AUTHORS' WEEK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22404, 28 April 1936, Page 14

AUTHORS' WEEK

OFFICIAL OPENING EXHIBITION IN AUCKLAND HOPES FOR THE FUTURE " When you examine the hooks gathered in these rooms you ivill be astounded at the comparative wealth of New Zealand's literary work up to the present time," said Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary .to the Prime Minister, when officially opening the exhibition at the Art Gallery yesterday and thus inaugurating Authors' Week in Auckland. The deputy-Mayor, the Hon. B. Martin, M.L.C., presided over a largo attendance. Mr. Martin said that exhibitions like the present compelled people to recognise the extent and quality of the works of New Zealand authors. In the world of literature the Dominion had achieved much of which she might be proud. Mr. Leo said that New Zealand writers had produced children's books fib to compare with any in the world. Her achievements in other fields of literature were a. matter of opinion, but he believed that the establishment of a definitely national literature was close at hand. New Zealand s raw material —its people and their doings—was as good as that of any other country, and it was only a question of how that raw material was used. Mr. Lee congratulated the organisers of the exhibition 011 their work.. The Dominion organiser of Authors' Week, Mr. 0. N. Gillespie, said that during the last five or ten years a development in the school of creati\ e minds in New Zealand had been detected. There was no reason why the paradise that was New Zealand should not produce a literature that was comparable to, and as earth-shaking as, the literature of ancient Greece. Exhibitions already had been lield at \V ellington and Christchurch, but that at Auckland was easily the most striking Miss Rosemary Rees said that there were young writers growing up to-day that would make a name for New Zealand in the world of books and literature. . , A short address also was given by Mr. R. A. Singer. The chairman of the Authors' Week executive in Auckland, Mr. J- Barr, thanked all '"' hj? bad assisted in arranging the exhibition. The series of lectures arranged in connection with Authors' A\eek will be continued at the Art Gallery to-day. At 3 p.m. Mrs. H. Carr Rollett will speak on "Plant Literature in New Zealand." Mrs. Cluett (Isabel Maud Peacocke) will give an address on "Children's Literature in New Zealand" this evening, which will be followed by a talk on "Scenery in New Zealand Literature" bv Miss Elsie K. Morton. The evening will be concluded by a song recital of New Zealand items arranged by Mr. John Tait.