A NEW CONSUL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 435, 18 February 1909, Page 5

A NEW CONSUL.

MR. YUNG-LIANG HWANG. ARRIVAL IN WELLINGTON. \ AN INSCRUTABLE MAN. A consul or an ambassador is not as other men . If his position gives i him certain advantages, it also denies him certain privileges. Politically speaking,.he has no mind of his own; when he speaks in public, the opinions which he may express are not his opinions—they are the opinions of his Government. In a general way, his Government is judged, in the community in which he, as its consular agent, lives and moves for the time being, by what he says;:it is even, by the captious, judged by tho clothes he wears. In fine, a consul or an ambassador is expected to uphold the credit and dignity of his nation, and to refrain, with appropriate circumspection, from politically embarrassing his Government. " Mr, Hwang Described, Mr. Yung-liang Hwang, who arrived in Wellington with his family by the Ulimoroa yesterday, is a consul—the newly-appointed Consular Agent for New Zealand of the Chinese Imperial Government. . Knowing that consuls arei not as other men, the representative of The Dominion, who interviewed Mr. Hwang at his hotel yesterday, was not surprised to hear that he had no opinions to offer concerning recent political happenings in China. Mr. Hwang is the soul of discretion—the quintessence of that human attribute, in fact. He is of medium' build, scrupulously, even fastidiously, attired, with a cultured and expressive face, and, always, courteous and bland. He is a type of'the New China; a graduate of our western civilisation, and he speaks English ' fluently, correctly, and logically. His Mission Here. :He is also a man with a mission—the enlightenment of his countrymen, in New Zealand, and the promotion of; a better understanding between. these countrymen and the people of New Zealand. And his first business is to get at facts. At tho' close of the interview the newspaper-man came away impressed with thee conviction that he (the interviewer) 'had become, for part of the time, at_ least, the interviewed.The: Consul was going house-hunting on. the morrow; and was naturally a little curious as to the conditions of life in Wellington. But he talked interestingly of lii-s country nevertheless, his remarks on the awakening of China 1 being most instructive. ' Interesting Little Interview. ''In a huge country like ours," said Mr. Hwang, ' 'the most serious . obstacle : .to the modernising of the nation is the barrier of dialect. . There is, however, a i common medium .of .expression which is. rapidly attaining a national vogue. I refer to the tongue; it is the,dialect of the trading community, and its use in schools is gradually being adopted. I hope to see the day when every primary school in my country will be compelled to teach Mandarin, which is' really a much simpler tongue to learn; it has fewer tono differences. The gradual adoption of a national tongue* will be followed by the unification and strengthening of the nation. .Our newspapers are playing an important part in the development of a national spirit. Has your appointment to New Zealand any political significance ? .- ''No—not at,all.;-.'China, as a nation, 'has recognised, for a /long time past, that her people in_ other countries should'have a : representative, who should safeguard their interests. The lessons of the remarkable development of: Japan as a world Power have been indelibly impressed uppn the minds of our younger men', 1 who have gone all over Europe and America.,to study western; ideas,, and afterwards to return to give their countrymon the benefit of their experience and knowledge. • .Other factors l in "the political evolution of the country are /the rapid extension of. the_; railway.,9nd .postal .service's. This is progress along peaceful, lines. China is not aggressive. Her ;attitudo ,is.that : of selfrdefence, hence the-,development of the navy 'and army, and her desiro is to strengthen the peaceful-relations existing between- the two Empires, , Britain and China." : ■

Mr. Hwang- is a. graduate of Baker University,' Kansas,: and Columbia. University, New York., He .is' at-present staying at the Grand Hotel, with his wife' and daughter and his private secretary,: Mr. T. S.'-Shah! Last evening the, party was entertained by several prominent Chinese * residents - of 1 tho city, and it is,intended to accord the Consul an official, reception shortly;