E.S.U. GATHERING

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 18

E.S.U. GATHERING

A CHARMING ADDRESS

LITTLE-KNOWN REGIONS

A specially delightful afternoon was spent by members of the Englishspeaking Union yesterday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bucklin, Karori. There was a very large gathering, the rooms and entrance hall being crowded with guests. Hostesses for the party, with Mrs. Bucklin were Mrs. J. Mills, Mrs. Jenson, Mrs. Lovelle, and Mrs. Phelan. Artistic decorations of flowers, chrysanthemums, and hydrangeas, and some daintily-arranged bowls of spring flowers, white and yellow narcissi, and violets were a pleasure to all, and a delicious tea was served at the conclusion of the afternoon. There was first some very enjoyable music, a trio for piano, violin, and 'cello, by Mr. F. Page, Misses Mary and Adele Bucklin, then a solo (violin), and later a 'cello solo, Mr. Page in each case playing the accompaniments with much artistry. The music was heartily appreciated 'by all the guests, and regret expressed that the two ladies would so soon be leaving New Zealand, and opportunities of hearing them were so few. . A TRIP TO THE ORIENT. The discovery was made that Mrs. Horace Miller is a particularly delightful speaker, and some felt sorry that she had "hid her light under the bushel'' so long, for she not only has the gift of imparting to others the joy of her travels, but she has so much to tell, and all were sorry that her time was necessarily limited. Mrs. Miller began by saying that she'was travelling with Mr. Miller in the East in the years 1922, 1923, and 1924, and she felt that in a part of the world where changes were coming iast, that things might be different now. They went a very considerable distance into Indc-China, however, which is not so well known or often visited by travellers. Arrived at Yokohama they were fortunate in getting a clear view of the magnificent mountain Fujiyawa, and found it was not usual to have such a pleasure as they were so often asked if they had really seen the mountain. They were borne along by a typhoon, when there was what is known as a "dusty sea," yellow and wind-blown, and altogetherimpressive from many points of view. They stuck on a mudbank for about twenty-four hours some miles out, and finally reached Shanghai by a small vessel which came to look for them. Shanghai, the "Paris of the East," was very charming, and Mrs. Miller was very intrigued by the way the coolies chant during their hard work, and carry immense weights' accompanied by song. She gave very amusing accounts of the power and necessity of "pidgin English." ANCIENT PEKING. Mrs. Miller showed some courage in leaving for Peking by the famous "Blue Train" just after the hold-up and robbery of Western people by bandits. However, nothing unfortunate happened, arid she was impressed by. the wonderful luxury and comfort of the train, said to be a "million dollar" one. Peking was wonderful, full of the glamour of the East, and in many ways just the same as in the time of Kubla Khan. It contains four cities the inner and most sacred, called "The Forbidden," is where the little Emperor lives. Marvellous colouring is there, the ancient stone buildings being decorated with brilliant tints, in yellow, green, gold, and other colours, which with the intense blue-of the sky above has a perfectly indescribable effect. The Chinese have a great idea of privacy and'the homes are built behind high grey walls, with an extra screen to ward off evil spirits. These are supposed to be only able to make their way about in a straight line, and therefore getting round the screens made entrance impossible. The good spirits travel always 100 feet above the city, and therefore buildings are not made too high to impede their progress! The marriage of the little Emperor was a curious affair, as he first married a concubine, in order that the Queen-wife should have someone to welcome her, and make things easy for her. •

Mrs. Miller found out by inquiry that the Chinese "pigtail" was originally a mark of humiliation, imposed upon the nation by a conqueror who wished to humiliate 'the people, as when they performed their obeisances they trod on the pigtail and presented

the appearance of donkeys. Then they went much further into the interior, and came to Cambodia, where they saw some of the famed "Devil Dances." From French IndoChina they came to Saigon, then to Nang-pen, the capital. There they saw palaces, the description of which sounded like a wonderful fairy-tale. Magnificent in design, in decoration, and in colouring, they were almost beyond- belief even to the eye-wit-nesses. The marvellous temples, set in the midst of immense and dense forests, show that there is one of the world's lost civilisations. A journey up the Grand Lake by sampan brought them to a temple with five magnificent towers, and this is on the edge of a vast jungle, which made the travellers wonder what could have happened to the people who produced such marvels of beauty and architecture and decoration? In some ways the remains looked as if some sudden disaster— earthquake—or incursion of powerful enemies had occurred—and yet the temple decorations showed signs of several eras of religion being imposed one on the other. There are signs of a city of at least a million people haviing been wiped out suddenly, and yet nothing is known of these happenings in history. Silver tiles remain in a temple of Buddha, and there is a lifesize statue of the god in solid gold, jewelled- marvellously. In one of the eye sockets of an image is a magnificent diamond, of a size not known in the civilised parts of the world, and the sight of many other jewels, there, and on the dresses of the dancers in :the Devil Dance, astonished the visitors. Mrs. Miller told other wonderful things about this little-known part of the world, and, although it is very difficult to reach, needing courage and hardihood to accomplish the journey, it was evidently well worth while and of absorbing interest. There was general regret expressed when Mrs. Miller announced that "time was up" and she had to cease her delightful reminiscences of travel.'

Later, when Miss E. M. Black (E.S.U. chairman of hospitality) moved the vote of thanks to her, she expressed the hope'that as Mrs. Miller had begun to tell of her travels that she would be heard again and often. The vote of thanks to her, to Mrs. Bucklin, and the other hostesses, and to the musical artists, was carried with great heartiness.