BRAVE ENGLISHMAN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 64, 2 April 1937, Page 6

BRAVE ENGLISHMAN

To Face "PeriIs,' of The Dominion "FIERCE" 0PQSSUMS In Norfolk square, London, there ii (or was), young man who appeam ently visualises New Zealand as a wilderness full of wild game and all the delights of the primitive life. He says he is going to visit New Zealand. Re will bring a tent, and while hers h« will: Tame wild borse3. Trade articles to the Maoris. Pitch his tent whexever be likeA, Roam from rancb to ranch. Sboot wild pigs (a bigbly dangeron* occupation), Tbe Sunday Cbronicle, wbicb seems to know no more about New Zealand tban does Mr Collins, bas printed tbt extraordinary Btory of bis intentions. Here it i&: A gun, a tent, cooking equipment and toois, a borse and car. Witb tbese a young man will set out tbis week t* live on nothing a day— or nearly so. He is Mr Harry Collins, of Norfolk square, London, wbo is about to set out for New Zealand to lead tbe simple life. A Sunday Cbronicle representative found him a keen-eyed, energetie young man in bis twenties, biisily engaged iu planning bis escape from tbq civilissw tion wbicb, be declares, is "barbaric, anyhow." "I am one of tbe_ bappiest me* alive," be said, "for" soon I sball be as free as tbe air. I am going to New Zealand, and shall roam the countiy, from day to day, pitching my tent alone wh-erever I like, and, wben neces^ sary, doing any odd jobs tbat turn np.'* Witbout a care in tbe world, he will wander from rancb to rancb, belping witb tbe -shearing, pntting np fences, and shooting wild pigs (a bighly dan-i gerous occupation) in order to ' obtaiS tbe bonnty that is paid for tbeir death* The most difncult task of all tbat this f-earless young man bas set bimlself is tbat of opossnm-trapping in tbe lonely bnsb. Tbis necessitateg pitching his tent in tbe lonely bnsb at night, and, apart from tbe danger of getting lost, there is the risk of being attacked by wild hoars. Other jobs that he will attempt wiR be: Taming wild borses; Hnnting wild pigs in the moe** light; and j Trading articlea jiith tbe Maoxisy ■ "And if yon.tbink I'm going to bave a bard life of it," be added confidently, "you've made a mistakel X can get myself better meals with my gnn tban I can get at an£ London boteL I sball get eels from tbe creeks, crayfish from tbe ponds and rivers, pork from tbe wild pigs,- and rabbitsl I sball ilot starve — wbicb one can eaisily do irt London — and I sball breatbe some clean air, wbicb I cannot do bere. "Believe me, I sball not be sorry td say good-bye to kinemas, wireless, motor cars, telepbones, and, incident» ally, smoke, dirt, nnemployment and unhappiness. "And, as for it being dangerons:' .1 run tbe risk of losing myself in the busb, or of being swept away by the fast-melting snows during the night when pitching near a river, or of being killed by a hoar." Presnmably, large' numbers of readjj eus of English newspapers accept witlw out question the picture pf New Zea*land thus presented. The Dominion publieity services would appear to have a long way to go.