AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALITY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 230, 14 September 1935, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALITY

An enthusiastic tribute to the friendliness and hospitality of the Australian people was made in an address given to the Hastings Rotary Club yesterday by Mr J. Wattie, of Hastings, who returned recently from a tour through Victoria and New South Wales. “I cannot speak too highly,” lie said, “of the hospitality which the Australians extend to visitors. New Zealanders are particularly welcome, hut hospitality is not confined to them because I met many Americans on the boat during the return voyage and they spoke in high terms of the Australians ns entertainers. One thing which struck me very forcibly was the poor knowledge that the Australians have of the geography of New Zealand. Alter arrival I found on being asked from winch part of New Zealand ! came, that it was useless saying Hastings. I found also that Hawke’s Bay conveyed litt' Q more to them as I would be asked if Hawke’s Bav were in the North or South Island Others had a hazy idea that it may be on the East Coast of the North Island They certainly knew more about Rotorua than Hawke’s Bay. New Zealand is considered quite a nice little place to spend a holidav.”