NEW ZEALAND AUTHORSHIP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22326, 28 July 1934, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND AUTHORSHIP

New Zealand Verse. Edited by Mackellar Giles. Temuka: the Advocate, (Is per copy.) New Zealand Writer and Dramatist. Edited by J. R. Hastings. Wellington: 19 Home street. (3s per annum.) In its July issue New Zealand Verse prints a dozen poems having their genesis in the Dominion and Australia. ‘‘Meditation,” by a pupil of Wesley College, which takes pride of place, is quite an interesting soliloquy expressing, as is so often the paradoxical case with youth, thoughts which would be more native to a septuagenarian. There are some clumsy lines in this work, immaturities of style and philosophy, but it gives evidence of feeling. In “English Fantasy” Daphne Godward, of Invercargill, gives voice to the nastalic, sentimental imaginings which often—perhaps too often—occur to the New Zealand writer who thinks of England as a spiritual home, and Molly Howden, in “ The Eyes of Mary,” experiments in metrical form. R. M. Hoggard’s “ Mountains " is. a less successful essay into new forms. Perhaps the work of most merit is that of “ L. G.,” of Dunedin, whose “Art” is distinctly promising in conception and has two good lines—-the last; and of Helen C. Wheeler, Levin, with a song of some Acridity. The little publication is very pleasantly produced, and those with a concern for New Zealand letters will look with hope towards its future development. A second—or perhaps it is a third—paper ■ published by the cyclostyle process in the interests of New Zealanders who are practising authoriship, is issued under the title Wrtier and Drmatist. The first issue contains notes upon New Zealand writers whose work has come before the public, an account _of the activities of the repertory societies, and one very useful article in which potential authors are warned against paying for the publication of their work. A feature which would prove of distinct value if expanded is a list of current literary and dramatic competitions in the Dominion. _ The most obvious lack in the little periodical, which should be remedied, is the absence of any critical standard in the paragraphists in their comments upon native writers. J. M. Oxford The Oxford Society has decided to publish a terminal magazine, to be entitled Oxford, the chief object of which will be to give members authentic news concerning events and developments in the university. Among the contributors to the first number of Oxford will be Lord Halifax, Mr John Buchan, Mr Philip Guedalla, the warden of New College, Mr Harcourt Gold, one of Oxford’s best-known oarsmen, and Mr Edward Shackieton, the son of the well-known explorer, and president of the Oxford University Exploration Club. There will also be a number of illustrations, including hitherto unpublished drawings of Oxford by Mr Muirhead Bone, Wells and the World Mr 11. G. Wells’s autobiography, of which the impending appearance was mentioned earlier in the year, is likely to be published in the autumn, and will be found to be conceived, as might be expected of its author, on rather novel lines. Up to the age of 34, when he was writing “Anticipations." Mr Wells tells a straightforward story of himself, his development, and his orientation towards life. From that point on—another 34 year»—he links himself with the larger world through his books, discussing them one by one, showing why they were written, explaining what he was driving at in each case, putting them in relation with the external events of the moment. If (says “Janus” in the Spectator) we consider the range of Mr Wellss output there are not many spheres of human thought and activity on which he can avoid expressing himself. He thinks, by the ’wny, that ** The Invisible Man' is probably the most popular (not necessarily the best) of bis novels. Travel in Turkestan Ella K. Maillart, the Swiss ski champion,'has recently returned from a lone journey in Russian Turkestan. She crossed the almost inaccessible Desert ot Kara Knm and the steppes of the Kirghiz Kazaks, and took the road to Samarkand. The story of the journey, “ Des Monts Celestes anx Sables Rouges,” just published in Paris, is being translated into English, and Putnam announces an English edition under the title “Tien Shan to Kizil Kum.”