N.Z. CLUB LUNCHEON.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1875, 8 October 1913, Page 8

N.Z. CLUB LUNCHEON.

MR. FORD, OF HAWAII. LINKS ROUND THE PACIFIC. The Now Zealand Club entertained Mr. Alexander Hume Ford, editor of the "Mid-Pacific Magazine," and a delegate of the "Hands Round the Pacific Movement," at lunch yesterday. Mr. A. It. Atkinson presided."Our guest," stated Mr. Atkinson, 'during the courso of a brief speech, "has been described as being in appearance, manner, and specch a typical American, and he is, therefore, just the type of man wo wish to meot." Mr. Ford spoke on the "Hands Round the Pacific Movement," and enlarged on the matter contained in an interview with him, which was published in Tmk Dominion yesterday. Ho remarked that it seemed particularly appropriate that thoy were now talking of a movement which had had its inception in Wellington just five years ago—on the day that tho colony had become a Dominion. "I recall my first interview,", continued Mr. Ford, "iu tho old Government Tourist Bureau offices with your pioneer of tho new tourist idea, Sir. T. E. Donne, and that interview supplied the inspiration. Your plan for i taking caro of the tourist has spread from New Zealand to Australia, and we aro attempting to adopt it in Hawaii. Evon as far away as Switzerland certain ideas, born in Wellington, are being, carried out. It was Mr. Donne who induccd me to take the walk over Jlilford Track, and it was that walk that resulted in scores of trails being cut over tho mountains of Hawaii, along which accommodation-huts (patterned after yours) are springing up. From every port on the Pacific seaboard people visited these trails, and, from their meeting, the "Hands Round the Pacific Club" had been formed and grown.

What Llnhs Us. Tlio speaker then went oil to refer to 'Australasia. It had, lie said, great areas to offer to the adventurous AngloSaxon settler of means, and, at the same time, it seemed to him that New Zealand had equal advantages in dairy farming'to offer to, more humble, but equally useful workers. The American West was rapidly filling up. Another million population in California - would probably mean that New Zealand : v would receive another penny a pound for its butter and mutton. In Hawaii, they paid on an average a shilling a ■pound for meat, and two shillings a pound for butter. They were too busy making money in sugar and pineapples to compete with New Zealand in butter or the raising of sheep and cattle, and their prosperity meant prosperity for New Zealand, whose's plentiful production of mutton, wool, and butter .'meant cheaper and more agreeablo living for the peoplo of Hawaii. As America grew, it would no doubt send surplus population to New Zealand, and these, in ' turn, would help to keep Hawaii in provisions. The prosperity of any country of the Pacific must bo shared by all. The White and Yeilow, The speaker then went on to speak of thp Yellow Peril, which he considered did not threaten agricultural 11a- • tions, though it did threaten manufacturing: States. Japan and- China did not wish the white settler in their midst; and they, in'turn, woulu gladly enter into an understanding that yellow people should not intrude in the white man's land. As to Hawaii, there was positively no race hatred, and also no race intermingling, but there was a feeling of / splendid fellowship, for aH know, that each was necessary to the well-being of the other. ' They rejoiced that a son of Hawaii —Dr. Sun Vat Sen, who was educated with their boys and girls—had been of such service to China. They had treated Orien- / tals in Hawaii like brothers, ,and the latter had acted in return like brothers to them. Wherever they were treated as dogs, they would act in return as dogs, and bite back—it was hurna.n nature. . Our' Tourist Bureaux. In conclusion, Mr. Ford again praised our tourist bureaux. "I have visited Rotorua," he stated,, "and we have no such splendidly-conducted baths in America—nothing approaching it. I •liave seen Otira Gorge, the Buller, and the M'Kinnon Passes, and the memory of these will remain with mo for over, as will also tho admiration for your general systom of taking care of tho tourist within your gates. 'It lias taught mo that a country which fits itself for visitors, fits itself for. its 'own people, and in the end tho people of tho country are tho gainers. • The speaker was heartily applauded at the conclusion of bis address, .and was thanked on behalf of those present by the chairman.