PAPERSPAST

CURIOUS VERNACULAR.

NEW ZEALANDERS THROUGH ENGLISH EYES.

New ZealamJers apeak excellent English, but they have a curious voruaculur, Mr Norinaa E. Torry, a visiting English writer- and lecturer, told an assemblage iv Auckland recently. His dissection, in lighter vein, of the qualities of the people of this country, whs giveta -under the auspices of the New Zealand Eationalist Association. "Too right," is, one expression Mr Torriy thinks is queer. Again, where the Englishman says a person has "gone: to the dogs," the New Zea lander says he has "gone to the pack." "J.ik.v' i.s wonderfully expressive, Ihe sayA, while an thing tliat iucurs disfavour, be it a niun, a wornuu or a thing is a ''cow." i Britain's four fetishes were the Bible, Shakespeare; ~■ the medicine bottle and respectability. New Ze'aland hud gone tlnee better —horse racing, rugby football and "spotting." According to the statistics New. Zealand's drink bill'was appalling. "I 'notice you drink a great amount of tea,!' observed Ml1, Torry — ''I oan understand that, for I have tasted your coffee." ■■'-.'•> The lecturer considered New Zealaudevs were the most pleasure obessed people id the world,-aud the most nomadic. ',' On any excuse at all," he says, " you travel by road, rail or sea and, if you have no excuse at all, you still; travel." ( "'. r JJLIWIATE AND SCENERY. ; The "Dominion's climate is the most equable, its/ scenery exquisite,.., the smaller towns, are 25 years ahead of towns vi the 'same sizp in Jbuglaud, yet, according .to Mr Torry, the people here tackle problems in a yery -hall 'hearted way. , ■ :f(' The patriotism of New Zealaideis, is almost aggressive, Mr Torry s^a/s, yet in AucKlaud one ; :, liuds^poopW buying' rAuievicau tilings wheieyir 'theycuAi' Hero, too, tne ) outh%</f the1; City ■ "" «y cultivating tne slang of. J.t^t - jX" Imk Bowery,; iv describing? a ulß aud;>! womet '&&* -Junes"' and' " iSliiela s." . • ,: ;,rf ULvuwei^a visitors often find it em brassing, and iuuiaiked' cuhtiasi to the BUiußnilousiwrp piitle aiipufeiit'iu the four cities pi: the Dominion, to hear New ''iiWluuders..talk of "going' Home," as though they werfe sojoui-ners of this country, Mr Torry mldeil The ; lectuter.concluded with a rtfe leiaco to capital punishment. Through the courtesy of'thesheril^-'be had wit, nessed a recent executiou, xaud 'hi^ deleiuiinatKiu to work for liitS'iibolitiuu ottpuuishnieiit had been iucijjased teu', told., it was,acetic of Jb^blUisin aud He was. Otflk'Moll a''" excuut.o'us.to b-> enac.L^^^^^^B^^iu.ot!: unueriu'waii ti.e tU!^H^wiiui| p.unidh'meur would have dic^^^Jhalt a, ijfc|inlUii y'/ftgo. A plou*WdSj 'liijPfc, fuij New ZealaiKt to take a l&ad iv tins $■' '~■-■ ' , '■■;■.., ' >/-.

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