THE EAST

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18235, 2 November 1933, Page 11

THE EAST

COOLIES’ CHANGING- ATTITUDE SYDNEY, Oct. 25. In a lecture before the Modern Language Association, Mr F. W. L. Beckmann said that while travelling recently through the East lie had noticed a great change in regard to the attitude -of. the .native towards the white man. The former now openly asserted an individuality which was foreign to him not many years ago, when no degree of self-expression was evidenced •bv the coolie type throughout the whole of India, As an example of this change, due to the new influences which were being promulgated widely, the coolie no longer wished to be called “boy,” but answered only to the appellation “bearer,” and even then lie preferred to, be known by bis actual name. Thus, any reversion to the old order was resented quite openly. Madras was now a hive of industry, and for purposes of display and 'propaganda a largo .exhibition building housed a comprehensive collection qf goods which were manufactured, , jni that city. So advanced had Bombay become in the production of clothing materials that it was known as the > ‘ Manchester of India. ’ ’ Large spinning mills, printing works, and, in particular, the huge Dutch margarine factory, which supplied the whole of India, were to be found there.