U.S A. JOURNALISTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 August 1940, Page 4

U.S A. JOURNALISTS

PLEASED WITH ROTORUA.

[PER press association.]

AUCKLAND, August 18.

Seven of the American newspapermen who arrived in Auckland by the Pan American Airways clipper made a hurried visit to Rotorua on Saturday and returned at night well satisfied that their dash through the New Zealand countryside had been more than worth their while.

“If you like Honolulu you’ll love New Zealand,” said one of them, Mr. J. Bassett, a. special writer on the Los Angeles “Times,” and the others agreed with him. At Hamilton. Mr. Jack Walsh, publisher of the Kalamazoo “Gazette,” who is representing the Associated Press, referred to the comment of the American columnist, Bruno Lessing, who visited New Zealand briefly some time ago and cut short his visit on the ground that he could find nothing in New Zealand worth writing about for his paper. “I can’t understand Lessing,” said Mr. Walsh. “This is a wonderful country. I have never seen more beauty.” Rotorua, although the party had time only to visit Whakarewarewa, two of the bath-houses, and the new municipal building, received special praise. “It is like Yellowstone,” said Mr. Peter Edson, special feature writer of the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and representing Acme Newspictures, Incorporated, “but it is better than our thermal region. The Maoris here lend a colour we have not got.” “Why, it’s magnificent,” was the comment bestowed on the Rotorua golf course. They said they had seen nothing better anywhere in the United States.

Guide Rangi showed the visitors over Whakarewarewa after a party of Maori women had welcomed them with a traditional powhiri. Mr. Edson took a colour moving picture, not only of the ceremony, but also of a lovely kaka-feather cloak worn by one of the women, and of the interior of the new meeting house still being prepared. “All this is too good to be lost,” said Mr. Edson. WELCOME AT SYDNEY SYDNEY, August 18. The Aotearoa made a record trip in 8 hours 9 minutes. The American journalists were met and warmly welcomed by the Director-General of Information, Sir Keith Murdoch, and also the representatives of the Federal State Governments, and representative Australian journalists. The Americans’ itinerary of five days here includes a visit of inspection to Newcastle steelworks.