NEWS FOR WOMEN “Aimless Drift” In Europe Of Dominions Hitch-Hikers

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27490, 26 October 1954, Page 2

NEWS FOR WOMEN “Aimless Drift” In Europe Of Dominions Hitch-Hikers

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, October 25. Concern at the “aimless drift” of young persons from New Zealand and the other Dominions to England and the Continent was expressed in a letter to the conference of the New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women from Miss Ruth Wix, Wellington, a federation delegate to the international conference held at Stockholm last year. Since the conference Miss Wix has been travelling in Europe, and speaks of the “disquieting” aspects of the widely-held claim that overseas travel m itself “widens horizons, deepens sympathies, and increases national good will and understanding.” On her first trip round the Continent, Miss Wix stayed solely in youth hostels, and was alarmed at the large number of young hitch-hikers from the Dominions who were travelling in any vehicle that would pick them up without any direction or plan. In the evenings spent listening in the hostels to tne endless interchange of experiences she noted the “aimlessness and superficiality which characterised many accounts.” Many travellers had seen tne different countries only from the cabs or backs of trucks, often after dark and frequently without a guide b °ok or any literature on the subject. Miss Wix says that most were reluctant to recognise the advantages of a rudimentary knowledge of a language other than English as a way of getting

to know “the other fellow and his problems.” Not once in this cross-sec-tion of travellers did Miss Wix find any effort being made to improve techniques or learn of other methods in their own profession of occupation. In most cases this “vagabonding” was only for a short period, but in Miss Wix’s opinion, it was becoming a way of life. It was not uncommon, she says, to find girls (often teachers or nurses among them) on the second or even third year’s hitch-hiking tour. 'Kiey would spend the winter in London working at short-term jobs to amass funds. When questioned on their opinion of the “morality” of their touring, the girls admitted in varying degrees that they were rather ashamed of this aspect, but claimed that it had been great fun, that “everybody was doing it,” and that by no other way could they have travelled so far. When pressed, they admitted to having only a regrettably superficial acquaintance with any country. Miss Wix suggests that the business and professional women do something as an organ’sation about-“this growing problem.” New Zealanders ”in almost fantastic numbers are streaming across tne world, often within a short time of completing their training and acquiring certificates enablnig them to work overseas, Miss Wix says. “Their failure to do more than just ‘have a marvellous time’ stems from a lack ahead r ” Paratl ° n for ex P erien ces