THROUGH OTHER EYES
OUR ISLAND POPULATION
SPORT-LOVING AND FREE
(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, 11th August. In the opinion of Mr. E. Norman Torry, a visiting English ■writer and lecturer, tho people of New Zealand possess many striking qualities, and at the same- time many defects which are surprising to a stranger. Those wcro discussed in a humorous manner by Mr. Torry in a lecture last evening.
"New Zoalanders are the freest people on the globe," Mr. Torry said. "Your climate is most equable and your scenery exquisite. Whilo the smaller towns are. twenty-five years ahead of towns of tlio samo sizo in England, you seem to tackle your problems in. a very half-hearted way. You are tho most pleasure-loving- and plcasuro-obsessed people in tho world, and the most nomadic. On any excuse at all yon I travel by road, rail, or sea, and if you havo no excuse you still travel." Tho New Zealander, however, according to Mr. Torry, speaks the best English that is to bo heard anywhere, and with him class distinctions aro almost invisible. He is patriotic to a degree which is almost aggressive, and in Auckland, where one hoars the greatest amount of talk about patriotism, ono finds people buying American j things whenever they can.
"Here, too," Mr. Torry added, "the youths of tho city are busily cultivating tho slang of the Neiy York Bowery, as witness the terms vane' and 'sheilab,' which are commonly used to deseribo girls and women. "While your speech in general is excellent, your vernacular is most curious. Ono of tho queerest "expressions to English ears is that of 'too right/ to indicate that things are as hoped or as agreed. Where wo would say a person had 'gone to the dogs,' you say ho has 'gone, to the pack.' Thou there is your wonderfully expressivo word 'jake, 3 while anything which incurs your disfavour, be it a man, woman, or a thing, is classed as a 'cow.' "You have the four fetishes of the Briton —the Bible, Shakespeare, the medicmo bottle, and respectability, but I you have added three othors —horse lae'ing, Rugby football, and 'spotting.' Your drini- bill as shown in statistics is appalling. I notico that you also drink a great amount of tea, but I can understand, that, I'or I havaitastcd your coffee!" ; ■ . : , •
THROUGH OTHER EYES
Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 37, 12 August 1930, Page 17
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