AS OTHERS SEE US.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14565, 16 January 1913, Page 8

AS OTHERS SEE US.

COMMENT, CRITICISM AND

PRAISE,

VIEW'S OF EMPIRE WANDERERS

Mr Evelyn Wrench and Miss Wrench are two Empire wanderers at present in our midst. Their concern for tne past eight months has been to explore thr> Empire, and thoy have done it. to the extent of covering some 35,000 miles. They have been wandering in New Zealand for the past seven weeks, and yesterday gave a "Press" reporter somo interesting observations upon New Zealand and its people

Miss Wrench naturally confined her remarks to tho ladies. In comparison with the Canadian women, tho fair sex of New Zealand, she said, lost points in tidiness. Those of tho Greater Dominion taught both tho Old Country and New Zealand a distinct lesson in tidiness and nattiness of appearance. But tho women of New Zealand, she added, struck her as being t'xtraonlinarily capablo and adaf>table. Their cooking was excellent, but, as ouci with vegetarian leanings, she did wish more vegetables were grown. Intellectually, sho had been impressed with the "liveliness" of the women of New Zealand. They were interested in all sorts of questions. In Dunedin especially she had been struck by the number of peoplo concerned in up-to-date development. She doubted if any town would ever show her the same number of earnest. "live" people who impressed her as being of those who did things and not only talked of them. HOTEL HOUSEKEEPING. "The beds are always clean, but otherwise Now Zealand hotels aro slovenly," said Miss Wrench of hotel house-keeping. The corners of rooms and drawers, she proceeded, wero -not tidied out. She had found time and again in the drawers of the furniture hats, trousers, papers, whisky bottles, etc. This should not be. It showed carelessness and lack of supervision somewhere. Thero wero none of those sweet- litth* i,orf«t!y clean hotels such as abounded in rural England or ['rai.fi.'. Thero seemed _in New Zealand a disposition to avoid bother and trouble —perhaps because everything came so easily. For instance, this was tho only country whero one bill-of-faro only was supplied for a roomful of peoplo. In two seconds one could not always decido between pineapple and plum-pudding.' Sho took this inadequacy of menus. with other things, as an indication of a tendency towards slackness. If New Zealand decided to become- a big tourist resort, thoso little points would have to receive attention. Two things, however, about New Zealand hotels she did appreciate. Tho first was morning tea at seven without request or payment, and the other wns the freedom of the bathroom. In England and on the Continent baths wero luxuries, and had to be naid for as such. Tho last observation of all that she would make, she said, was that sho was greatly struck with tho kindliness and courtesy of New Zealanders. It was a pleasure to ask tho way, the response was so gracious. She had never met Mich friendly people, and felt absolutely at one with them. PATRIOTISM AND PROGRESS. In his observations Mr Wrench recognised our pre-eminence in patriotism, and testified to tho lead that our advanced legislation would give to tho Old Country. What, struck him here was tho existonce of a community which waa thoroughly democratic and yet essentially loyal. , That waa agreat ideal for the Mother Country. There the social reformer, finding so much to reform, became so engrossed in, his subject as to almost tend to become neutral on Imperial topics. Here our Erobloms were but small and patriotism ourished amain. Tho special points in our legislation that struck him ns giving a lead to Britain wore:—(1) Our excellent educational system, with full opportunities for every child; (2) tho provisions regarding the splitting up of large estates (this was a crucial matter, for England); (3) tho progres«y® taxation beyond a certain figure; (4) the lead given on the liquor question, which, however it ended, was certainly a problem to be faced; and (5) tlie citizen army established here. On this last point he held tlie ideal of compulsory military training for England, but thouaht the lines on which it was at present urged were wrong. Only when coupled with some definite social semco would it succeed.