WRITERS AND ARTISTS

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 10, 12 July 1932, Page 11

WRITERS AND ARTISTS

WOMEN'S ORGANISATION

An enthusiastic meeting of women writers and artists was held in the Y.W.C.A. last night with the object of' forming a New- Zealand Society. Mr. Pat Lawlor presided, over an attendance of about forty.. Mr. Lawlor explained, tho meeting was due to tho enterprise . and enthusiasm of Miss Nellie Donovan, who had been working for somo time past to: achieve her;; objective of getting women artists and writers together for their mutual benefit. The advantages of such an organisation wero numerous. The scope for "free lancing" in New Zealand was limited, -particularly so at, the present time.-' With a strong organisation, writers and artists could secure an improvement in this respect. Ho had no doubt of the sympathy of loading papers throughout New Zealand. In its interior working the proposed organisation would be of an immenso benefit to members. There would be a valuable interchange of ideas, helpful criticism from a possible reading committee, and addresses would be arranged for from prominentwriters and', artists. He spoke, on Now Zealand literature in general, particularly in relation to verse and short story writing. Commenting on the possibility of members being' ambitious enough to produce novels or books of short stories and poems, he remarked that from Tecent letters he had received from-, England it was evident, that the Dominion would shortly participate in the big revival in book production now evident in England. He recently had had a letter from Miss Jane Mander in which she remarked' that, in spite of tho depression, more novels were being \vritten, published, and read in England ,than ever before. Large spaces were taken in the leading newspapers by book firms, anon advertisements challenging, even, the size of; other advertisements boosting .well-known household commodities. : This advertising, had been strikingly effective, and the public were buying books in ever increasing quantities. Some of the big English publishers now aimed at selling 10,000 books before publication. It was then resolved that a "New Zealand Women Writers and Artists Society" be formed. • '

Miss Donovan spoke of tho-. facts that Wellington had no society of this nature, and she had sought the , opportunity of organising such a-body with the happy result of that evening's meeting. She had. received a number of letters" from -prominent writers in all parts, of New. Zealand enthusiastically supporting the idea.1' Among these was ono from Mrs. Carr. Rollctt (presidont of the Auckland League of Pen women) and another from Mrs. I M. Cluett (president of. the Auckland Writers-Club). The election ' of. officers " resulted as follows:—President, Miss N. E. Coad; vice-presidents, Lady Hunter, Mrs. Isabel M. Cluett (Auckland), MisF Nello-Scanlan (England); Miss Jessie Mackay (Christchurch), Mrs. M. H. Chatfield (Wellington), Mrs. Carr-Rol-lett (Auckland), Miss -Edith ; Howes (Dunedin), Mrs.- C -William ;- Moore ("Dora. .Wilcox," Australia)^ Miss Jane Mander (London), • Miss -Eileen Duggan, Miss Elsie K. Morton- (Auckland), Miss Beryl Earle, Miss Margaret MeNair; hon. secretary and treasurer, .Miss . Nellij3 jE..- Donovan; committee, Mrs.:: Johannes 'Andgrsen, Miss-P. Fitzgerald, Miss M.- WHlcocks; Mrs".; A. "D. Kerr, MisS Isobel Young, ifiss Ivy Gibbs, Miss Betty Knell. Hearty vot/s of thanks were passed to Lady Hunter tor, the offer of the use of her home for. the. next, meeting of the society; and to. Mr. Lawlor for .presiding. ;