LIBELLING NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18192, 11 September 1922, Page 3

LIBELLING NEW ZEALAND.

Sir, —In the Commercial Intelligence Journal of June 17, issued in Canada, there is an article headed " Demand for Wallpaper in New Zealand," by Commissioner W. A. Beddoe, In it he says, "As New Zealand is a country of earthquakes, houses are generally bnilt in the bungalow style and are of wood covered with scrim. There is very little lath and plastering done, and interior wailpainting and kalsomining is seldom seen." One does not really expect this kind of thing from a trade commissioner. A fair adherence io facts usually characterise these gentlemen's reports—when the facts are shoved under their noses.- If they have any difficulty in getting the facte one does not expect bo much. New Zealaiwierg in Canada have, during the past year or two, been somewhat puzzled to account for the tales of New Zealand's supposed dire sufferings from earthquake* whiah; appear periodic- ~ ally in the newspapers here. Not so long 1 ago a leading daily newspaper in Vancouver published a sensational news item, claimed to be a cable from Auckland, to the effect that owing to the frequency of earthquakes,. New Zealand could not keep her: roads ' n a. decent condition for motor traffic. Now owing to earthquakes New Zealand houses have got to be undecorafced wooden shacks. This time we have £otthe name of the offender, and wo pa«s it on to the people of New Zealand through your widely-read journal, that thos<a on the spot can take the matter up wifcls. the man in the way they think best. We New iZealanders in 'Canada are rather fed up i with continually hearing of these, dreadful earthquakes, and meeting the other libels on our country circulated here. Perhaps it would not be a bad idea for someone in New Zealand to send an occasional note to the Canadian Commercial Intelligence Bureau in Ottawa, to say that despite the imaginary earthquakes, the southern Do- J minion was still carrying on 'business at the old stand. Maorilantjeb. Vancouver, August 3, 19221.