A VIENNESE JOURNALIST.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1719, 9 April 1913, Page 2

A VIENNESE JOURNALIST.

IN WELLINGTON., MISS SCIIALEK INTERVIEWED. Visiting Wellington at presmt is Miss Alico Sclialek, who has written for tho "Nouo Fieio I'resso" of. Vienna for tho past twelve years, during which time she has travelled to jnany lands nnd studied many peoples, lier last foreign mission for tho "Freie i'resso" was 'to Siam, wliero she was present at the cremation of tho late King of Eiain, in accordanco with ancient rites. On tho present occasion her -chief work is to writo a .series of articles for tho "Frankfurter Zoitung," of Frankfort (Germany), which country is, according to Miss Sclialek, much more interested in this part of tho world than is Austria; besides, sho will afterwards visit German iiew Guinea and Samoa, in which island groups Germany is more directly interested. Jliss Sclialek states that sho is a "serious" journalist, and always has been. She has just had published ill Berlin a work on British India, which had been favourably received, and seriously commented upon by the German press. In tho compilation of that work tho information she had acquired during lier three' trips to tho East had been most valuable. During her stay in New Zealand sho has not let the' grass grow under her feet. She has visited Lako Wakatipu, aiul has motored from there to tho Hermitage. Then from Christchurch sho travelled through the Otira. Gorgo to Greymouth, Hokitika, and Westport, where she was bar-bound for three days— an experience the reverse of pleasant. And what of New Zealand h "Oh, I find it a most interesting country—most interesting! Not tho scenery so much—l have seen so much scenery everywhere—but the people! They are all so different anywhere els© I have ever been." In what way? "You are so democratic —I did not think it was possible anywhere. . No distinctions 1 between ono class and another. It is beautiful to seo it—and you would thing so if yon could only realiso tho terrible _ conservatism of my own country (Austria). Then you are so very hospitable. Nowhere in tho world where I have beon have I found a people so hospitable—and that without knowjng me. At Hokitika I met a doctor, and ho 'immediately took 'me round in his motor, and got a motor-launch to go up the creek. Then nextr day a lady engages a motor-launch for tho day, and wo went all over Lake Kanieri. They paid everything. And me —I had not even .a letter to anyone. It is wonderful to me —such a thing could not' happen in ten years in our country. It is tho_ same everywhere I go—l meet people in ; the street, nnd they cannot do enough to entertain me. This democracy hero is a very living tiling if I- am forjudge by my own experiences." "Sometimes you am funny to me—very funny. Every day tlio motor arrives at Westport from Reefton at 2 p.m., but there is no luncheon for tho travellers— tho lnncli hour ends at 2 p.m., and so uono arriving can get luncheon. Tho train arrives, too. from 'Granity at p.m.— no lunch for travellers on the train. And' the train and motor' arrive every day at 2 p.m.—that. is funny to me. Why not change tho lunch hour? Ono day I went to Granity and told tho hotel man to be sure and save mo something to eat. I arrive back at 2 o'clock very hungry and go into the hotel. I said: 'Where is tlio something to eat you promised to save for me?' And he said: 'Tho' people in tho kitchen would not do it!'- Isn't that funny?" One could.only admit that it was funny, to absurdityMiss Sclialek is endeavouring to discover tho difference between tho political parties in New Zealand, and so far has liuulo very' l little headway 'with'her studies in this direction. Iler deductions appear to trend in tlio direction of the idea that in a new and democratic country sucli .as.l New Zealand, there cannot bo any very definite lino of demarcation between political parties., To-mor-row Miss Schalek will- leave for tho Wanganui River, Taupo, and Rotorua. Owing to being bar-bound for three days at Westport her stay in Wellington had to be curtailed.