CULTURAL CONTRAST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20283, 5 December 1935, Page 12

CULTURAL CONTRAST

NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRIA The sharp contrast between New Zealand’s culture, or lack of it, and that of Austria, and Vienna, especially, was commented on last night by Madame Marci, herself a Viennese, who is now in Timaru in connection with the visit of the Vi nna Boys’ Choir. Chatting with a reporter of “The ilmaru Herald,” Madame declared herself to be vitally interested in anyth!' .3 p.rtaining to education and express.il the opinion that in New Zealand *c modelled our educational system on ntirely different values from those esteemed in Europe. In Austria higher education is the rule where in the Dominion it is the exception—there no man finishes nis schooling until he is about 24 years oi age. Here a man of the same age nas been in the world six or eight years and in a majority of cases has finished his education. In the city of Madame’s birth it is the custom for 1 father to maintain his sons until they reach the age of 24 or 25, when they become apprenticed to a trade or profession. In many cases they do not sit their final examinations until they vre 21 and their education is much more extensive than in New Zealand. When the reporter remarked that r'en of 21 in this country were selfsupporting and, in many cases, married at 24, Madame emphasised that culture in Austria was on a much higher plane than in New Zealand and Australia and parents thought nothing of making sacrifices to enable their children to complete their studies It was very rare for a man to marry under 29 years of age. In New Zealand boys were educated with the object of entering business at an early age and of making money. The Austrians took a longer view and taught their children to get the utmost enjoyment out of life in later years. In the Dominion everyone appeared to be obsessed with the idea of making money, but in Europe there were more important values : ttached to life. It is usual for girls to attend school until they are at least 16 years of age, when they either enter commercial schools or are trained for domestic life. They marry about the age of 18 or 19, there being usually a difference of 10 years in the ages of husband and wife.

Art of Conversation. The most striking difference between the two peoples is the inability of menfolk to conduct a conversation 00 intellectual lines, according to Madame. She said that in New Zealand, as in Australia, it was the custom at parties for the men to congregate in one corner of the room and the women to talk in another. They appeared to have no common ground for conversation. The average New Zealand man once he had discussed the weather, cricket or golf, racing, and perhaps, politics, could find nothing further to say and the women were concerned mainly with clothes, domestic matters or bridge. There was nothing intellectual. In her native land men and women met on common ground in literature, art and the theatre, which the average Austrian could discuss most intelligently as a result of his v her extensive cultural education. Madame Marci emphasised that ?ne did not wish to offend, for education was all a question of viewpoint, but the difference between the people ot the Dominion and of Austria had made a striking impression on her during her visit to New Zealand.