JAPAN'S METHODS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 101, 27 April 1909, Page 6

JAPAN'S METHODS.

]m connection with, the statements regarding Japanese visitors maMng notes of what they see'on' their tray els through the Colonies, a highly-respect-ed x Gisborne -citizen., a Justice of the Peace, who was in business in. China. and is well acquainted with. Japan, related" to a Poverty Bay Herald, representative an incident of ia few yeatrs ago. ■ He went down in the. steamer. by which Fitzgerald's circus company travelled. That company included. some Japanese jugglers, also a Japa--nese interpreter, with whom: the Gisbornite entered into conversation. He learned that the juggilens would not be allowed to accept the engagement with the company unless the services of the Japanese interpreter were also engaged. This young main had been trained by thei Government at considerable expense, and when asked why a man of his acquirements should be allowed to fill in his time travelling round in that way with a circus, he was informed that that was only a minor matter, his real mission being to report on "industrial" .matter© for the Government he represented. He therefore showed a note-book which he carried, rand which contained a daily record of the places hei visited, a duplicate copy of each leaf being, he stated, taken and forwarded to Japan. The book contained full •records of Gisborne's harbor, its situation, depth, and so on. On further inquiries, the citizen mentioned, found that the Japanese had been travelling extensively in this way, and, for instance, knew much more about Scotland than did the citizen; who had been reared there. The latter states that whatever use the information may be put to, industrial or otherwise, he* is quite satisfied that there is a good supply of it in thel archives of the- Japanese Government.