A GEOGRAPHY LESSON

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 134, 4 December 1919, Page 10

A GEOGRAPHY LESSON

WHERE IS NEW ZEALAND?

INJURIOUS MISCONCEPTIONS.

"Where is New Zealand?" Notwithstanding all the kudos for Now Zealand, arising from our part in the War, the popular idea in England. Canada, and America is that New Zealand is a little country—either some part of Australia, or bordering,the Australian coast, or at any rate a Province of Australia. The playing cards in use and for sale on board the steamers of the Union Steam Sliip Company of New Zealand precisely represent the prevailing inaccurate idea. The back of each card blazons forth the Australian Coat o£ Arms inscribed with the legend : "Advance Australia !"

These remarks were made by Lieut.Colonel A. A. Corrigan on his rfeturn from a tour of America and Britain, and h« proceeds to say that imperfect knowledge on the part of the English, Canadian, and American manufacturers and merchants reacts on the trade development of this Dominion. He was disagreeably surprised at the wide extent of the belief that Australian conditions, Australian markets, and Australian business activities incorporate those of New Zealand, and consequently this Dominion is not taken fully or fairly into account in his plans for development- by the average Home manufacturer. Cannot the High Commissioner's Department, ho asks, be of greater utility in respAt to the advertising oi New Zealand?

Tho position of High C&mmissionei1, he contends, should cease to be a political appointment. He should be well paid, with security in his job so long as he made a success of it, and hot dependent upon the mB and outs of New Zealand political parties. It takes years for a inah to attain standing ih London, ahda knowledge of the intricacies of the big? interests affecting our products and trade interests in England, and he felt sure the policy imposed upon the High Camtoißsionef and his staff by successive New SJeaiaiid G-overnmetits prevents the development of the usefulness of able men such as, say, Mr. T. E. Donne. "New Zealand does hot rca,p the. advantage a ineicantile institution would reap ffoni teueh a staff and expensive upkeep. The shadow of politics lies heavily oh the High Commissioner's office. Why cannot this institution be handled as a business proposition ?"