AUSTRALIAN BUGBEAR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 269, 27 August 1935, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN BUGBEAR

FEAR OF EARTHQUAKES. When Mr L. J. Schmidt took up his duties as New Zealand Commissioner in Sydney he found that fear of earthquakes in the Dominion was intense among middle-aged and. elderly women. Moreover, they were not of the “dfear old lady” type that appear in “Punch” as frequently as forgetful plumbers, fanciful anglers and garrulous golfers. Men and young women had no dread, of a sudden end if they ventured to New Zealand, hut it was hard work to convince the older women that New Zealand was not either having earthquakes or about to have them. Eventually this unreasoning timidity, due to alarmist reports in various publications, was largely dispelled by a lucky inspiration. The ladies were assured that more people were killed by motor-car accidents in Sydney than had been killed by earthquakes in New Zealand since the proclamation of British Sovereignty.

However, the old fear was revived occasionally. One day a middle-aged woman came to the New Zealand Tourist Bureau and deposited £l5O for a two-months trip. She was evidently easy in mind about the prospect, and was confident that she would return home,safely. Two or three days later she was hack at the office. She looked unhappy. She said that she had been thinking things, over and did not like leaving her boys on the farm in New South Wales. If anything happened to her—well, she could not bear to think of the setback for the boys. She was told that she could be kepft in daily touch with the boys if she wished. .Satisfactory arrangements could be made for cabling and the New Zealand office in Sydney would telephone to the boys, if this was desired.

Apparently the woman was ireassured, and went away. But next day she was hack again with another excuse for cancellation of the tour. Again her objections were countered, and she agai.n withdrew. Next day she returned with her husband! who had a very worried look. He had the air of a. man who had been beaten in a. big argument. This* time the woman’s real reason for the change of mind came out. It was the earthquake bugbear. A shake at Elketahuna had been conspicuously reported in the Sydney Press. IS he insisted on a cancellation —and the £l5O had to go back across the counter.

The couple then loft the office, hut the husband returned an hour later. He was not in a jovial mood. He looked sternly at a young man in the office. “Are you married?” he asked fiercely. “No,” replied the New Zealander. “Well,” the Australian declared emphatically, “if you take my tip, you never will be.”