson Hogg, whose story, "Snow Man,’ has excited some attention. Mr. Hogg, who is now a master at Scots College, Wellington, spent some time at Oxford and his book is intended to throw light on the eyils of the drug traffic in Burope His book has been warmly received overseas, and it is understood that he is at work on a new story. Bright and interesting, if a little: shaky in its facts. is Robin Hyde's Auckland-published book, "Journalese." Miss Hyde whose real name by the way, is Iris Wilkinson, has worked on umerous papers in both the South and North Islands, and her observations on newspapers and journalists, interviewers and interviewed, have been rounded into a neat story. Even if one or two of her anecdotes have made the victims writhe with their inuccuracies, they at least have the vir tue of being well-written. Nelle Scanlan, who left the Dominion a year or two ago, has been working hard since her arrival in London, her latest book (and the last of the Pencarrow trilogy ) being a_best- seller. "Winds of Heaven" it is called and its atmosphere is ‘essen: tially colonial. Other New Zealanders have produced biographies and historical books during the year-Dr, Guy Scholefield wrote a remarkably interesting story on the life of Captain William Hobson, our first governor, whose grave is © today a neglected plot beneath the Grafton Bridge in Auckland. Johannes Andersen, of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, has compiled a use-ful-work on New Zealand place names; Dr. J.. CG. Beaglehole has published a work on the exploration of the Pacific, while Messrs. Cowan and Pomare have published their second volume on "Legends of the Maori." Mary Wigley, well known in Canterbury, has published a small book of verse, and there is a distinct possibility that it will be awarded the King's Medal in London this year. Professor Arnold Wall came to light with a.new book of verse, "The Order of Release," while C. Stuart Perry, acting-chief Librarian at the Central Library, Wellington, had his "Litany of Beauty" published. This young man has also recently completed a life of Alfred Domett, a figure well known in New Zealand poli tics in the earlier days,