LIFE IN DOMINION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22256, 2 November 1935, Page 14

LIFE IN DOMINION

MATERIAL FOR STORIES AMERICAN' AUTHOR'S VISIT

A tour of New Zealand for the purpose of collecting material for a short story relating to life in the Dominion is to be made by the American author Mr. Albert Wetjen, who arrived at Auckland by the Lurline yesterday afternoon. He was accompanied by Mrs. Wetjen. After spending a month visiting various parts of the Dominion, Air. Wetjen will lcavo for Australia, where he will remain for live weeks collecting material on different aspects of Australian life. Mr. and Mrs. Wetjen are at the Hotel Cargen. In discussing conditions in the United States, Mr. Wetjen said there was now a good demand for short stories for use in magazines and other publications. However, there had been a depression. For two years during the worst of the slump, the visitor said, he had not had a single story accepted by American publishers, who had been compelled, owing to the decrease in their sales, to use only stories that they had in hand.

During big tour of New Zealand and Australia, Air. Wetjon said lie would collect material that would provide human-interest stories. "For instance, take the picture of a girl mounted on a horse, with Beautiful scenery in the background. I would not describe the scenery, as much as I would endeavour to weave a story about tiao life of the girl," he explained. "In America they do not want to learn about the beauty of the scenery, as much as they want to learn about the life of the girl. There, human-interest stories aro the ones that sell."

Mr. Wetjon lias had an adventurous career. Born in London, he left school at the age of 13 and went to sea. Ho has boon shipwrecked twice, and was a member of the crew that took the Sultan of Zanzibar as prisoner of war to St. Helena. In 1918 he served in the British Army. The following year liesailed to South Africa, and in 1920 emigrated to Canada. He remained there only a year, when ho took up his residence in the United States.

The visitor's books includo "Captains All," "Way For a Sailor," "Youth Walks on tho Highway'' and "Fiddlers' Green." Ho is a contributor to magazines in England, tho United States and Australia.