WESTERNISED PERSIA

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1931, Page 4

WESTERNISED PERSIA

ADDRESS GIVEN TO ROTARY CLUBi

Interesting information about Persia; conceiming which' t|ie average man knows little more than that it produces Persian carpeU anti Persian cats, was'given to New Plymouth RoUriana at tho weekly club luncheon yesterday b Mr. J. W. Borland, a recent , arrival from Persia. For .some years Mr. Bufj land was in the service of the Imperial Bank of Persia. Relating how in the last few years western civilisation has been introduced into Persia, Mr. Borland said he thought the change Was being made more rapid: ly than the people could assimilate it* and he. regretted to say that British prestige appeared .to be suffering, especially at the bauds of Russian Communist propaganda. Banking and carpet making, both largely in British hands, were in some danger, but thq Anglo-Persign Oil Company' was too valuable to the Government to be injured. Speaking of Persian earpeta, Mr. Borland said they were made largely by children, ijnd they were, so well made that they would last a hundred an<l the longer they were in use the better they became. At the conclusion of the address a vote of thanks, was accorded the speaker on the motion of Rotarian J. HAshton.