PASSER-BY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16865, 31 January 1929, Page 11

PASSER-BY

VERY PAINED SAW AUSTRALIA IN SIX WEEKS LONDON. January 22. Mi. Oswald Lewis. Conservative candidale for Colchester, in succession to the retiring ,Secretary for War, Sir Laming Worthington-I’, vans, pungently criticises Australians in a travel book, entitled, “Because I’ve Never Been There. Before,” published to-day. Air. Lewis spent six weeks in Australia during the winter of 1927, visiting every State. He toid the. special representative oi the Sun: “The average, Australian is not, merely discourteous, buthe is rude. The further east, 1 travelled from Perth the worse became the maimers and the more execrable became the accent. Perhaps it is a .legacy from the past, when settlers considered that it was necessary to Tie unpleasant in order to dissociate themselves from the convicts. “Sydney’s manners and accents are the worst. The inhabitants entirely disregard others’ feelings, and mispronounce the commonest words. 1 was very impressed with the women's physique and beauty, hut, oh! when they open Ilnur mouths! “Australia is a marvellous country, he continued, “but if the inhabitants wish to hold it they must be prepared In admit Italians to Lite Northern Territory, and to modify the tariff policy in favor of the primary producer. There is a certain regrettable jealousy towards the ‘new chum,’ who is regarded as a potential menace to the, standard of living. “Australia has not scenery sufficiently attractive to justify a second visit. The lack of history and culture makes it uninteresting to Europeans, hut politically it is among the most interesting countries in the world. Therefore,, I hope to visit Australia again.”