Rodney Writes

The Rodney public libraries system has what it calls its annual Rodney Writes Writing Competition. I knew nothing about this until, behold, on the counter at our freshly renovated Mahurangi East branch, free copies of the 2009 prizewinning entries in a quite handsome little booklet.

Now one’s whole inclination is to lend solid support to our local efforts, both in writing and in publishing. It is really amazing after all that we actually have such a light and airy and helpful library branch at Snells Beach (Mahurangi East), with all the on line systems and pleasant staff. But, in fact, there are a few questions about the Rodney Writes Writing Competition.

The three judges are named, one for each of the three categories – Premier, Novice, and Young Writer – but the names mean nothing to me. Why not introduce the judges? I am sure they are excellent people, and probably well known among the potters and vignerons and pickle-makers at the Matakana Farmers Market. I needed to know something about their fitness to judge. And there are no judges’ comments. What did they think of the standard of entries? Why did they like the winning entries, because I didn’t.

This year participants had the choice to “write on any topic of your choice. You may write a short story up to 2,500 words about anything you wish! Write to inspire, provoke, excite or entice your reader. We encourage you to be creative in your thinking.” Well, in those terms it was something of a disaster, it seems to me. That was far too wide a brief. Why not ask for a short story, or a brief biography, or something that required some research? So much NZ writing, journalism, these days, somehow defaults to what happened to me one day and how I felt about it, sometimes artfully but not successfully disguised. Michelle Hewitson and Garth George in the NZ Herald are prime examples.

But enough about being critical…! My first encounter with public libraries was at the stylish brick Remuera Public Library in Auckland, which is there to this day. Behind it, and all of a piece, is the Remuera Library Hall – where I once, to my everlasting shame, featured in a Meadowbank Primary School concert as a Nigger Minstrel, my face blackened, and singing “Massa’s in de cold, cold grave”. I don’t recall ever giving my permission for any of that.

However, back in the library, as a barefoot 9-year-old, I discovered Arthur Ransome. Remuera Public Library had a Children’s Section, in which children who dared to appear were subject to constant surveillance, and required to Make No Noise. I knew how to become invisible – a skill of increasing value in subsequent years – and could hide myself there, on the floor at the back, and read Swallows And Amazons and many other amazing books.

Libraries are what liberated me. They had ideas and experiences which were not described, authorised or explained by my seniors. That is always why libraries matter. Of course, there were also librarians. I still fight with them sometimes. But, clearly, there is a new generation, dedicated to facilitating things for people. We are well served at Mahurangi East.