LOOKING HOMEWARD

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14668, 17 May 1913, Page 15

LOOKING HOMEWARD

NEW ZEALANDERS I\ AUSTRALIA.

(By Will Lawsox.)

CBFKCIAU.T WRITTEN FOB "THZ TRESS."),

For those wao liavo spent the greater part of their lives in New Zealand, and have figuratively speaking, looked towards Australia in their outlook upou tho little world contained in the South Pacific, thcro b a sensation of novelty in having tho point of view reversed. 13ut that is not tho only feeling which tho New Zcalander in Australia experiences; ho suffers disappointment, when ho finds that very, very few Australians ever look towards *Ncw Zealand at all—perhaps it is as well that so few attempt it, because very many Australians do uot know exactly in vriiich direction it lies. Tell au -Australian as tactfully as" you can that a certain matter is hotter attended to in New Zealand than in Australia, and he will say, with a laugh, ''Yes, it's God's own country, I know. ,. Tell him tliat a thing is hotter done in Australia than in New Zealand, and he looks at you in si shamefaced, suspicious way, like a schoolboy caught jn the act of*trying to be good, auu says/"1 don't think." There is no keener critic of the Australian than liiniscif. lie knows his failings much better than he reoognises his good points. With tho most earnest desiro to manage his country's affairs iu tho best way, the average Australian finds himself us ineffectual as a citizen in any country could possibly be, and as a citizen of «i young country should certainly not be. Tho trouble is that everything is so large and so complicated. There are largo cities and wide, immensely wide, stretches of land with scarcely , a town of any size; in New Zealand, on the other hand, the cities are spread over tho length of tho land, and the country is dotted with country towns. Therefor© everything being on a smaller scale, the Now Zealander has, as fin individual more say, and his attitude moro effect on the controlling powers. !At the same time, the Australian, if ho choso, could learn a lot from tho island Dominion. Tho Australian, however, does not choose, any moro than the New Zealander is. willing to wrofit by Australian example. And so the people of two countries that should be .is gossiping neighbours stand aloof liko mere ncquaintauces, passing remarks about the weather. Tho question naturally arises, what has originated and kept i alive this feeling of estrangement ? It I cau scarcely bo jealousy, for there is no real rivalry. It seems to be a very mild form of tho fooling which ran high in England in tho eighteenth century, ngninst tho French—just a blind sentiment. "Who is this man?' , a Sydney Magistrate asked, concerning r. yngrant who was before him. "He's a Now Zealander," the sergeant replied. If the man had been a Montenegrin, nnd tho sergeant had said, "he's n foreigner,",, impression produced would havo boon the same. "I've only met one New Zealander in ray life," said a Sydney man in com-orsation, "and I hone I may never mo.et another." "Why, ho was asked. "Becauso they're either hard-up or stuck up," was his answer. And no doubt as regards Sydney there is a smattering of truth in the remark; there are so many stranded New Zealauders, nnd so many touring New Zealamlers, who size Sydney up in two two's, pick out her many failings and compare them with Christchurch or other of tho Dominion cities. At this point, it will bo just as well to pause and remember that Australia is about the size of Europe, and that tho only parts which the New Zealander touches at, as a rule, are. Sydney and Melbourne. So.it will be advisable to limit tho comparison to these two cities; bringing tho whole of Australia into the argument will only produce a crop of utter ignorance concerning New Zealand that would bo j most disheartening; and tho cities aro just as typically Australian as the j country is. At least, they are ae typicaily Australian as London is English. As a happy medium between tho two typos of New Zealanders whom the Australian meets, is tho numerous class of New Zoalandors who, desiring a wider field for their operations in their efforts to mako a competency, come to tho larger country because opportunities offer to the man who is prepared to risk something, and work like a horse. These people, make no comparisons; they accept Australia and tho Australian at their true value, but, as stated at the beginning of this article, they cannot forbear from feeling disappointment that their smnll, far away Motherland is not regarded as important by Australians. It must not be assumed that the exchange of the point of view is an entirely one-sided affair, as many Australian's cross to New Zealand as New Zealandera come to Australia. This, however, is tho story of the Now Zoalander in Australia, who sees his "right little, tight little islands • overlooked by the larger country ho has corao to. ' ' , As a. result of Mr F. M B. Fisher's visit n.nd conference with Mr A. Fisher (the Federal Prime Minister), n scheme of trade reciprocity will probably result, and instead of. like fielders in a fpmo of big cricket, waiting for England ■to"bat the ball to them, perhaps the Australian States and New Zealand will play a game of rounders auong themselves,