IN THE EAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 110, 12 May 1939, Page 7

IN THE EAST.

WRONG VIEW HELD.

OPINION OF DOMINION.

AVOKLANDER'S IMPRESSIONS.

The opinion that a wrong impression of New Zealand is being created in the East was expressed by Mr. M. H. Yock, director of the Auckland firm of J. Yock and Company, on his return to-dayvby the South Pacific Line steamer Tasmen, after an extended visit to the Dotch East Indies and Malaya.

Mr. Yock said that the average Dutch resident of the East thought that New Zealand must be in a bad way, because Xew Zealand currency had no value to them. They had also received exaggerated reports of the Xew Zealand import restrictions, but did not expect to be affected to any great extent. Mr. Yock's personal opinion was that things were much better in Xew Zealand than the average person overseas thought.

He said that any visitor to the East could not help being impressed with t!ie extraordinary fertility of the Dutch East Indies, and the great industry of its population of sixty millions. Every inch of Java seemed to be tilled, and the country was like a big market garden. Hills were terraced for ricegrowing, and water flowed continuously through the ricefields. The whole of the Javanese population seemed to be enjrajred in producing something. They worked long hours for small pay, but seemed to be contented and happy, and their wants wvrc few. An impression formed in Malaya was that tilings were not quite so good there. In tlir old days Malaya had the monopoly of the rubber trade, but rubber was now grown extensively in tiie Dutch Kast Indies. Java was now exporting as much rubber as the Straits Settlements.

Mr. Yock does not hold out hope for development of trade in New Zealand primary productm to the "East. Butter and cheese were not used by the native populations, as they had the rich soil to provide sufficient other foods for their needs.