JAPAN AND THE JAPANESE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 18

JAPAN AND THE JAPANESE.

The holding capacity of tbo Gymnasium, at St. Glair was taxed to its fullesb seating capacity on Wednesday evening, when Dr Truby King delivered an address on '" Japan and the Japanese." The address was illustrated by maps and' vie;vs of th© country and its people, and the phases of the subject dealt with were thei outcome of careful historical reasearch and personal observation by the lecturer during his reeeufe visit lo the home of the Mikados. Tha geographical features of the country were fully analysed. Hie main towns of Japan, situated about latitude 35, liavo a summer climate which is warmer and moistec than that of Auckland', while in winter there are light falls of snow. The lecturer gave expression to* the opinion that the claim, to antiquity of the Japanese people was based on unreliable historical records. The date assigned by the Japanese and by most European writers as the commencement of authentic Japanese history has been - clearly shown by Professor Chamberlain and other authorities to be more- than 1000 years too early. Practically speaking, there is nothing definitely known concerning the Japanese earlier than about 600 a.d», though the latest Japanese official pronouncements say: — "The most marked di3-i tinguishmg tra-it of the nation is that for more than 2550 years- Japan has been ruled by the same Imperial family, and has not been desecrated by foreign aggression." etc. Dealing with the probable- origin of the Japanese, he leaned to the view that the Mongol and Malay were blended in the race, a,iidhe dealt at considerable length with the rise and decline of nations and peoples in support of the views put forward. A brief survey of the religions of the people was presented, and passing reference was made to the progress of the country in manufactures. Dealing with the diet of tho Japanese, a strong contrast was drawn between the feeding of Japanese and European infants. In the former case the infants were fed in a natural way with the natural food from the mother, and in the case of. the European infant the milk of animals, with its baneful and often fatal, and always degenerating effects, was substituted for the food which Nature ordained for the suckling. And on this branch of hi? subject Dr King condemned in serious terms the over-indul-gence in. animal fcods by Euroneian people, and contrasted the results with "those which the Japanece obtained by a diet of fish, grain, and vegetables. The primitive condition of the agricultural industry in the country was illustrated by photographic views and the exhibition of a wooden agricultural implement which resembled a combination of a spade and a- plough. Views of 6oencry and incidents seen during the personal run through the country were thrown on the screen, and were touched upon in an eiitei-taiiiing and brief manner, and at t&e conclusion of the address the- lecturer was accorded a. lieartv yxiie-ul thanks on tlie motion, of Me J. F. M. Fraser.