DOMINION MANNERS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1927, Page 4

DOMINION MANNERS

IMPRESSIONS 'OF PROFESSOR GRANT.

AUCKLAND. Xov. IS. •Some impcessions of New Zealand were giVen to-day prior to liis departure for (England, 'l>y Professor A. J. Grant, Professor of History at the University of Leeds, who has been exchanging for a year with Hr James Hight, of Canterbury College. Professor Grant said that lie had greatly appreciated his year in Non Zealand. “Tn leaving I should like to say that 1 am impressed, as 1 have been all along, by the high level of courtesy and friendliness with which T have been everywhere mc>t, T mean from people of all classes ol life, railway porters, tram conductors and others,”’ ho said. ‘‘The standard ol manners here seems to bo notably higher than at Home.” Questioned as to speech _in Xew Zealand Professor Grant said lie was much interested in the future ol English speaking in this country. 'i on have added hardly anything at all to the English vocabulary.” he stud, “and what you have added'-is valuable.” One matter worthy of noting, tie said, was the manner ol pronunciation. “In Kngland,” lie added, have lately adopted the vile habit ol speaking with our mouths shut, and it seems to me that Xew Zealanders have gone even further than we have in this respect. This is not confined to one class of people, but seems to me to be rather general, i would almost recomlmend a league in Now Zealand to stress the importance of opening the mouth when speaking, or something of that sort.” At the same time, said Professor Grant, it was remarkable how 'ilflv distinctive accent there was in the Dominion. “Your speech,” lie said, is on the whole as good as that 01 Kngland.”

Speaking later at a luncheon in his honour Professor Grant spoke of the superior keenness ol toe Xou Zealand student but gave some good advice on stocking college libraries, lie bad been very much attracted by the freshness and keenness of the students, but he though! tlmt the shortage of hooks in the libraries vas a drawback to the pursuit of learning. Libraries cost miii'i t. : amass but brought little on sale. There was an enormous number ol the printed books in Kngland which scholars left to varbu’s purposes, and be wondeied whether some poweriul voire carrying weight with the scholars of Kngland could not. by stressing the enormous value of sui-li libraries would be in (be Dominion, divert some of these books overseas, lie thought il would 1;,., productive of great results. Professor Grant stated his belief in the great, value ol interi bange ol teachers in the universities ol the Umpire. The idea was regarded very favourably in England. Difficult ios which arose from difference of seasons and university sessions were not unMiriiioimtalilo.