ENGLISHMAN LOOKS US OVER

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 199, 20 May 1936, Page 10

ENGLISHMAN LOOKS US OVER

New Zealanders’ Optimism SHOULD BUILD UP OWN NATIONAL DESTINY Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, May 19. After the first few weeks of a projected year's stay in New Zealand, Mr. D. M. Sherwood, a London acountant, to-day summarised his impressions of New Zealand and its people in three sentences. They were : — The feeling of optimism in direct contrast to tiie general tone of opinion in other countries he had recently visited. The absence of poverty as they knew it in England. The inclination of tho people to Live too vicariously on the glamour that was Britain’s instead of building up their own national destiny. Considering the size of the population, the roads, railways and hotels in New Zealand were surprisingly good, said Mr. Sherwood, who has formed the opinion that when the depression lifts New Zealand will become one of the tourist centres of the world. In the Dominion one could do much more on a small income than one could do at Home, but luxuries such as motorcars and telephones were naturally much more expensive. New Zealand had none of the violent contrasts of a wealthy minority and a great mass of poverty-stricken people. Levelling in life was very apparent in the Dominion.