WALKING IN CHINA

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 104, 26 January 1939, Page 4

WALKING IN CHINA

Two New Zealanders On Adventurous Tour

Two New Zealanders, Miss Marjorie Edgar Jones and Mr. M. Bowie, were included in a party of six who have recently returned to Sydney from a six months’ walking tour from Burma to Yunnan. The leader of the party was Miss Marie Byles, a Sydney solicitor.

“It was an intensely interesting tour,” said Miss Byles in an interview with the “Sydney Morning Herald,” “especially interesting because the country we saw is practically untouched; in fact, apart from Tibet, it is practically the only untouched country left. “What struck me most forcibly during our journey through China was the continual evidence of the growing unity of the country. “This is perhaps the most significant characteristic of China at the moment. We saw various instances of it ourselves. For instance, in Yunnan Province, which up to now has always been semi-independent, the provincial banknotes are being withdrawn in favour of notes issued by the Central Bank of China. This, to my mind, is very significant, for it shows that Yunnan is now willing to sink its independence for the sake of national unity. “Another instance is the determined steps which officials are taking for the suppression of opium growing. Three years ago the preparation and export of opium was the chief industry of Yunnan. Now thdre are no poppies at all —for farmers found that if they had only one poppy growing on their land it was forfeited immediately. “Even the peasant people of China are beginning to regard the nation as a whole, and not one made up of small provinces,” Miss Byles went on. “I was speaking to my servant one day, and I said to him, ‘Are you Nashi or Chinese?’ He replied, ‘What does it matter? We are all Chinese now.’ ” ‘The new road from Burma into China—the road we took —is bound to be of immense strategic importance. It was an enormous undertaking—over 500 miles long, over roaring rivers and through precipitous mountains —and it was all completed within a year. At present, practically All the munitions going into China from the west are- taken along the French: railway, which is always closely guarded. But, although munitions were only just beginning to be taken along that road when we were there, it will undoubtedly be the main supply route in, the future.”

Although she declares that nothing really exciting happened—no bandits —no wars in which they were involved —no accidents and no lost bearings—Miss Byles admits that she enjoyed every minute of her journey. Already she is planning another — “though it may not come off for 10 years”—and this next time she has set her heart on crossing Tibet —alone.