IN THE FAR EAST

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 20

IN THE FAR EAST

A TRAVEL TALK

Members of the Wellington Kotary Club listened at lunch time on. Tuesday to a very interesting travel talk given by Mr. Will Liiwson, whose remarks were illustrated ivith lantern slides. The speaker took his audience on a rapid tour to tlie East, via Manila, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

He said that what struck oue more at Manila was the fact that natives occupy all the important adminjstrativo positions, with just a few American officials to keep a watchful eye ■on things. The Americans had promised to hand tho country back as soon as it was demonstrated, that it could look after itself, and the natives were in deadly earnest to bring tliis about. Manila's university was older than any of America's, and one wondered when one saw the hundreds of young men and women trooping out of this seat of learning what would be the future of the race.

Mr. Lawsoivgave a graphic description' of the' floating population in the East, where millions live m sampans and junks Only the barest living is made in many cases and the poverty ia appalling. The Chinese were really- fond of children, but the tales one heard about girls being killed were true, only because abject poverty necessitated this course. He caused a ripple of laughter by describing how the Chinese lady is the boss in the- junk; she ran everything and saw that the old man rowed the boat.