A SHRINKING WORLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23175, 22 October 1938, Page 12

A SHRINKING WORLD

Pressure of population and various refugee problems have turned the eyes of many Europeans toward the young and largely empty countries of the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. Evidence of this fact has appeared from tkne to time, and now a Netherlands subject just arrived at Sydney has put it into plain words. Twenty-live years ago Australia jjiay have been vaguely known to Continental Europe, but New Zealand's existence was barely realised. To tho few this country was recognised as the pioneer in various forms of social legislation, but outside of that it had made practically no impression on the general consciousness of Europe, or any other part of the western world. It may be that the existence of this Dominion, its characteristics and its features are not even yet among the things which "every schoolboy knows" in Europe, but like Australia it is no longer regarded as beyond the bounds of civilised existence. Actually the world has shrunk very much more than is commonly

realised in the past two decades. Perfected communications, faster ocean travel, air services and the rest have made distances once regarded as almost astronomical of very little importance. Presently, when plans are completed and flying boats travelling two oceans converge 011 these islands, the isolation of other days will retire further in defeat. It is a development which must be realised, one which brings responsibilities that mu3t be faced. They cannot necessarily be met by admitting a few refugees when a case like that of the fugitives from Czechoslovakia arises. To develop their country and themselves so that the accusation of holding what cannot be used no longer obtains is the duty of the people—of all the people, and not of Governments alone.