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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria University College, Wellington N.Z. Vol. 20, No. 8. June 13, 1957

[Introduction]

"Although this has been, in a sense, a memorial gathering, it has hardly been solemn. But Fairburn was not a very solemn person. Anyway, we have proved that Wellington can appreciate a great New Zealander—even if he is an Aucklander."

With these words. Aucklander James Bertram closed a reading from the works of the late A R D. Fairburn at the Library Lecture Hall on Friday evening. 24th May.

It was a memorable evening.

James K. Baxter has a beautiful voice, but it is no carping criticism to say that his intoning style of reading verse docs not seem to help the audience grasp the meaning of what he is reading. His contribution to the evening did, however, include some of Fairburn's finest lyrical verse, notably "Elements".

Louis Johnson described as " the loveliest love poem ever written by a New Zealander" the little gem "Age will unfasten us," and he read it most movingly.

A. R. D. Fairburn Fund

This fund has been opened so that the friends of Rex Fairburn and those many others who feel that both as a poet and a man he enriched their lives, can express their gratitude and regard for him. All proceeds will go to his wife and family. Please send them to c/o F. H. Haigh. Solicitor. Box 119. Auckland.

"Our world will end when you,
the lovely husk of love, lie still at length
on the cold bed, and I.
my limbs stained through and through
with your beauty's blood, powereless beside you, lie.

Though lacking Baxter's initial advantage as to voice; Johnson's reading style is most expressive. He also delighted the audience with "Rhyme for a Dead Self and Tom's A'Cold".

One humorous highlight of the evening was Anton Vogt's rendition of the famous parody on a speech by the late M. J. Savage—The Sky is a Limpet" (—"onwards and uppinesh into a void hurting money body . . . Now then:") and a selection of pithy epigrams. Vogt also gave us "La Belle Dame Sans Merer, a biting comment on certain manifestations of the New Zealand way of life, especially the suburban attitude to capital punishment.

Maria Dronke read some more lovely lyrics in her equally lovely voice and pleasing style. ("It is indeed a pleasure to hear good verse well read," commented Mr. Bertram afterwards.) Notable items were "Well Known and Well Loved (The moments of our love are flakes of dream—falling on a snow-scene in a fairy-tale"), "Wild Love", and 'Sons at Summer's End."