ARTS FESTIVAL Two Chch women win awards

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33791, 13 March 1975, Page 19

ARTS FESTIVAL Two Chch women win awards

wo Christchurch women have won awards in the poetrv and literary section of the Christchurch Arts Festival. Thev are June Hayward, winner of the Rothmans short story award, and Mrs I. Atvars, winner of the Heinemann’s award for a poem of 30 lines.

June Haywood competed against 72 en-i 1 trants, Mrs Atvars ! against 11. With the exception of , two sub-sections which have not yet been judged, the section drew 145 entries, from throughout New Zea-! land. Mrs Haywood said yesterday that her story of fewer than 3000 words was the'

first she had submitted to anything larger than local club competitions. She has been a member of the South Island Writers’ Association, which conducted the competition, for four months. Mrs Haywood’s story, enI titled “Jackie and the ! Jokers,” was an account of ! practical jokes played upon i a mentally deficient gutter- ! sweeper, who was unable to i respond maturely. He was ! finally committed to a mental institution. ■ Her entry won over stor'ies submitted by members of

the New Zealand Writers’ Society, who become members of that society only when they have had three of their articles published. The articles were judged by Dr P. Evans, lecturer in English at the University of Canterbury. Mrs G. Comber, president of the South Island Writers’ Association said yesterday that entries for the short story competition were submitted equally from Auckland and Christchurch — there being 18 entries from each city. Auckland gained no placings in any of the literary sections this year although it “scooped the pool” in the 1973 festival, she said. Auckland and Christchurch were the two biggest contributors to the short story section, this time, Mrs Atvar’s poem of 30 lines was titled, “Afternoon at the Pub.” It described the characters found in the typical New Zealand pub at 2 p.m. on any afternoon. Mrs Atvars said she had never entered her poetry into competitions, but had begun writing poetry at secondary school. The two women will be presented with their awards at the Festival Club in the Town Hall on Monday evening with the winners of other sections.

These include the winner of the junior novel, Mrs H. P. Harris, of Hamilton, with “On the Trail of Te Kakaha;” winner of the picture story, Ms Beverley Buxton, Wellington, and of the Maori Legend, Mr M. J. Moorhead, New Plymouth, with “Maui — the Master of the Sun.” “The Press” and “Christchurch Star” awards, respectively for the best journalism covering Arts Festival events, and an essay written by a school child, have yet to be announced.