RACE EQUALITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22742, 30 November 1935, Page 18

RACE EQUALITY

MAORI AND THE PAKEHA TOURISTS GREATLY IMPRESSED (Special to Daily Times) WELLINGTON, November 29. " I was greatly struck during my holiday by the race equality that apparently exists in New Zealand between the Maori and the pakeha,” said Mr D. D. Harris, master at King’s College, Adelaide, before leaving Wellington yesterday by the Monowai on his way back to Australia, after a tour in the Dominion. "A casual visitor is not qualified to say how far that apparent equality actually goes, but from the position in the secondary schools there seems to be a genuine and widespread feeling. When people permit their children to mix freely with those of a native race it is a sign that they hold that race in high esteem.” The tour took Mr Harris to the South Island glaciers, Rotorua, and the Waitomo Caves. He arranged his itinerary in London through the Government Publicity Bureau'. He said that the Tourist Department had not provided an attractive itinerary and then forgotten about him, but had continued to interest itself in him and to assist at every stage. The day before his departure he had mentioned that he would like a few publicity brochures to show to his pupils in Australia, and a supply of literature was sent to the ship for him. “I am impressed with the variety of scenery,” said Mr Harris. “While.many other countries can duplicate the different aspects of your scenery, no country can show so wide a range in so small a space.” He thought the thermal district and the South Island bush growing eo close to the glaciers two features that were probably unique in the world.