CONAN DOYLE

Otago Witness, Issue 3487, 11 January 1921, Page 17

CONAN DOYLE

CHARMED WITH NEW ZEALAND SYDNEY, January 6. Sir Arthur Conau Doyle is pleased at the interest shown in Spiritualism by the New Zealand people. He was particular’}impressed by the Maoris, who greatly fascinated him. He is convinced that thee are Europeans, but he is puzzled to know how they got to New Zealand. “You have only to look at their language, he said, “to see that wherever you touch it you find European words coming up. Another fact is that they have no writings, which is a sign that they broke away very eariy from the root race in early Welsh history.' He was also struck with the extraordinary memory of the Maoris. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is charmed with the beauties of New Zealand, both in the cities and in the quiet places. IMPRESSIONS OF AUSTRALIA. LONDON. January 6 Sir A. Conan Doyle, writing in the International Psychic Gazette, referring to his “ups and downs” in Australia, says : “Amongst ‘downs’ are the press boycott, caused partly by an ignorant want of proportion and partly bv moral cowardice and the fear of finding later that they had backed the wrong horse, not giving the wrong horse fair play. They are very backward and far behind countries like Iceland and Denmark in a knowledge of what has been done in Spiritualism. They are dear folk, these Australians, but. ‘Lord,’ they want spirituality, and dynamiting out of their grooves. The Presbyterians actually prayed that I might not reach the country. This was rather near murder, if they really thought that their rotten prayers would avail. The result was an excellent voyage. It is the unlivelincss and the spiritual deadness of this place that gets on my nerves.”