WILL "BOOST" N.Z.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 170, 20 July 1936, Page 8

WILL "BOOST" N.Z.

AMERICAN WRITER.

IN SEARCH OF MATERIAL

ARTICLES AND TALKS,

Six months of every year are spent liy Mr. and Mrs. Warner Mason, of Chicago, in travel, and the other six months are spout writing and telling of their adventures. They arrived at Auckland by the Niagara from Sydney this morning, for a two weeks' tour, and m hen they go back to America they intend to "boost" New Zealand in articlfcs and travel talks. Mr. Mason is ft' travel feature writer for the "Chicago Tribune." Mr. and Mrs. Mason are on their way back to America after a three months' tour of Australia, the Solomon Islands, and New Guinea. For the past four years they have made an annual excursion to the Orient. Mr. Mason started from Chicago at the end of March with the intention of collecting material for about 20 articles on foreign lands, but his tour has been so prolific in the production of stories that he has amassed enough material for a series of 00 articles. Mr. Mason refcrreff to Japan in telling of his travels. That nation, he said, was the world's greatest example of ja unified people. The Japanese were one politically, religiously and industrially. Children from the age of four years upwards were given lessons in patriotism anil loyalty to the Emperor, whose name was so sacred that it was never uttered aloud. It would be a commonplace to ask in London if King Edward was at Buckingham Palace, but if in Tokyo you asked if the Emperor Hi.rohito was in residence you would lose favour with the Japanese. No Difference of Opinion. "There is 110 difference of opinion in Japan as to the destiny of the Land of the Rising Sun," said Mr. Mason. "They are determined to restore Asia to the Asiatics. The assassinations of last February were not an indication of a difference of opinion as to the ultimate aim, but only a difference of opinion as to the speed with which that aim was to be achieved. Recent demotions of the military officers involved in the plot indicated that for the moment the conservative clement is in control." New Guinea and the Solomons were in excellent condition, said Mr. Mason. The production costs of copra had been reduced, and everybody seemed to be happy, content and reconciled to the change in conditions. The Solomon Islands were out of debt, they had balanced their Budget, and their income exceeded their outlay. The administrator was doing an excellent job of work. In America, added Mr. Mason, people were given general statements about New Zealand being a country of unsurpassed beauty, but the American people had no idea of the wonders of the Dominion. A recent article published in the "National Geographic" magazine would yield good to New Zealand for years to come, and he hoped tli.it New Zealand would profit by his writings and travel talks. I