VISITORS FROM JAVA

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 83, 2 January 1935, Page 11

VISITORS FROM JAVA

World Tourists Spend Few Days in Wellington

LIKING FOR NEW ZEALAND Immaculately attired in the height of Western fashion, with silk stockings and brown suede shoes, a brown travelling suit, and small brown hat worn on the side of her head, and with a diamond ring of ultra-modern design flashing on her linger, a dainty little Chinese ladj' might have been seen yesterday sitting with her husband in the lounge of a Wellington hotel. The couple were Mr. and Mrs. Jap Eng Ho, Javanese of high rank, who are visiting Wellington in the course of a world tour. They came from Australia, where they have been attending the centenary celebrations at Melbourne, on the Maheno, and have visited Dunedin ami Christchurch, which they found rather chilly for folk accustomed to tropical climes.

“We brought with us the wind and the rain,” said Mrs. Jap, who besides speaking fluent English, with a slight Continental accent, has ut her command Dutch, Malay, Chinese, German and French. . “We had a very rough crossing of the Tasman Sea and were unable to go into Milford Sound or to see the mountains, which were covered with mist. So fur we have liked New Zealand; we are hoping to drive round your harbour this afternoon. We shall be leaving Wellington on January 4, and- shall visit Tongariro, Waitomo, Rotorua and other scenic centres on our way north to catch the Mariposa at Auckland.” '

As Mr. Jap spoke very little English Mrs. Jap went on to describe the tour undertaken by these two much-travel-led people. She said that they had visited and toured extensively in the principal European .countries. She had visited the English countryside and had stayed at the university town of Oxford. In Australia she had. formed a preference for Sydney, being enchanted with the loveliness of the harbour there. After leaving New Zealand Mr. and Mrs. Jap intended to tour America and to visit China, the home of Mr. Jap’s parents. “Aly own people were Chinese, born in Batavia,” said Mrs. Jap. “You want to know what Java is like? It IS very , hard for me to give you an idea. You have here two million people, and you say you do not want any more to come here. Well, my country contains many millions, and it is an island larger than this one. The Dutch govern it, and it is not like New Zealand, Where the Maoris and the white people are all equal. In Java the Malays are underneath, inferior. But they have good schools, and can qualify as engineers, doctors mid professional men. They are quite civilised, you know. It is only the country people who are in any way untouched by European civilisation.”