Dutchman rises to defence of N.Z. life-style

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33873, 19 June 1975, Page 1

Dutchman rises to defence of N.Z. life-style

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 18.

A Dutchman in Wellington will write to the Queen of the Netherlands protesting about comments made about New Zealanders by the outsoine Netherlands Ambassador, Mr H. C. Jorissen.

He is Mr J. W. Vink, who disagrees with Mr Jorissen’s claim that New Zealand has too many drunkards, that its people use too much foul language, and that its life-style is a “monotony of existence.”

The ambassador made his remarks in a recent address to the Wellington Rotary Club and authorised them for publication yesterday.

But he tempered his comments with the observation that the farmers of New’ Zealand were the true New Zealanders, as true as the Maoris before them. Mr Vink, who has been Jiving in New Zealand for 23 years, said today: “It will do us a lot of harm. I have to explain to my New’ Zealand friends and business associates that Mr Jorissen’s statement is not my personal view.

“What he said about New Zealand I could say about Holland.

“It is his personal view and he is entitled to it. But when he speaks he speaks for the Dutch and he must remember that.”

Mr Vink has already drafted a letter to the Queen of the Netherlands.

Damage

He read out this excerpt: “Mr Jorissen has damaged the position of Dutchmen in New Zealand and in my view, does not represent your business in the right manner.” Mr Vink also enclosed a newspaper clipping containing Mr Jorissen’s remarks. Earlier he had telephoned seven of his Dutch friends and they all agreed with his reaction. He also rang the Netherlands Embassy but found that Mr Jorissen was not available.

The president of the Federation of New Zealand Netherlands Societies, Mr R. W. G. Root, said that he had had ' several telephone calls from worried Dutchmen although he personally agreed with some of the things Mr Jorissen said.

“The New Zealand home does seem a bit more barren than European homes, probably because people over there regard the home differently than the outdoorloving people here.” Mr Jorissen had mentioned the barrenness of New Zealand homes in his address. Drunkenness was something Mr Root seldom came across, he said, but he agreed with Mr Jorissen that there was more foul language here than in the Netherlands.

“Swearing seems to be part of the English language,” he said. "People in the Netherlands don’t swear as often as New Zealanders in

general conversation. It isn’t part and parcel of the language.” The address also shocked some diplomats in Wellington.

The Polish Charge d’Affaires (Mr J. Bohdanowicz), said today: “I am shocked that a diplomat would say such rude words. It is just not true. There are different types of people, and diplomats may not criticise them openly although they will do in private.

“Of course New Zealanders like sport. I am not interested in it myself, but I think that it is a good healthy thing, and drinking is done everywhere. except in some Moslem countries. I meet drunk people only very rarely. To underline this would be unfair. “There is a lack of cultural life here, probably because you are so far away from Europe. But I meet polished musicians and good scientists here and people are travelling more.

“Mr Jorissen had an excellent diplomatic record although this must change with this article.” Mr Bohdanowicz added: “We had a meeting at our

embassy this morning and all of us were shocked at Mr Jorissen’s statement.”

The Singapore High Commissioner (Mr Chan Keng Howe) said: “The statement was a personal point of view’. It lists virtues that may outw’eigh some non-virtues.

“The average New Zealander is a decent bloke. I don’t think I shall enlarge any more on it.” Neither did the dean of the diplomatic corps in the capital. the French Ambassador (Mr Christian de Nicolay) wish to comment on the statement.

But he said: “People see things in their own way and express them in their own way. I would say that Mr Jorissen certainly knows the country. The statement shows that, contrary to what is generally thought, diplomats can speak their minds.”