Salient. The Newspaper of Victoria University College. Vol. 20, No. 8. September 14, 1956

No NZ Literary tradition says Chancellor

No NZ Literary tradition says Chancellor

Though New Zealanders read more books per head of population than any other country we seemed to lack imaginative writing that was typical of the Dominion, said Sir David Smith. Chancellor of the University of New Zealand in his opening address at the recent meeting of the Senate, in Wellington.

This was a serious deficiency, stressed Sir David. He conceded we had produced some good historians, poets and writers of one act plays, but lacked imaginative prose writers.

"The novel deals imaginatively with the common life of people, criticises it and in so doing, helps to refine it," he said.

New Zealand had not yet founded a literary tradition in imaginative prose. When it would come, no one could tell.

Creative groups needed

Sir David saw the need for the rise of creative groups in many fields in this country. The education system provided an excellent start for the evolution of creative personalities.

In any society which was becoming increasingly mechanised in its way of life, the philosophers and the theologians should find increasing use for their functions as creative groups.

Though they might never provide final answers their activities would meet deep-seated needs.

Moreover, in an increasingly mechanical age the people should rely much upon architects and designers. Sir David hoped for more use of sculpture on noble public buildings and in appropriate settings in parks.

The Dominion's painters were handicapped in the same way as her writers by the limited market and by our present social framework.

Because most of our artists were part timers they chose subjects to which they could easily return: landscapes, portraits, and still life.

"There is little painting of imaginative conceptions arising from the characteristic activities of New Zealanders or from the great ideas of the age, such as Peace, Equality or Energy."

The greatest art had always been so based and Sir David instanced the ideas and work of the great masters of past centuries .

"This may be heretical today," Sir David concluded, "but I do think that, if painters are to be as much of a creative group in a mechanised society as they might be they should be able to express in their pictures something more than their ideas about paint.