CRITICISM OF NEW ZEALAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13845, 7 March 1907, Page 2

CRITICISM OF NEW ZEALAND

LORD MAYOR OF MELBOURNE'S IMPRESSIONS. (Faoii Our Own Coerespondent.l MELBOURNE, February 27. "The present mainstays of New Zealand are nothing moro substantial than an active Tourists' Department and borrowed money." So spoke the Lord Mayor of Melbourne to .an interviewer a few hours after his return from New Zealand: Mr Vecdon was very emphatic, not to'say a trifling bit " cocksure" in his opinions and conclusions. " Granted that, an active tourist department is a vnTuablo asset-," .lie went- on, "it is not in itself sufiicicnt"to ensure lasting prosperity. And borrowed money!— well, borrowed money lias always behind it a very uncomfortabio day of reckoning. N'ow Zealand is certainly a- very beautiful country, and it is undoubtedly well governed on u, small scalc. It is that very smallncss that is the country's drawback. "Furthermore," Mr Wecdon proceeded, "I am afraid that the average Ne.w Zcalander is small-minded and altogether too sclf-eontftined. So used are the New Zcalamlers lo hearing themselves praised, that i.hey am in danger of becoming very much 100 soli-contented. Several times during njy visit to the colony 1 spoke publicly, and on nearly every occasion I made a point of reminding them that there are countries in tho world that, have as much to support a contention that thoy havo. an exclusive bold upon the Creator. Thoy dicl not. lilco lo hear me say such things. The press would not report mq when I did say them, but it never failed to report at length all the nice things I might say about, the, colony. Throughout my tour I never lost an opportunity of reminding t.ho New Zealand people of Australia's peculiar advantages. I am afraid that tho information very often fell on deaf cars. There seems lo be great, lack of reciprocity to Australia on the part of New Zealand, ■Almost amounting to antipathy." Mr Wccdon went on lo pay a tribiito to the Exhibition, particularly to the. Cadatlian and the British courts and tho pictures. He offered some criticism, generally favourable, o£ tho municipal councils' powers and' the uses made of them, and said be regarded the Christ church Tramway cars as tile best electric cars in Australasia. Tho dust, however, in that: city is worse , l liau with us, and that is saying a good deal.' "Of course I would like lo say,"'said tho Lord Mayor iu conclusion, "that tho" pcoplo of Now Zealand treated both the Lady Mayoress and myself.most hospitably. They were exceptionally kind, and did everything in their power to make opr trip plouNint. For all that, there is too much self-contciilniciit."