'AS OTHERS SEE US"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 109, 11 May 1931, Page 8

'AS OTHERS SEE US"

NEW ZEALAND'S CULTURE

(To the Editor.). Sir,—A recent 'issue' of "The Post" contained excerpts from an article by Dr. John Borland appearing in an English magazine, in which the writer airs his opinions of New Zealand, its climate, and people. As some of the views expressed are not strictly in accordance with actual fact, I propose—subject to your approval, Sir —offering a few comments thereon. Let us take the question of climate first.Dr. Borland says: "The climate of New Zealand is much like that of ■ England 'or Scotland.". ." I should like to know upon what data the doctor bases that assertion. A residence of some twenty years in the Old Country arid over here has led me to the conclusion that, there is practically ' no point of similarity between the average meteorological conditions obtaining in. England and New Zealand respectively. Moreover, the'weather varies to an enormous extent in different parts of the Dominion itself—for instance, that which commonly obtains in Wellington and district is • frequently in striking contrast to the weather in Haw lies Bay:' and whilst the West Coast of the South Island may be experiencing torrential rain and flood, it is not at all rare for Canterbury Province to be simultaneously suffering from a prolonged drought. . ■ Further, every Englishman who has travelled knows. very well -that the. beauties of a fine summer in his native land have no counterpart anywhere else on the globe: ■and, conversely, it is equally absurd to liken our--New: Zealand winters—even the woust of them—to the semi-Arctic atmospherical disturbances that are England's regular visitors during the cold, season. I am. aware of the statistical comparisons between the two countries issued not long since by the meteorological authorities, in the course of which "it was made to appear that the moan average temperatures in London and' in Wellington were almost identical:, but we also know that figures can be manipulated to mean anything, and in this case I think a mean,advantage has been taken of this vulnerable elasticity. Dr. Borland admits there are slight deviations in New Zealand from accepted standards of English pronunciation. Evidently his professional activities did not bring him into contact, with a. very wide circle of the proletariat, or his strictures might have been more severe. Our native divergences of dialect cover a considerable range; in Dunedin one hears a youngster say: "I saw fehther in the keh"—meaning "father in the car"; whilst at the other extreme the ultra-genteel person remarks: "Did you enjoy your holidee? Hoe brown (rhyming with grown) you are!" And when passing a picnic party on one of. the three fine days of last summer I overheard this request for fruit conserve: "Pess the jem, Jim!"—gives one , the "jim-jams," does it not? ' ' But I am not-^altogether sure that the people are solely, to be blamed when the Press, to which one looks more and more for guidance in matters cultural, publishes such explicit directions for allegedly correct pronunciation as in the following extract from a contemporary:—"Forehead should be, pronounced "for-ed"; towards as "tordz"; connoisseur, as "kon-as-er"; medicine as "med-sn"; valet as "val-it"; and amateur as "amater." Finally, Sir, Dr. Borland, himself a distinguished musician, touches • upon the musical condition of this country as he has found it, and here I feel he scarcely does us justice: between his lines I* seem to read a somewhat patronising tone which, knowing as I do the host of artistic talent in our midst, I am inclined to resent. He makes no mention at all of the most excellent and large 'orchestral combinations existing in practically every centre, nor does he allude to the highly finished chamber-music performers who de^ light us on occasions all too rare, and some of whom—particularly in Wellington— have few equals anywhere. With one of Dr. Borland's views, however, most of us will be in hearty agreement—his expression- of- regret, at •>: the "abolition of; human orchestras from the picture theatres," Happily there are now signs and portents that this musical anomaly may be rectified in the not distant future: and possibly when the doctor next honours us with a visit he may find our houses of entertainment once more resounding to the . harmonious echoes of man-made music.—l am, etc.,' ■• ■■'.'■ ; -~; - L. D. AUSTIN.