Acknowledged as one of New Zealand’s most accomplished poets, Baxter devoted the last years of his life to social work with alcoholics and drug addicts. He died in Auckland, aged 46.
Poetry
Events In History
15 May 1920
The victim of the shooting, poet Walter D’Arcy Cresswell, alleged that Mayor Charles Mackay had made homosexual advances towards him in the mayoral office and panicked when faced with the prospect of public exposure.
Articles
Anzac Day
First observed in 1916, Anzac Day - 25 April - commemorates those killed in war and honours returned servicemen and women. The ceremonies held at war memorials around the country, and in places overseas where New Zealanders gather, are rich in tradition and ritual. Read the full article
Page 9 - The red poppy
The red poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance the world over. In many countries it is worn on Armistice Day (11 November), but in New Zealand it is most commonly seen on
Making of New Zealand literature
Historian and poet Keith Sinclair has argued that the 1950s was the decade 'when the New Zealand intellect and imagination came alive' Read the full article
Page 1 - The making of New Zealand literature
Historian and poet Keith Sinclair has argued that the 1950s was the decade 'when the New Zealand intellect and imagination came
Dominion status
On 26 September 1907 the colony of New Zealand ceased to exist. It became, instead, a dominion within the British Empire. Read the full article
Page 3 - The first Dominion Day
The first Dominion Day, 1907, was a holiday for public servants as all government offices closed to mark the occasion.
Biographies
Allen Curnow was one of the defining voices of 20th-century New Zealand literature. His career spanned six decades and there was a strong local and international following for his work.
Acknowledged as New Zealand’s most accomplished poet, Baxter is also well known for his lifestyle and the counter-cultural community he established beside the Whanganui River.
Alfred Domett was premier 1862-1863. Aside from politics he is remembered for establishing the Parliamentary Library and for his much-derided epic verse Ranolf and Amohia: A South-Sea Daydream.
A prolific writer, Thomas Bracken’s one permanent poetic monument is the stirring prose that became New Zealand’s national anthem, 'God Defend New Zealand.'
Main image: Allen Curnow and friends
Allen Curnow, Denis Glover, Bob Lowry and Captain Donald McWilliam, seated in front of a movie hoarding in Christchurch in 1948.
