AN EASTERN TOUR

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20027, 8 September 1930, Page 19

AN EASTERN TOUR

JAPAN AND CHINA TO-DAY. LECTURE BY MISS WEST-WATSON "I think that it is really very interesting to bo living in a country which borders on the Pacific Ocean. After visiting Japan and China, it is easy to believe that one day much that is lying dormant in this part of the world will conie to life. Tho future holds a great deal in store," said Miss Carol WestWatson, conducting an audieuce at tho Workers' Education Association on Saturday night on a tour through the Philippines, Japan, and Chinn, during the course of a lecture on "Travels in the East." Miss West-Watson was a New Zealand delegate to the Pan-Pacific Conference held in Japan last year. It was her opinion, however, that even more interesting than the Conference were tho pooples and the countries she had the opportunity to study. Sho had many interesting experiences, and they ranged from eating roast buffalo in Borneo to drinking tea at the Emperor's garden party in Tokyo, and -sleep: ing in a Buddhist temple in China. Sho commenced her lecture by describing her journey from Sydney to Japan. Tho different civilisations whieh were encountered in the. Philippines were intriguing, and on tho face of it life there seemed idyllic. The various things that usually marred island paradises—disease and mosquitoes—T«(cro absent, thanks to the thoroughness of the American administration, but the natives themselves were not really content, and often expressed tho opinion that they would prefer to live their lives in their own way, without interference.. Sast and West. Most striking about Japan was tho way in which the West was - gradually taking possession of tho manner of living of the people. After briefly sketching tho history of the country, Miss West-Watson described the new Ja£an, which had evolved within the last century. Tokyo particulariy was modern, and after the rebuilding which followed the great earthquake was a city of large buildings, wide roadways, and magnificent hotels. But the speaker did not stay long in tho capital. The Conference was held in Kyoto, an old and bea,utiful city. It symbolised all that ■was artistic in Japan, but was remembered chiefly as the city of temples. There were reputed to be one thousand temples, in Kyoto, and those that Miss We3t-Watson visited were fascinating. They impressed her most by their simplicity, and their great, quiet gardens, and still interiors. Digressing, the speaker told of the facility of the Japanese for doing things correctly. They attained beauty by exercising precision. By taking infinito care to see that even the one vase that they allowed iu a dwelling room was . placed in a correct position, they made that vase : absolutely necessary, and made it impossible that any other , form of external ornamentation could be used. "In the gardens of the houses it is a common thing to see an old man trimming a bush, and trimming' it again, until it really becomes ■an integral part of the landscape,'' said Miss West-Watson. Turbulent China. It was more difficult to travel in China tban in Japan. Going fi'om Shanghai to Hong-Kong, and thence to Canton, Miss Wost-Watson went the first stage on a magnificent liner, the Empress of Russia.' One night, walking On tho deck, she was surprised to see some soldiers, and -she enquired as to the reason for their presence; She was told that they were thero to guard the boat against the attacks of pirates. She did not believe this until she noticed that the captain carried a revolver and a woman in a .cabin next to hers kept a rifle. She was convinced whon she was informed later that just after the boat had left Hong-Kong, a wireless message was received calling for Jielp from another steamer which had been attacked by pirates. Their method was to embark on the liners as third-class passengers, and to rise and overcome the erew. They would strip the boat of everything that possessed any value, wait £*r friends who would arrive in junks, set fire to the liner, and depart. They had their lurking places in the numerous creeks that indented the coast. From Shanghai the speaker went to Hong-Kong, but she was not very interested in this English possession, for it was too English. Sho was anxious to go to Canton, which she knew was a native city. When she arrived it was in the process of being invaded by some army or other. Miss West-Watson was unable to find out.from the inhabitants to what faction the invaders belonged) or even, why they were invading. It was all very involved, and seemed to be the permanent state of things. Miss West- ' Watson's concluding remarks represented the keynote of her impressions: "Canton is becoming modernised. It is rather a pity, for it is ft typical old Chinese city. Wortern influence, how-. ever, seems to be too strong." ' The address was illustrated by lantern slides.