A CANADIAN OBSERVER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 596, 26 August 1909, Page 4

A CANADIAN OBSERVER.

IMPRESSIONS OF AUSTRALASIA,

1 .It was not as .a tompcraiice advocate, nor ' a Single Taxor, and not chiefly as an ontertainor, though he is all these, but gather as a patriotic' Canadian citizen of the British Empire, visiting Australasia.as • a-i kooa observer of men and, things, that Mr. J. u <t. Bongongh chatted with (i Douimon . reporter yesterdoyi . ■ , „ , - "I liked. Australia very much,", no said, ■ "but I ' was sorry to find that top,,' people .there have - so little current information about Canada. They know what one may call t«h© primary facts, but when, .those.aro • exhausted they. trv. to keep up oon versatk>n with the Canadian visitor by mentioning Roosevelt and Chicago and New York. They ■ soem ;to think Canada and tho • United States aro pretty much like one country. ■ Pm afraid I can't say that Canadians generally havo any better knowledge of Aus- - • tralia. lley regard .tho Anstrauans; and the New: Zealanders. as practically one people, and. they think in a vague. BOrt ,of way> periiaps,. that you aro under the samo ■ Government." Now, I found, when I was in Australia, that tho two countries were ro- , garded, as entirely distinct, in a_ way one had never . realised before. Something ought' to bo domrto cause.the different countnfe? . ' within the Empire to know each other better..; ■. /'One thing that struck me in Australia, , continued the visitor, "was tho English character'and ways of, the people. I heard scarcely any Scotch or Irian. pronunciation, and even less of the American,; to which wo rather, incline in Canada. The hotels seemed • to bo constructed on old-fashioned. English plans, and wore not very mucli like what wo are accustomed to in Canada.' :It seemed strango to a Canadian to seo womon behind the bars,,r'.' Tho drinking.- habits in Australia; I Bhould say, are only too much )il;< those of tho Old Country. . I found the people very bright and i friendly, and considered as audiences, just asv.keen and appreciative ajid just as ready to. express tlvwr approbation as the audienccs in my owe V ■' ;■ .-... '■■■V-''.' V ■ "New ZealandP Well, I have only .jusj arrived,"and it is my first visit. I had heard very? nico things about this oounti-j. from my friends, but I was not prepared t<o see sucli a splendid harbour as wo entered this afternoon. It rivals Sydney .-harbour, and your city is very picturc«que. jit t ; . "I should lilio to Bay that, in my opinion, , no Other colony,is doing such good work m journalism as Australia and New Zealand. Hero in Wellington, and in the . Australian capitals, tho papers come iie-wr thp. : high ideal of tho groat London dallies lhan , anything, we'-haro in Canada." _ ,■ Mr. .Bengough added that his public appearances in-Wellington'would be llpwoly, for making fun," Ho will not touch; Upon serious controversial topics, but ho wilV submit ■> "lightning portrait ' studios of EQtivO local ■ notabilities. / 1 .