PROGRESSIVE JAPAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22717, 1 November 1935, Page 10

PROGRESSIVE JAPAN

MR EDGAR SHAND'S TOUR ADDRESS TO JUSTICES OF PEACE Interesting sidelights on the life and customs of the Japanese people were given by Mr Edgar Shand to a large Gathering at the quarterly social of the Otago Justices of the Peace Association last night. The president, Mr I. M'Farlane, occupied the chair, and extended a welcome to those present. Opening his address on his recent travels in the Far, East Mr Shand said that many people were apt to think of Japan as a country not yet risen to manhood, but he hastened to assure them that this was not at all the case. It was only 70 years since Japanese ports had been forcibly opened for trade by the nations of the world, but since that time the country had progressed at a remarkable rate. Even since his previous visit five years ago, Mr Shand said he had noticed a marked difference. Travelling in J*apan was a great pleasure and it was made easy by the fact that English was spoken everywhere one went. The trip was not an expensive one, the fare from Australia costing only £9O, and as one lived on board ship the expenses were not very heavy. The first port of call on his journey, after leaving Australia, was Suva, but there was not a great deal of interest at this port, and the tourists passed on to Pago Pago, which had a wonderful harbour, high, jungle-clad mountains falling sheer into the bluest of seas. It was nearly always raining at this port, and, consequently, it had been used as the location for the film entitled "Rain." Honolulu was the most interesting of all ports. On arrival the ship was greeted by the. Royal Hawaiian Band with the traditional music of the Islands. A feature/ that struck him very forcibly, Mr Shand stated, was the very few flawaiians that were to be seen. The hard-working Japanese had practically taken possession of the island, and had pushed the Hawaiians into the background. The hotels in Honolulu were _ truly marvellous. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel was like a palace in its pale pink shading, and had cost 10,000,000 dollars to build. From the hotel a lift went straight down to the famous Waikiki Beach. Mr Shand expressed disappointment with Waikiki Beach, which by no means came up to expectations. The coral was causing much concern, as it kept coming through the sand, and was being combated with hydraulic drills. The slightest cut from coral took many weeks to heal. _ ( Yokohama gave the tourists their nrst impressions of Japanese life. Here the ancient and modern stood side by side. There appeared to be an absence of slums and unsightly dockyards. Since the disastrous earthquake a great change had taken place in the city, and everything was bejng built on modern lines. The climate of Japan was very like that of New Zealand. The great difficulty the sightseer experienced in inspecting factories prevented him to a large extent from learning much of the Japanese industries. They kept their activities in the manufacturing sphere shrouded in secrecy. A great deaf had been heard, Mr Shand continued, of Japanese motor cars flooding the world markets, but he had made extensive inquiries and he could not see how this would come about for some time. In his toifr he had seen hardly a Japanese motor car. The army was fostering the industry so that it could be supplied with motor transport. The cars seen were mostly of American manufacture and the Ford Company had a large assembly plant in Osaka. Since his visit. Mr Shand remarked, nearly a year had elapsed, and such rapid progress was made in this incredible little country that one could not tell what was being done at present. The roads in Japan, the speaker stated, were generally poor and wholly inadequate for the needs of the people. It had been said, Mr Shand continued, that the Japanese were not an inventive race and that they merely copied Western ideas. But it had to be admitted that they did this very effectively. Mr Shand went on to speak of the national arts and crafts of the Japanese, showing the expuisiteness of their skill, especially in lacquer work. Concluding his talk, he made an interesting comparison of nation as he had seen it in 1929 with the Japan of to-day. On his previous visit the people were dressed mostly in the national costume, the kimono, and, out of about 200 attending Rotary functions, there were only half a dozen in Western dress. Last year, however, it was the exception rather than the rule to see a Japanese in his national costume, and this was the same even with the children. The clothing, however, was very uniform, and each suit was practically the same as its neighbour. The change in costume was of great assistance to the textile Industrie's of the country. The education was now very efficient, and the teaching of English was compulsory. Japan was, at ih3 present time, in much the same position as was Creat Britain many years ago. Britain had been in the same relation to the Continent of Europe as Japan was to a great continent to-day. Britain had built up a huge overseas trade, and made possible the formation of the British Empire. In the same way was Japan progressing to-day. She had countless millions round her shores, and was building up a large trade. Her people were gradually changing to Western clothes, Western customs, and even Western foods, and this, together with the way Japan was using electricity so widely, was making it a wonderful and progressive nation. The speaker was accorded a very hcartv vote of thanks Jor his address. During the evening a much-enjoyed musical programme was presented as follows:—Songs—Misses Jenn M'Lay. Edna M'Lay, and Mesers Eric Freeman and Roy Marshall; violin solo. Miss Ray Morrison Miss Sybil Baker was the accompanist.