U.S. PRESSMEN

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1940, Page 8

U.S. PRESSMEN

NEW ZEALAND VISIT. AUCKLAND, August 18. Seven of the American newspapermen who arrived in Auckland by the Fan 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 t han worth their weariness. “If you like Honolulu wou’ll love New Zealand,” said on e 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 vifit 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,” Rotoiua, although the party had time only to visit Whakarewarewa, two of the bathhouses, 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. Th e 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 Rang! 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 xovel'y kaka-feather cloak worn by one of the women, and of th e in ior of the new meeting house still being prepared. “AH this is too good, to be lost,” said Mr Edson. Th P visit to Auckland of the American newspapermen promises to i?suit in the publication in the United Slates, not only of articles on what they saw, but also of many news oictures, , , n Most of .those who made th c om> day visit to Rotorua on Saturday took cameras with them to take pictures ior their newspapers, and one in particular, Mr Peter Edson, of Acme Newspictures Incorporated. which distributes pictures to hundreds o r papers, was delighted with his opportunities. For him, the highlight of the brief tour cam e at Cambridge, wher e the party found th e Waikato Hunt Club starting its annual twodays meet. Mr Edson said be had never seen a hunt before in his life, and he look moving pictures in colour of th e followers and hounds. His last, pictur e was taken kneeling in the middle of the main street, while a hound stood obligingly just before his lens and bayed at him.