AUSTRALASIAN WRITERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 12

AUSTRALASIAN WRITERS.

LITTLE SCOPE AND APPRECIATION

After a holiday in Australia, Mrs. I. M. Cluett, the well-known Jfew Zealand authoress, returned by the Mariposa to Auckland this morning with the latest news as to what the writers of Australia were doing. "They suffer from the same disabilities there that face writers in this country—no market for their work," said Mrs. Cluett. They felt that there was little, scope outside the country and little encouragement within. The expression, "no man is a prophet in his own country," was unfortunately a true one and such a state of affairs was indeed serious. Of the literary life, however, Mrs. Cluett was full of praise. Writers were genuinely interested, and were endeavouring to keep alive the art. In comparison, New Zealand had no literary life at all, said Mrs. Cluett, who admitted that this was mainly owing to its smallness. • While in Sydney Mrs. Cluett was entertained by many of the literary groups in the eity. She was a guest at a P.E.N. dinner, and also attended, as guest of honour, a luncheon given by the Fellowship of Women Writers, and one by the Business Girls. Mrs. Cluett broadcast from the National station 2FC on "Australian and New Zealand Literature," and also spoke at children's sessions, where her books are regularly read.