N.Z. AND AUSTRALIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 79, 5 April 1926, Page 4

N.Z. AND AUSTRALIA.

34052 ESCXETROCTTY 3JEEBED.

AXD BETTER O*BERSTASDLSG.

PnMicity fvr the Dominion nas rftr.erj<}fi considerable at'enrioa recently, particularly in regard to attracting ulait.vr% froti die northern hemisphere, bat according , co Mr. -7. B. Merret;, a. nmch.cravelled Oiristcinirch bosmese man, a 2~sod deal more attention mignt be p ai< i bo otrr nearest neighbours, ~-zn AustraSaas, who, he claims. ha.v* s «an! smcTrledsra of New Zealami a.n.d many miseoncepcioaa ••jr-rKwrr.in.a: Lta people. Mr. l£*rr«s haa jnac 3pen; a r'^** , uioatha in Australia,, aa.i to a Ckriatsirarcii

pressman he scofce. aa rouowa: — "In is a. srrea;: didappointmenj that the Australians are not coming here in thousands. The destiny 'f onr Dominion EC-oat aver be linked with the great Ccmmeirve&lth, and we ar* losing our finest ihaccft for them to see what t> can. do, aad to bring them into doe«r touch with -var people. Aaatraliana do not know what we ha~e on hand in Danedia. For »-tf*ryoae who haa come to s*w the Exhibition % hundred weald come if ii organised to bring them." . In answer to a. rpiestion a 3 to what ac worrfd he sai<i: "First organise a.-d advertise. Australians i>n the x-hole kr.ov little aFwvtrt ua. They think are are ■over a week diatan-i by- ahip, tha* j dangers bzric everywhfire- throngh earth- I qnafcfta, and hay» no idea if what a trip [ spoafei cost. We should encourage a! Preaa delegation. Offer them free travel on the railways to ?.e<* the Exhibition,j MlHord !ake«. monntaina. farming lands ! an<i Rotorna. Trips should he organised mating £■%. to imnnde tie Southern Lakes and the Exhibition, i4A to add Canterbury and the West Coast, £»H) to include the >Torth Isl&n<i. "I met sis Australians," he Ad-dad, '"in Caristcbnreh, and they considered the traia mil frcrtn Dnnedin to Tfcnara the best they had ever seen. No one can imagine what the green hiila, fields and pastures are at thra time of year to an Australian, ms-ma-torr.ed to the drab colour of his own eonatry. We nonld extend them hoe- ! oitarity ar.d exchange ideaa. In rr.any i places T.he Aaatraliar.A have the ' erroneous opinion we do not like them. We conki remove this impression. We cotsld alao let them see Maori life at its beat, and show them oar Maori cofieg-es and students. Both Press and people always compare them with their own

j natives. "Personally, I thick we are loatng the eaacca of a der&tin to get .Australians here. Dnnsdin would surprise them with w?:at the Domiriicjrt L=i doing in Esannfactnreg and primary Lidastriea, while Iftxnedrn would surprise them; in fact, any part of the ■world."