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New formula J. K. Baxter

by Tony Jaques

First Again in enterprise, Victoria University used its final Winter Term Lecture to launch a new product on the art consumers' market: All Improved. New Formula James K. Baxter.

It was made clear at the launching that any partly-used containers of Baxter the. Contraversialist with secret ingredient Sarcasm would be refunded in full.

The old label "Iconoclasticdilute before use," has been done away with, as has that which used to read "Mind your Heads. Low Humour Ahead."

The new label reads "Tested and Approved."

This revolutionary product was demonstrated on a sample topic—"Poetry in New Zealand"—and its new properties became apparent.

Describing the position of the early poet in New Zealand. Mr. Baxter said. "A puritan society may inhibit its writers and even throttle them." He attributed this puritanical attitude in New Zealand in part to the belief in the myth of colonial inferi-ority—the belief that the early settlers' emigration was likened to the fall of man. leaving England with its "Eden-like" qualities.

He saw as a result of "the conquest of the puritan dilemma" and the growing rejection of the motherland myth the development of ribaldry and casual wit, of "anti-romantic romanticism." a "strong streak of New Zealand identity" and what he called "conscious New Zealandism."

Quoting from a publication, of his own authorship, Mr. Baxter read poems and parts of poems by New Zealand authors, using them as examples to show what he saw as the trends in New Zealand poetry which he enumerated: a change from the prophetic to the therapeutic view of art; closer examination of structure and techniques; a deepening and enlargement of the themes used by women poets; a shift from regional to social emphasis; development of the erotic; increasing use of Maori themes and development of the metaphysical and pastoral idiom.

It was perhaps a pity that he used none of his own work to illustrate these trends.

It would seem from this free sample introductory offer that the new improved James K. Baxter is a product worth trying—it has everything but a money-back guarantee.