DUTCH EAST INDIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 138, 8 December 1937, Page 5

DUTCH EAST INDIES

KINDLY JAVA FOLK

TRAVEL CLUB TALK

There was a large and enthusiastic audience at the Wellington Travel Club's afternoon in the Majestic Lounge yesterday, when the chief guests were Messrs. James Payne, Assistant Australian Trade Commissioner, and C. E. Critchley, the new Australian Commissioner. Mr. G. G. Stewart presided. Mr. Payne, who recalled Mr. Critchley's distinguished services in various parts of the world, said he had known him for 25 years, and had kept closely in touch with him by mail. Extending him a warm welcome to New Zealand, he said that he was sure Mr. and Mrs. Critchley would receive as many kindnesses at the hands of the New Zealand people as he and his wife had.

Commenting on the wonderful country he had seen so far Mr. Critchley said that Wellington was really a beautiful place. The Dutch East Indies, comprising the archipelago to the north of Australia, was a very important part of the world. The countries were Dutch-owned and the Dutch were very proud of them, as they should be considering the wonderful way in which they had been developed. The countryside in the islands was marvellously beautiful, but not the place to live in long on account of the climate. The island of Java he lived in was only a few degrees below the Equator, and the temperature was from 83 to 86 degrees all the year round, while, the degree of humidity was 90. One was in a bath of perspiration all the time. The total population was 66,000,000, of which'4s,ooo,ooo were in the island of Java, a place smaller than the South Island of New Zealand. Only a quarter of a million were Europeans and these included people with mixed blood. A large part of the people were Malays and Chinese. The congestion of people made for a low standard of living, and the people got all their sustenance from the soil. They saw very little money; in fact, they had no income whatever. They actually lived on the equivalent of a New Zealand Id per day. Under these circumstances small items of food were important, and he recalled amusing instances of the prolonged chattering which took place over an expenditure of about Jd. The native people were good to deal with in most parts of the archipelago, but in places where' they had not been developed as they had in Java, they were still a little fierce, and white troops were necessary to keep order. The majority of the people in Java were religious Mohammedans, did not drink, and were very intelligent but simple people. In their own house they had six servants, and had very little to do for themselves. They became attached to their servants, as they did to them, and were sorry to part with them. He gave interesting details of the outlook of the people towards marriage, and the simple form of divorce in use.