N.Z. AUTHORS' WEEK

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1935, Page 6

N.Z. AUTHORS' WEEK

PROPOSAL BY THE P.E.N.

A proposal adopted at the annual meeting of the P.E.N. last night was that an effort be made 10 interest publishing firms and booksellers throughout the Dominion in the^ inauguration of a New, Zealand Authors'rWeek'.., Mr. Pat Lawlor, who made the "suggestion, referred to the :fact that great success had recently attended the Australian Authors',.. Week. ■ i the organises being a New Zealander, Mr. Will Lawson. The week had" resulted- in".,-! a great revival of interest in ■ book production in Australia, and-had .promoted big sales to the fbeneflt of-.the author, the publisher, and the bopkseller. The week was generally helpful, in stimulating' literary patriotism, in the book production of the Commonwealth. Here in New Zealand many notable books had been produced,,and with the necessary organisation and publicity the reading public would.,be brought to a realisation of the true literary worth of the Dominion. Apart from booksellers' displays, a special exhibition and possibly a New Zealand literary pageant might -be arranged. Mr. O. N. Gillespie strongly supported the suggestion and mentioned several notable New Zealand books that might be more strongly brought under the notice of the '.New Zealand, public. ' ' . ■" ' * He mentioned that Miss; Nelle Scanlan's novels had attained, big sales,-in New Zealand largely through intensive publicity and display,' work. Other New Zealand books might be given similar prominence. Mr. [an Donnelly's recently-published "The Joyous Pilgrimage" was mentioned.; The week "might be heralded with special literary talks over the air.' ... The chairman of the meeting (Mr. Johannes C. Andersen), Mr., C. A. Marris, and Miss Coad spoke in support of the proposal. ■'. ■'■■'] ) '■'■':' On the motion of Mr/ A. E. Curfie, it was decided to set up- the following committee to get int6 contact with. th,e possibly interested organisations which, would lend support to the pro posal:—Messrs. Andersen; Gillespii? and Lawlor. ' '-"