PROGRESS IN JAPAN.

Patea Mail, Volume XLIV, 29 November 1920, Page 3

PROGRESS IN JAPAN.

AN INTERESTING COUNTRY’. Mr. G. V. I’oarco, who relumed last week after a holiday visit to Japan, gave an interesting account of that country in the course of a brief chat with a representative of the ••'Press” on Saturday.

Asked what impressed him most about the country, Mr. Pearce said it. was the general air of prosperity and the number of children. During his run through the country he had not sicen a single person poorly dressed. It was vastly different from Hongkong, where there was evidently some extreme poverty, as he saw quite a number poor!}' clad. “Everywhere you went,” added Mr Pearce, “there seemed to be children; judging by the numbers Japan must be the home of large families. A significant fact about the children was that after they had passed a certain standard all had to learn the English language. The country not only appeared exceedingly prosperous, but there were signs of progress m every side. Japan is evidently a firm believer in the utilisation of water power, for practically every city is splendidly lit with electric light generated by hydro-electric power stations. The street lighting boars more than, favourable comparison with that ot New Zealand towns—in fact, the very worst street in Yokohama was belter lit than Eambton Quay, Wellington. The Japanese appear to take a pride in having their streets brilliantly lit at night. As showing their cagrencss to adopt the Western mode of life, Mr Pearco said he was sitting on a seat alongside n young Britisher in one Japanese town, and in the course of conversation he asked the young man what he was doing in Japan, and received the astonishing reply: “Oh, 1 have only recently come out from .Scotland under special engagement to teach the Japanese golf!” With regard to the Japanese warlike preparations, Mr Pearce preferred not to say-much, remarking casually that at one small place be visited he counted no less than 20 warships in the harbour. Ashore there were some very fine barracks, with large bodies of sailors dressed in white drilling mest of the day.

Air. Pearce said ho visited Fugiyania —the most symmetrical mountain in the world, and whilst there he experienced a typhoon, which delayed them for some days. Fugiyania, though very symmetrical, was not so imposing as All. Egniont, as it rose above a high range of hills, and not “in solitary grandeur’’ like Alt. Egniont. Its top, too, was flat, and far bigger than the top of Egniont. It was entirely clear of snow when lie saw it, said Air. Pearce, though the country round about has very heavy snowfalls in the wintertime, and the climate is far colder than that of New Zealand. Sheep were not to be seen except high up in the hill country, where some twenty were seen one day in a yard. Afr. Pearco said the horses wore small, and appeared to bo a kind of thoroughbred. They drew' very long and very narrowcarts, which were Just suited to the very narrow streets.

“The Japanese,'' added Mr Poarec, ‘‘evidently believe in intensive cultivation, for the number of .small plots highly cultivated was remarkable. The Japs go in for a series of terraces in their gardens, watering each terrace by means of a gravitation system of watering, the water being conveyed in shoots from the upper to the lower terruces. Speaking of tho Japanese boats, Mr Pearce said they were kept scrupulously cloan, and the attention was all that could be desired.

That the Japanese ar,c clover craftsmen was shown by a number of articles of exquisite workmanship which Mr. Pearce brought back with him. “Home people, ' ’ he said, “imagine the Japanese only make poor stud, but that is a.mistake. The poor stuff is purposely bought by the British and Colonial dealers on account of its cheapness, lor the cheaper tho article tho greater the profit. As one traveller put it. ‘lf J were to buy the very best goods only about ten persons in the average town could aftord to buy them whereas thousands cap buy ihc cheaper goods. ’ Silk, added Mr. Pearce, cau be obtained in either cheap or expensive lots. Tho heavy weight -ilk is naturally expensive, end it. is the thin and light kind (hat is most frequently exported.” In conclusion, Mr. Pearce said (here was no getting array from the fact that the Japanese were a eiming people, who were not. to be despised.