FROM OVERSEAS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 364, 10 April 1915, Page 10

FROM OVERSEAS.

A JAPANESE VISITOR. MR MOTOSAKU TSUCHIYA SPEAKS. SOME INFORMATION AND CRITICISM. The man who watches from without can always give views that are interesting, and the overseas visitor who notes and smiles at our little idiosyncrasies and conceits is always interesting. Mr Motosaku Tsuchiya, editor of the "Asalic Shimbun" (or "Osaga Morning Sun"), who is at present touring New Zealand to note possible trade openings, has observed some things that, to him, present an element of comedy. "It is amusing," he told a Sun man this morning, "to find that journalists here and in Australia regard us as a very small place. They all think we want territory. Ido not think so. As an industrial country we must have a large population. I observe it in this way. There are those who succeed to large amounts of property and think they must spend in very foolish ways; they think the same of those who have too many people. We can afford to give our people a good living in Japan by giving more work to them, and building up industries. We can easily manage twico the industries we have now. We are taking up a great deal of the industries that the Germans had. The same thing applies to New Zealand. You are sending many men out of this, country because of not having the industries. What I would like to see-in this country is more industries. If you had more industries more people would come. You have, not the industries to entice them to come. On the coutrary, some people are going out." EFFECT OF THE WAR. Speaking of the effect of the war, Mr Tsuchiya expressed the opinion that Japan would get the Caroline Islands, though he was not enthusiastic about them from the trade viewpoint. The Germans, he said, had been spending money over them: they did not get anything out of them. It was very difficult, he said, to say what would happen in regard to Kaio Chau. That must be decided by the International Conference, but he considers that Japan and England will make the best use of the place. In respect todiroct trade with Japan, Mr Tsuchiya thinks the trouble will be in getting full cargoes—a difficulty that applies both to and from Japan. The principal import to this country from Japan was silk, a costly commodity, but there >were openings for trade, also, in glassware, manures, baskets, underware of'a cheap kind, certain timbers, etc. PORT ARTHUR.

"I think it is almost a settled thing,'' said Mr Tsuehiya, in reply to a question, "that the occupation of Port Arthur will be prolonged. It. was only a 25 years' lease, and I think the term is bound to be prolonged, because China has not the money to get it back. The railways there, he said, were the thoroughfare of the world. A regular steamship .service was maintained by Japan to Shanghai, and it found the shortest route to Europe. It -was absolutely essential, therefore, that peace should be maintained along the railway line, and if the territory were returned to the Chinese Government they would always have trouble. The region was famous for mounted robbers, who held up the trains if they got the opportunity, and the railway line was always guarded by soldiers against the depredations of these outlaws.

Mr Tsuchiya will leave for Wellington on Monday evening, and on Thursday he will proceed to Sydney in the Manuka. After a stay in Sydney and Melbourne he expects, to leave for Japan again in June.