A VISIT TO MEXICO

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 184, 21 August 1937, Page 13

A VISIT TO MEXICO

MU ' ■■«■!— — Gore Rotarian Impressed with Hospitality HASTINGS ADDRESS Some impressions gained while at't'ending a Rotary Convention in. Mexico were given. members of the Hastings RotaTy Glub yesterday by Rotarian H. McQuillan, of Gore. He said that a number of yeaTs ago he inade a tour of England and the Gontinent, and so thoroughly enjoy ed his tour among Rotarians on that occasion that he decided to have another holiday among Rotarians in a different part of the world. Hence his trip to Cuba and eventually to Mexico. Cuba was a magniiicent island, said Mt. McQuillan, and Havana left him ' 'breathless." The whole island appeared to be enjoying prosperity and progress, and his stay thero was full of enjoyment. Warm , welcomes awaited him in Mexico, or Meck-e-ko, as it was prdnouneed, and everywhere he went he found the various Rotary Clubs and members eager to extend full* hospitality. He was greatly struck by tho different nationalities of Cuba and Mexico. In the f ormer there was a big elemeut Qfmegroid, but in Mexico there w«re praetically. no negroes but there

was a big number of full-blooded Aztec. Indians and a mixture of Indians and Spaniards. ' One interesting experience in Mexico City, said the speaker, was the result of the same habit as was followed in New Zealand, that of calling people by christian names or even more familarly by nicknames. "VVkile there he was constantly called by the local word for ' ' cannibal, 1 ' the reason given him later being that the people apparently were under the impression that New Zealand was a "cannibal isle." Mf. McQuillan was greatly impressed by the cheapness of travelling in Mexico and, in partichlar, Mexieo City. During his stay there he was "billeted" a few miles out of town, and it was possible to hire a taxi — and there were 15,000 or more in Mexico — at a cost of only 4d for Ihe trip. The tram fai*e cost about a pennv, and the bus about a' halfpoimy. "Onu. can spend a very cheap holiday travelling about in Mexico," he said. Some indicatiou of ihe lavlshness of tho entertaimnent provided the visiting Rotarians was given by Mr. McQuillan, who said that they were taken out to what was known as the "Foreign Club " headquarters, where there was a big castlo and a lake. Pohtoons floated round the lake and on these wero dancers who depicted in danee the early history of the ancient Aztecs. During the progress of this pieturesque and most interesting proecssion of fioating "ball-rooms," thero nas a rem'arkably fme liroworks display, which,

he understood, cost about £10,000. "It certainly was a great sight and wond'erful entertaimnent, ' ' he said. "But right through Mexico I found wonderfxtl hospitality, and was given as good a timo as it was possible to be given." Mr. McQuillan said ho finished his holiday by spending three weeks in the United States, and there, too, he had a wonderful time. ' ' In f act, if you want to enjoy real hospitality, and at the same time step into a new world altogether, go to America. You'Jl . find yourself in a- new world, and you wili enjoy wonderful hospitality." Concluding his talk, Mr. McQuillan suggested to his hearers that they might sample this hospitality by attending the next Rotary Convention, which was to bo held in San Francisco.