HELP FOR THE ARTIST

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22823, 23 September 1939, Page 16

HELP FOR THE ARTIST

TO THE EPITOB 0» TH» PMgg. Sir, —I hope .that you will admit one more letter, a small one, about “Help for the Artist.” Like “J.M.” I will try to avoid insulting the other correspondents. “J.M.” is too hard, ■ intractable. Does hte condemn the British system whereby pensions, gifts, and allowances are given to worthy'persons, artists or their dependants, from the Civil List fund? This fund appears to be administered decently, humanely, and deservingly. It gives better value, and with more general approval, than many Government enterprises that distribute many millions of pounds. The administrators act more humanely ‘ than either “J.M.” or Godwin Else have recommended. “Versifiers” and “poets” are not examined and passed or failed. An honest “versifier”, who has starved himself and bis children to keep his feeble taper burning is as worthy a recipient as the “poet” who has drunk or drugged himself to insanity. I will not insult “J.M.” or Godwin Else by supplying named instances of the unhappy failure and the self-destroyed genius. I am »U in favour of a svmWut fund bemg similarly administered in New Zealand.—Yours, etc., R. G. C. McNAB. Dunedin, September 17, 1939.