CLUB DINNER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 253, 26 October 1938, Page 17

CLUB DINNER.

TALK ON WRITERS. Miss Irene Tanner, president of the Business Women's Club, presided over a large a' 1 endanee of menthol's and guests at the fortnightly dinner held last evening. Mr. J. W. Shaw, speaker of the evening, was introduced to the members by the president and spoke on "Women Writers of New Zealand." Mr. Shaw described the narrow social environment suffered by the early English women novelists, and the effect it had on their work. He then compared the quieter 'mckground of the even tenor of life in a newer country, and the healthful interest in history enjoyed by the New Zealand women writers. New Zealand writers mentioned by Mr. Shaw were: —Katherine Mansfield, who was considered one of the greatest novelists of our time; Jessie Mackav. a gracious Highland lady, closely identified with the South Island; Mary Colborne-Veel, who, in her own way, was a poetess of delicate fancy; B. E. Bauglian. one of the most vigorous of the country's writers; Eileen Duggan, whose distinctive work was frequently touched with rleep, religious spirit; Evelyn Hayes, who wrote so charmingly of her garden; Nelle Scanlan, whose clever iharacter delineations of national life had made her widely known; Jane Mander, Rosemary Rees, Xgaio Marsh and others. A feature of Mr. Shaw's address was his reading of poems from the works of the Dominion's women writers. He was given a very hearty vote of thanks.