LECTURE ON NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15823, 23 July 1913, Page 8

LECTURE ON NEW ZEALAND.

Mr H, C. Cameron's illustrated. Iccture en New Zealand attracted a large audience to tbe spacious committee room of tlio Concert Hall oil Tuesday evening (6ays the Kent Messenger Mid-weekly ol June 11)." There were many very beautiful slides. and the ■lecture was followed with the closest interest from start "to finish.' New Zealand, Mr Cameron 'stated, was about the same size as Great. Britain, and was _ the one British possession which was most like that country. The climate of New Zealand was similar to tihat of the South of England ujul France, and no part of the country was situated more than 75 miles from the sea. While, therefore, New Zealand had an ample rainfall. ■ tho climate was temperate nind most fertile. Mr Cameron showed that it was easier for Kentish people to settle in New Zealand iihan in Lancashire or Yorkshire, or some other counties in Emgia,nd, simply bcaiuso bhore were no ekes distinctions. The population of New Zealand at the present time was croly 1,050,000. and what the' country was crying out for, ho said, waa agricultural men wlho were not afraid of work. The Government wasverv anxious to inducc" lads of from 17 to 19 years of age to make their homes there. Such lads would -be found work on the land until they were 21 years of age, when they would have c-n opportunity of acquiring holdings themselves. Sen-ant girls, who were also greatly needed, could earn' from £1 to 25s per week. with 1 everything found. Many of these found husbands almost as f.oon as they landed. The lecturer was confident that Now Zealand, .. which he described as the brightest gem- of the British Empire, had a splendid future as an agri'cultural, stock breeding, and manufacturing country, and sngg6ted that any pereon of grit a.nd perseverance would be bound to suocecd there He mentioned incidentally that they had bad old-age pensions in New Zealand for -the :past 15 years and women's -| suffrage for 20 years. As to the system of education, this -also they were very proud of. It could fairly be described as a splendid system, being compulsory, free, and secular; and the child of the humblest Now Zealand pricnt- had as good an opportunity as tho child cf tho richest parent to roach the university. Mr Cameron denied that there was any term of consoription in New Zealand. When tho boys were a-t school tihr-y were taught, lie said, ihow to handle a rifle, and went through a certain amount of drill. On reaching the age of lit they were required to go into camp for a few weeks every year, but if they did not care to serve as Volunteem thoy had: to lender sof.e otihor service. The New Zealand Government thought the young men shoidd bo able to defend their country if it should be attacked. They therefore trained them for defence a.nd not defiance.—(Applause.) The lecturer, who spoke for nearly two hours, bad much ,to say about the Maoris and tho magnificent mountains and lakes of New Zealand. Altogether it was a fascinating, very instructive, and able Ucture.