IN THE EAST INDIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 18 February 1939, Page 16

IN THE EAST INDIES

ADDRESS TO LUNCH CLUB. The fascination of a trip through tho Dutch East Indies, and calls at Singapore and Saigon (French lndoChina) was the theme of a talk given to the Citizens’ Lunch Club yesterday by Mrs J. Davidson, of Palmerston North, who a few months ago toured ill that part of the world. Mr A. V. Pizzey presided in the absence of Mr J. A. Nash. In commencing her narrative, Mrs Davidson took her audience to Port Moresby (Papua), where her party had left on a five days’ trip to the island of Bali. The people there were untouched by civilisation, she said. The island was just a land of shrines and temples, which were richly ornamented. All the gateways were adorned with artistic carvings. The people were deeply religious. There were no railways, but 0110 could travel on beautiful ashplialted roads. It was a gorgeous drive through Bali, the rice fields being a picture. All the waterlogged terraces were controlled by masterly irrigation works. The water buffalo was used in the cultivation of the soil, and individual ownership had now crept in in some cases, but it was a slow process. In passing the buffalo one heard a tinkling of music, which was aimed to keep away the monkeys and other animals.

The speaker added that one could 'go into the shops and see the natives using the old methods of hand weaving. They were a very carefree people. Another interesting feature was the cock-fighting, the people valuing these birds as much as they did their children. Across a narrow strait was Java, the chief city of which was Sourafyaya. Little booths lined both sides on the streets, Mrs Davidson proceeded, and her© were the .natives with their bamboo restaurants. At certain quarters there were traffic officers and these men wore heavy clothes in the sweltering heat. Everywhere one heard gongs and bells, and witnessing and hearing all these things convinced one that this really was the “mysterious East.”

There were also beautiful drives in Java, said Mrs Davidson, and one could go up into the heights of the mountains. As the car ascended the road became very narrow and the bush almost touched it on either side. At the top they found some European bungalows. She described how at one homo she had visited there was a beautiful tiled swimming pool, surrounded bv lawns.

During the siesta (from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) the natives were all sleeping, Mrs Davidson added. An interesting account of their bargaining methods was given. Their persistence was remarkable. Mrs Davidson went on to narrate her visit to a sacred monument, to which she felt her description could not do justice. The next port of call, continued the speaker, was Batavia, where the heat was very oppressive. _ She had _ also visited Singapore, which was a city of contrasts. The cosmopolitan population and their many and varied interests were intriguing. It was a beautiful city, about 28 miles long and 14 miles wide, being originally called Singa-Pura, which meant “city of the lion.” It was interesting, in view of the name, that Britain now had a big naval base there. Mrs Davidson’s next move was to Saigon in French Indo-China. The people of Saigon were very poor and they just “seemed to live and die.” On the motion of the chairman the speaker was a accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Mrs Tyler, of the United States, was welcomed as a visitor. A motion of sympathy with Mr J. B. Fleck, a member of the club, in being confined to his home owing to illness, was carried.