NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3961, 11 February 1930, Page 36

NEWS IN BRIEF.

“ I visited Invercargill over 45 years ago. and I must confess that, notwithstanding the length of time, the difference between the capital then and now is simply marvellous,” remarked Mr Joel Fox, manager of the Equity Trustees Company of Melbourne, to a Southland Times reporter recently. “There were no trams when I was last here, while it was a small and most uninteresting town in those days. Now I could easily put in an enjoyable week’s sojourn in Invercargill. and I consider the town should be recommended —more than at present is the case—by the tourist agencies as a place well meriting a visit for pleasure’s sake.” The influx of Orientals into Canada has been causing alarm for some time. Mr Robert Gray, one of the visiting Canadian bowlers, explained in Christchurch, that despite the legislation controlling their entry into the country they seemed to be increasing. While they maintained their traditional occupation of market gardening and laundry work not much exception was taken to them; but lately they had been setting up in small retail businesses, and there seemed to be danger of. their securing control. The chief objection to the Chinese, he said, was their standard of living. There was not so much objection to the Japanese on that score, and the legislation against

their entry was not stringent. Nevertheless, there was a very strong feeling against them, and Canada had determined not to allow the standard of living to lowered. * Au instance of the extent of usefulness on the part of Boy Scouts was given by Mr C. J. Ronaldson (district governor of Rotary in New Zealand) at the first weekly luncheon for the year of the Wanganui Rotary Club (says the Chronicle). At the Rotary Conference held at Dallas, United States, last year, at which Rotarian Ronaldson was present, the local Scouts took complete control of the traffic arrangements. What this meant could be gauged from the fact that there were up to 9500 Rotarians, their wives and friends present, and that cars were going to and from the grounds all the time. The Scouts managed this continual traffic without the aid of the police. Two Japanese officers from the steamer Yoyohika Maru. took a good deal of .n--terest in the Wanganui Museum in the course of a visit (says the Chronicle). This interest was deepened when two Japanese muskets were shown to them. These officers confided to another visitor who got into conversation with them that they were greatly impressed with the general kindness shown towards them in the Dominion. The country reminded them in many ways of their own Japan in regard to climate and sc-nery and especially the flowering of the cherry trees. The sight of these trees in bloom when they were at Port Chalmers was like a glimpse of home.