COUNTRY TO GIVE EXAMPLE TO ASIA

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 3

COUNTRY TO GIVE EXAMPLE TO ASIA

(New Zealand Fress Association)

WELLINGTON. August 13 The political path to be followed by Asia might depend on which of the region’* leading countries would be adopted as an example. Sir Guy Powles. recently retired New Zealand High Commissioner to India, told members of Wellington Rotary Club at their luncheon today. China, Japan and India were all possible leaders in Asia. Sir Guy Powles said. He could not answer the question “whither Asia?” but he hoped the example of India would be the one the area would follow. China’s influence seemed to be limited by the apparent failure of its communism, but some of the non-Communist countries, of Asia were also in poor economic shape. After examining conditions in Pakistan, Sir Guy Powles referred to Thailand. “Once the most stable of them all." and said this was another military dictatorship. It was doing reasonably well but it was slipping and it faced a

payments deficit in two years The leadership seemed to lie between Commu ni s t China, capitalist Japan (“the most remarkable strides in recent years”) and the democratic socialism of India, the only completely free society of the region. It was because India carried its freedom to excess, through a general lack of self-discipline, that the Indian example was prejudiced, but Sir Guy Powles said he believed the future of Asia depended on India.