NOTED AUTHOR

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1935, Page 2

NOTED AUTHOR

DEPARTURE AFTER VISIT SOME COMMENT ON CONDITIONS AUCKLAND, June 24. AIjUV several months, npont in touring New Zealand and Australia, the Rev. Dr C- W. Gordon, better known to many as “Ralph Connor,” is passing through Auckland by the Niagara on his way. back to Canada. Dr Gordon discussed the national characteristics of New Zealand and Australia, and . compared them with the Canadian outlook generally. He has found Australians and New Zealanders insular to a certain degree,; and more interested in the essentially British rather than the international viewpoint; but in addition lie has found them hospitable and friendly to an'extent which he had not thought possible. Rome New Zealanders are inclined to criticise Australians as being too aggressively Australian, but that is not Dr Gordon’s view.

“In Australia,” he said, “there is an intense imitation of the submission to British ideals and British wavs of thinking. The whole outlook is through the British mindAustralians know very little about Canada, 'apart from the fact that they have a vague idea that it is mostly snow and ice, although in some quarters there seems to he an increased consciousness of the United States. This viewpoint after all is very natural, as Australian history is very largely British history, and the people have never been through apv great trouble in the making (if their land. I found the British outlook in Australia just as pronounced as it is here ; hut T do not know whether there is the same national unity as there is in New Zealand. The system of State government emphasises internal divisions. and prevents the growth o r real unity. However, T am confident that Australia will overcome that difficulty. Tt did not seem to me that the Church in Ausrnlia has the same dominant place an l( ] influence that it has in Canada. In New Zealand, t-oft. the Church is much stronger, and is a far more powerful element in forming public opinion.

ATTITUDE TO PEACE “A study ,of life in both countries has proved most- interesting. There are so many things different from what we are used to in Canada, and yet the Empire feeling is undeniably strong. However, it seems to me that both Australia and New- Zealand need to broaden their outlook on the world as a whole. Consciousness of Britain has been in--tbfffielV developed, but not”" the : 'consciousness of a. world Empire. In both countries, 1 think there is a feeling that isolation means safetyThat is ,only relatively true. In Australia there is not yet a uiiiversol and passionate surrender to the demand for pence. There ai e still elements in the community with a lingering feeling that war may ha v « its place in the scheme of things, and that the world can be kept stronger by a bigger navy or a bigger army—ideas that are now archaic.”

Asked whether bis tour would inspire him to write of the southern Dominions. Dr Gordon said he was not one of those men who rushed through the country in » iortuight and then burst into print as an authority. His views were the views of an individual, land he had broadened them in many directions. Having “discovered” Australia and Nc" Zealand, for himself, he hoped it would not be Ion:' before he was able to return.