"AUSTRALIA DAY"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 37, 12 August 1939, Page 10

"AUSTRALIA DAY"

WORLD FAIR VISITORS

MANY QUESTIONS ASKED

(Received August 12, 1.10 p.m.)

NEW YORK, August 11

On "Australia Day" there were over 75,000 visitors to the World Fair. A iull programme began at 11 a.m. with official receptions by the president of the fair, Mr. Grover Whalen, and the Mayor, Mr. F. La Guardia, and concluded at 10.30 p.m. with a nation-wide broadcast from Australia in which the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, participated. ■

Common questions asked of the staff at the Australian pavilion at the "World's Fair are: "Does it take long to learn the language?" "Is there much danger from the savages?" "Have you electric light yet?" "Are there many whites?"

A business man, regarding a map of the Commonwealth, commented "Fancy America having a country down there."

So far 1,500,000 people have visited the pavilion.

The total paid attendance at the entire fair is approximately 13,000,000.

In the New Zealand pavilion the Maoris are featured. The only real Maorilander to set foot in the pavilion is Mr. Arthur Karim, who married a Scotswoman, acquired a very unMaorilike burr, and settled on West End Avenue. The chief worry of the attendants at the New Zealand pavilion is that visitors stick their fingers in the model geysers.