Presentation of book awards

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33034, 29 September 1972, Page 10

Presentation of book awards

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, September 28. The presentation of the Sir James Wattie book awards today could well be described as a magnificent eulogy to the absent—none of the three winning authors was present.

The winner of the first prize, Mr G. Docking, who won a $750 prize for his book “200 Years of New Zealand Painting,” retired from his position as director of the Auckland City Art Gallery last year, and for health reasons he now lives in Australia. The winner of the second prize, Professor J. B. Condliffe, who won $350 for his book “The Rangi Hiroa,” a biography of Sir Peter Buck, is now living in America, and Professor C. K. Stead, who won third prize of $l5O, is also overseas. *

Mr Docking’s prize was received for him by Mr D. N. Sinclair, Sir Gilbert Archey deputised for Professor Condliffe, and Mrs P. Meikle for Professor Stead.

The prizes were presented by Sir James Wattie at a 1972 Book of the Year luncheon at Trillos. He paid tribate to the winning authors and others who had entered the competition. AIM OF AWARD He said the aim of the award was to find books that would last, and also to encourage the development of a New Zealand culture.

The judges in the contest were Mr W. Colgan, Assistant City Librarian; Mr O. S. Hintz, a former editor of the “New Zealand Herald”; and Mr H. B. Dansey, a journalist and playwright. There were forty entries in the competition.