A Literary Page or Two

(By “Shibli Bagarag.”)

From time to time I review on this page the first appearances of New Zealand periodicals. At times they are good—often bad. The most difficult ones to review are the bad ones. Let us look at the matter in a human way. Here is an editor with the sincere thought that his magazine is the finest thing ever produced in New Zealand. More often than not this is his first magazine—and (wonder of wonders!) “Shibli,” or some other reviewer, makes uncomplimentary remarks about his paper. Why? Because we reviewers must be cruel to be kind. How many magazines would pile up huge debt on their promoters and their printers if at an early stage they had not been warned by the reviewers that their efforts, unless corrected, were futile? Take the case of this reviewer. Without exaggeration he has seen half a hundred periodicals collapse during the last few decades because of want of knowledge on the part of those in control as to production costs, advertising revenue and literary and pictorial contents. Incidentally, this writer was connected with a few magazine failures and has therefore graduated in the hard school of experience. A fault that shrieks itself at the informed and the uninformed is the fact that often the illustrations, both photographic and line, are crude. Heavens knows there are enough expert photographers and artists available to give that necessary finished touch to a new publication and at moderate cost. As for writers—their name is legion. Therefore, there is no excuse. The goods are available—let the editors take advantage of the talent offering.

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Geoffrey de Montalk is referred to quaintly in a letter recently to hand from a literary friend of mine in London. “I met Geoffrey in New Zealand House on the Strand,” writes my friend. “His hair was down to his waistline or thereabouts. Told me he had just returned from Paris. Queer chap. Very embarrassing talking to a man in a red cloak, sandals and a Tudor hat. Ever tried it? No? Well tha ‘asn't missed mooch laad.”

The same writer tells me that Coralie Stanley Mackellar had returned to London about the same time with her daughter Gloria “now all grown up and glamorous, seeking film work. Coralie is as sprightly as ever and has decided to return to journalism.” Betty Riddell is also mentioned as having been with the London “Express” for a while and that she has done well.

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Nelle Scanlan's work improves with each novel. Her seventh book, “The Marriage of Nicholas Cotter” (Robert Hale & Co., London) is easily her best. It shows a smoothly flowing style, a theme somewhat off the beaten track, excellent characterisations, and all through is a gentle demand on the interest of the reader. She has handled a difficult theme delicately and delightfully. Nicholas Cotter is a likeable, comfort-loving successful barrister of forty-nine. His sister Zoe keeps house for him, it being mutually understood that, having contemplated marriage, and being persuaded out of it by her brother, he in return will remain a bachelor. And then Nicholas goes and falls in love with a slip of a girl of eighteen! Now, it takes a good writer to balance effectively such a lopsided romance, also to handle the rightfully wrathful Zoe. Nelle Scanlan has a facility for satisfying her readers and has therefore dealt with Nicholas's love affair and Nicholas's sister in a manner that must please everybody.

By way of a change from the monthly bookplate on this page I propose to run for a few issues a series of caricatures of New Zealand writers. In this issue the new feature commences with Johannes C. Andersen, who recently returned to New Zealand from the P. E. N. Congress at Buenos Aires.

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The last issue of “Art in New Zealand” is a splendid souvenir, both in illustration and letterpress of the opening of the National Art Gallery and Museum. Roland Hipkins provides an interesting article in this respect, and I was pleased to note that a fine article that appeared in “The Evening Post” on the same subject is reprinted. It is one of the best newspaper articles I have read in our New Zealand press for many a long day. “Robin Hyde's” article, “Poetry In Auckland,” should cause comment. She deals with her subject in her usual outspoken vigorous manner. Illustrations in colour and black and white and a few artistic verses complete a good issue.

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Mr. A. E. Mander's booklet, “To Alarm New Zealand,” deals with the decline in the birth statistics of the Dominion. It is a candid, well set-out booklet.

A welcome reprint has been made by Messrs. Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd., of Robert Gilkison's “Early Days in Central Otago.” Those who have not read this valuable historical document may be frightened by the title, which smacks of dry-as-dust probings into the past. There is, however, a real thrill in this story of the early adventurous days in Otago when gold seeking was the topic of the hour. The new edition has been revised and enlarged.

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One of the few New Zealand periodicals ready to assist artists and writers in a practical manner is “Tui's Annual,” the 1936 issue of which has been published. The proprietors claim that since its inception about ten years ago they have paid more than £3,000 page 83 to those who have contributed to its pages. This year's issue is a credit to its producers. There must be over a hundred or more writers and artists represented in a variety of stories, articles, poems, photos and cartoons. The annual is well worth the modest price of 2/—.

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An appropriate item to mention in this issue is “The Holiday Omnibus,” another of the Century Books produced by Hutchinson's, London. Whether you holiday at Paraparaumu, Picton, Port Chalmers, or Parengaparenga, here is a good companion for the trip. The book contains 1024 pages comprising 24 stories, one full length novel, and is representative of twenty-five authors. The novel is Flaubert's “Madame Bovary,” and the short story writers include Balzac, Rex Beach, Gilbert Frankau, Philip Gibbs, de Maupassant, Stacpoole, Stacy Aumonier and others. What better holiday company could you imagine?

Reviews.

“Sky Pilot's Last Flight,” by K. Langford Smith (Angus & Robertson Ltd., Sydney) is a worthy sequel to “Sky Pilot in Arnhem Land.” In newspaper phraseology, every page of this book is “full of meat.” Arnhem Land comprises one of the wildest and interesting portions of Australia. When his ‘plane is in working order our Sky Pilot is off one day to succour someone hundreds of miles away and then we accompany him on seemingly impossible journeys by land and water. The author is always an engrossing companion and apparently has an endless supply of anecdote. His own difficulties and tragedies are not the least interesting portion of his book. Every page has a thrill or a laugh.

“Conversations With My Uncle,” by Frank Sargeson, is an artistically produced booklet from the Unicorn Press, Auckland. Most of the sketches have already appeared in the Christchurch journal “To-morrow.” They are full of quaint philosophy, and are written with artistic simplicity. I am keen to see more of the author's work.

“Boom-Time Gold,” by G. W. Wicking (Angus & Robertson, Sydney), suggests in its title a romance of the old time gold-mining days. The story, however, concerns a very recent search for gold on an Australian sheep station. Ten thousand sovereigns have been buried on the estate by an old gold hoarder. James McPherson, a six foot devil-may-care Australian, becomes owner of the property, and his search for the missing sovereigns as against the machinations of an unscrupulous gang, who are also after the hidden hoard, provides material for an almost breathless succession of exciting happenings. A thrilling and amusing yarn.

“The Ten Green Brothers,” by Angus MacVicar (Stanley Paul, London; Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd., New Zealand agents), lives up to its intriguing title. A Glasgow journalist, who has more beef than brains, albeit a likeable fellow, finds a green badge and promptly places it in the lapel of his coat. Almost immediately he is carried into a spate of incredible adventures. The green brothers are plotting to bring about a revolution in England with the object of ultimate Nazi control. How the two leading characters, the Glasgow journalist and the appealing Helen MacRae, outwit the plotters is told in manner most engrossing.

“Trent's Own Case,” by E. C. Bentley and H. Warner Allen (Constables, London; Whitcombe and Tombs, New Zealand Agents) is a detective story that is bound to create great interest. “Trent's Last Cast” is, of course, a detective yarn deservedly famous. The late G.K.C. once paid the book a great compliment. Were he alive to-day he might place this new Trent book alongside the other on his library shelves. I am diffident about even discussing the plot of a good detective yarn. There is the danger of spoiling it for the reader. Don't miss this revival of a great figure in detective fiction.

“The Bridle Track,” by J. J. Hardie (Angus and Robertson, Sydney) should interest every type of reader. For those who revel in the faithful picture of the great outdoors of Australia of many years ago, there is interest of a particularly appealing and stirring kind. Those who love a good gripping novel will find romantic figures moving now in the centre and now in the background of the main theme. Chief among these is Lancelot, otherwise called Bill, the hero of a fine story. The author, who knows the Australian bush as well as anybody, has written an outstanding book—one I can recommend.

Shibli Listens In.

Will Lawson's “When Cobb & Co. Was King,” has run into a second edition, 2000 copies being sold to date.

Mr. Eric Ramsden, author of the recently published. “Marsden and the Missions,” has been elected president of the Anthropological Society of New South Wales.

A Limited Editions Society has been formed in Australia. There is a limit of 500 members at £3/3/- yearly. The proposal is to print at least one fair-sized book every year and to supplement it if possible with lesser works. The Hon. Secretary (Mr. Benjamin N. Fryer) tells me that the prospectus in hand will be among the best printed pieces that has ever been done in Australia.

Due for publication this month by A. H. and A. W. Reed is “Scalpel and Sword,” by Sir James Elliott, of Wellington.

Ian Donnelly, who has been doing relieving work on the Christchurch “Press,” is now busy on a novel.