A CORAL ISLAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17183, 29 October 1923, Page 7

A CORAL ISLAND.

JAPANESE IDEA OF NEW ZEALAND. “Most people of Japan think that New Zealand is a sort of Coral Island inhabited by natives, tigers and uncultivated forests,” says Air Eric S. Bell in the course of a letter to Air P- It. Climie, organiser of tlie Canterbury Progress League. The letter was written from Tokio some time before the recent disastrous earthquake. hen Air Bell left for Japan lie took sonic circulars about Canterbury with him- Wo states that lie has distributed these circulars amongst tiourist bureaux' and shipping companies and adds :—“ 1 am sorry to say , however, r that the little interest that the people take in New Zealand' here is amazing. To have any effect at all T think that one would have To lecture all about New Zealand for months ahead, then to spread those circulars about. Then, I doubt whether ifc would bo any use. You see. all 1 have are Canterbury advertisements and if people hero know . New Zealand (which is doubtful,) they certainly do not know of Canterbury. ’• Alost people of Japan think that Now Zealand is a. sort of Coral Island inhabited by natives, tigers and uncultivated forests. They learn English and they study it desperately at schools here, and every boy is a keen student of English, ‘but they learn about London, England and America and such a tiny piece of land as ours does not enter into their comprehension, I am sure that we have nothing to fear from any Japanese menace for two-thirds of the population dota’t know of our existence. However, whenever L get the chance I always talk it as hard as I can. anti through the medium ol : the schools that I teach at 1 tell them much about the wonderful beauties of our truly lovely country. If interests them, for our scenery is very similar to that of Japan, especially the Alps and the hot springs. . • “ If you saw the big Empress liners sailing weekly from Yokohama with hundreds of wealthy Japanese tourists aboard, bound lor America, you would realise what a tremendous travelling public there is here. Thousands go tu London (where they are welcomed) and the same to Germany and the Continent. Of course, while that absurd race prejudice still exists in Australia and New Zealand, which is half ignorance, it will be hard to make people wish to travel to our parts, i They are even losing interest in Australia (which will please Australia) and are turning their faces to places that are more useful to them. They are indeed a gfreat and wonderful people and it is a pity that there is so much ignorance concerning the Japanese in New Zealand. . . The Japanese are a lovable, fine, honest and great people in spite of the lies that are told about them. lam convinced that as soon as nations get rid of that impossible Budyard Kipling feel in that * East is East and West is West.’ etc., there will be less trouble in the world and j fa r more, understanding, and there will j learn much from the Japanese. “ If one lives here one cannot help feeling that in morals, in simpleness, in charitableness and kindness they leave us streets behind. AVe think that we are moral because we are l white and because we have our towns ' infested with clergy. churches and strict laws : but all that prohibition causes our courts to have such dreadful cases continually tried in them, as insults to little children by grown men. You never hear of such a thing here, for morals are looked upon as natural and children are pot taught to sex is naughty. So the effect is .that they are clean minded add Jnoral. T have heard in New Zealand that J Japan is a most immoral plac**. It I may he a s bad as New Zealand if you f look for it. but. it is mighty hard to ; find here. . . .1 only speak of them (the Japanese) as I find them and I I wish others would do tlie same." *