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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 11, No. 8. July 14, 1948

New Zealand Literature

page 3

New Zealand Literature

Three further meetings of this group sponsored by the V.U.C. Literary Group have been success-fully held. At the first of these Bill Shires spoke on four Auckland writers. Of these R. A. K. Mason had been previously discussed at length last year and Frank Sargeson is to be the subject on a future occasion, hence these two were dismissed rather more summarily than were Alan Mulgan and A. R. D. Fairburn. Various examples of the work of all four were read and the speaker offered some well-considered critical appreciations. A number of opinions were exchanged but as is usual no very final opinion was reached as to their relative merits. Fia......

A small attendance appeared to find much of interest in the works of Arnold Cork, Geoffrey Pollett, and Count Geoffrey Wladislaw Vaile Potocki de Montalk. Prince Potocki, Pretender to the Throne of Poland. Tony Murray-Oliver read numerous extracts and supplied such biographical details as are available concerning these lesser-known poets. Arnold Grierson Cork produced one book. "Green Wood—White Wood." in the nineteen-thirties containing the greater part of his work previously published in magazines and newspapers. This was reviewed in Salient ten years ago, and much of the criticism then expressed seems still valid—namely, that while the collection as a whole does not reach the heights of certain poems, the latter were worthy of a much wider audience and should be considered by all interested in New Zealand verse.

In his use of both words and rhythm, Arnold Cork shows much skill, but his work reflects the New Zealand scene with little validity. Geoffrey Pollett was a young Englishman who spent some years in New Zealand in the years of the depression and had a considerable amount of slight but promising verse published, although his only book was "Song for Sixpence," published in England after his return there. It is a delightful and amusing account of his experiences peddling his poems as broadsheets from door to door. His unfortunate death occurred shortly afterwards, depriving us of a writer who might have attained some stature.

The dashing Count, who dedicated to "my friend and fellow-poet," A. R. D. Fairburn, his first book of verse, "Wild Oats." is the most colourful figure presented by New Zealand to the world of letters. Colourful may aptly be applied not only to his personality, as to his writings, but also to his dress, for on his frequent appearances in London police courts he was clad in a wine-red cloak and sandals. One of his trials on a charge of publishing an obscene libel has become of some importance in the annals of literary-censorship. Accompanied by his mistress, he attained further notoriety in London by his quarrels with well-known authors such as the Woolfs, His own literary works were considered to be of less interest than his personal career. In support of his claim to the Polish crown, he published a periodical. "The Right Review," until the outbreak of war.

At the latest meeting, some of those present offered passages of their own selection from New Zealand writers and a wide range was covered. It was noteworthy that Douglas Stewart's poems were not received so favourably as was a passage from Samuel Butler's "A First Year in Canterbury Settlement." The excellent prose gained by being read aloud and it was interesting to find that Darcy Cress-well's "Present Without Leave" did not suffer at all unfavourably from being read by comparison with Butler. This was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening, which would have been more spirited had more selections been brought for reading. The group meets every other Thursday evening, at 8 p.m. to discuss various aspects of New Zealand literature and all those interested are most cordially invited to be present. Notices are posted in advance of the meetings, which are held in Tony Murray-Oliver's flat, at St. Leonards. 184 Willis Street (between Dixon and Ghuznee Streets).