Argentinians Look At N.Z.

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31378, 25 May 1967, Page 16

Argentinians Look At N.Z.

Seven professional men from Argentina who have spent three weeks in New Zealand have found organisation and administration in ail fields excellent. They have also, they say, been struck by standardisation in architecture, homes, offices, schools, dress, speech, thoughts, and habits. The visitors are Rotarians from Santa Fe, a province 200 miles north of Buenos Aires. They arrived on April 29, and will leave on June 27, under a Rotary group study exchange scheme.

The leader of the group is Dr. Calixto Armas, a university professor specialising in international law. He has been impressed with the number of schools and the equipment provided.

“Generally, your homes are better and much more comfortable than, ours,” he said in Christchurch. “But we have some much better homes. Your houses, to us, seem standardised.”

Mr Jose Carobini, a professor and public accountant, said the New Zealand system of local government was “very, very clear and good.” Organisation in farming, and work done, were excellent, and he U’as struck by the uniformly high standard of living for all.

Mr Rodolfo Torelli, lawyer and professor, said there were no juries in Argentina, and the magistrates and judges wore no robes. Argentine law was based on codification, not on precedents, but the result from both New Zealand and Argentine system was justice. He was particularly impressed with the social security system here. Dr. Roque Couzier, an economist, said that Argen-

tina, like New Zealand, depended on agricultural exports for 95 per cent of its overseas earnings. He said that 60 per cent of Argentine wool was now Merino and Corriedale. The percentage of fine wools grown had increased considerably in recent years, and there had been a big reduction in coarse wools. Mr Enrique Bucher, a biologist, has been surprised at how well New Zealanders are educated in the need for the preservation of flora and fauna. He has found that people here know a lot about their bush and birds. Mr Luis Simonutti, an agricultural technician, said that New Zealand wine was much

heavier than Argentinian wine. New Zealand added alcohol and sugar to the grapes. This was not done in Argentina. Wine was very popular in Argentina with lunch and dinner—beer was drunk only during the summer. He thought New Zealand farmers used the soil well, and was impressed with the spread and use of electricity in rural areas.

Mr Andres Joya, an expert in grains and owner of a bar and restaurant, said that one form of standardisation in New Zealand that he found silly was the 6 p.m. closing of hotel bars. It was silly to close doors against money. He said that in Santa Fe,

people worked for four hours in the morning, had a break of three hours, and then worked for another four hours. People met, ate, drank, and entertained in restaurants much more than they did in New Zealand. The whole group was impressed with the “excellent” organisation in New Zealand and found the roads—not only the main roads—very good. “The standard of living, as a whole, is very high,” Mr Joya said. “Men’s dress is good, with some style, but we find little style and colour in the women’s dress, with not enough distinctive lines. “New Zealanders are most hospitable, most homely, and most friendly. We all like them. We are all treated so very well. There is a uniformity here, but this is one uniform standard—good hospitality and friendliness—they we appreciate very much,” Mr Joya said.