“GOD’S OWN COUNTRY.”

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 1006, 17 June 1909, Page 20

“GOD’S OWN COUNTRY.”

“RULED BY SATAN’S CROWD.”

AN AUSTRALIAN OPINION.

New Zealand is (says “ Fair Play ) being gradually forced to see hersel as others see her, and pretty humiliating. Mr. F. C. Webb, of Cheltenham, Eng., has given to the local “ Looker On ” the following extract from a letter he has received from “ a gentleman holding an impor-

tant position in Australia.” It is dated February 1,1909: — “We did not enjoy our holiday to New Zealand. Rain, floods, and snow in the South Island, and heat, dust and laboured travelling in the North were the great drawbacks. I have now been to New Zealand three times, and things get worse each time. You know they are so proud of their democratic principles, but many people told me New Zealand was ‘ God’s Own Country ruled by Satan and all his crowd.’ The hotels are awful owing to prohibition. Often you cannot get a drink of any kind —you must buy a barrel or a case of whisky. Well, we could not travel round with such things. I never saw so much drunkenness in my life as in ‘ prohibited ’ districts, and as the licenses are so precarious the hotels are taken by a very different class to those in other countries. Travellers are abominably treated, and the places are very dirty. If you have any friends thinking of going to New Zealand just put them off. Living is most expensive. We are never going near the place again. No servants, no dinner sometimes, because the cooks have holidays. No one is allowed to sell or give milk from a cow unless they have a license. The whole place is going quickly to Hades, and the public debt is enormous.” Mr. Webb observes, in comment on these statements — which are, unfortunately, true: “It is clear that democracy and woman’s suffrage do not make for the peace or righteousness of the countries which have tried them.” And Mr. Webb is about right—as regards woman suffrage, anyhow. The woman vote may make for heaven in the future, but it makes earth hell in the present, just because woman is a creature of her emotions and, unable to back up her own private opinions, or having none, is led by the first plausible hypocrite who appeals to the emotional side of her. We trust our Australian friend will help to make a fight of it over here to keep out the N.Z. absurdities.