LIFE IN BULGARIA.

ADDRESS BY MISS LAMBREVA.

"Our peasants in Bulgaria are the holders of the wealth of the country," said Miss Anitra Lambreva, a graduate of a Bulgarian University, in the course of a lecture delivered last night at Canterbury College. Miss Lambreva, who is visiting New Zealand under the auspices of the National _ Union of Students, took as the subject of her lecture, "Life in the Balkans with special reference to Bulgaria. "The main industry of Bulgaria is agriculture in many forms," said Miss Lambreva, "and in the country the l»e of the people still retains its national character. Wheat, cotton, ri ce > an< * tobacco are all grown, while everywhere in the valleys are flourishing vineyards. All the home decorations, carpets and curtains, are made by hand from materials grown by the people on their own farms, as ajso are their clothes, which are decorated witn intricate embroidery # stitched during the long winter evenings, when up to six feet of snow lies outside. In summer men and women alike work the fields, and one of their most striking characteristics is their complete freedom from worry, whatever may happen, it is met with a smile. We have snakes in Bulgaria,, but they are not harmful, so we enjoy them. Even after a strenuous day's work all are ready to dance in the evening, whether to the musio of flute or violin, their national instruments. "Girls marry at eighteen, and the ceremonies of the occasion last for a week, while reciprocal gifts are made to the members of the bride's ana bridegroom's _ families, and the trousseau, which has been made entirely by the bride, is exhibited to friends and neighbours. As the linen has to be sufficient to last for life this in itself is no small item. In former times sons and grandchildren all remained living "together in a family or as many as forty-five, with a greatgrandfather as the autocratic ■jead. They used to obey because they did.n t know better, but this is changing nowadays, and families now break up into smaller units. "Modern Bulgaria is only fifty-one years old, for previously it had been for 500 years under the rule of the Turks, who had overthrown the divided country at the end of its Golden Age when it spread from the Carpathians to the .ffigean Sea. One should not consider that all Turkish people are bad." said Miss Lambreva. "It depends entirely on the class, and the atrocities committed by the irregular bands of . marauders must not be blamed on the whole nation. Often Bulgarians were rescued from such cruelties by Turks, who had lived iu Bulgarian villages all their lives and ' were true friends of ■ their Bulgarian neighbours. Since the liberation from the Turkish voke. the Bulgarian Government had done much to foster native literature, which was in a flourishing condition and equal to much of the best literature of Europe. Unfortunately, however, it was but little known in the rest of the world. "The Universities carry students through from the age of 19 to 26 before which age no student can graduate. Twelve subjects have to be taken for the doctorate, which, is the sole degree obtainable. As is so general throughout the world, the great tendency among modern Bulgarian youth is to drift to'the towns, ospeciallv to Ejofia, the capital. There, there is no survival of ancient customs and attire. In fact, life in the cities is exactly like life in Christchurch. Bulgaria is a well ordered country of hardworking, cheerful people, and ruled by a peace-loving king in every way as democratic as the Prince of Wales." At the conclusion of the address Miss Lambreva was accorded a vote of thanks, moved bv Mr W. M. Brookes and seconded by Miss C. West-Watson, who lasked for support for an appeal recently issued by the International Student Service for aid for Bulgarian students, who had suffered severely as a result of a recent earthquake in Sofia