TOUR ABROAD

Hokitika Guardian, 29 January 1931, Page 2

TOUR ABROAD

NEW ZEALANDER RETURNS

INDIA CONFERENCE

"WOMAN’S IMPRESSIONS

WELL IN G TON, January 26

After a holiday tour oi Europe extending over some eight mouths, Mis G. D. Greenwood, wife of the owner of Gloaming, the champion New Zealand racehorse, returned by the Monowai yesterday, on her way to her home in Christchurch.

Mrs Greenwood left Wellington on 3lay,.2o|iast, and spent a very enjoy<able time in California. She was especially interested in the type of architecture in Los Angeles, where the houses are constructed to imitate the Indian style or the Spanish. The latter houses were magnificent, she said, with tlieir patios and their wonderful enclosed gardens, where one could avoid ~ the heat of the sun, and sit among beautiful ffo^Vers. “If Los Angeles is growing by leaps and bounds,” she said, “so also is Hollywood, Indeed} one wonders which in ithe* eiid’(if there be all end) will bo tht larger'place. Hollywood's picture studios I.and properties are’ being moved further and further away every little while as the town encroaches upon them.” Arriving in London early in July, Mrs .greenwood ■ was rather' late for “the season,” but she got what remained of 1 -it. I She'discovered that m London the talkies had not ousted the legitimate drama from its' stronghold in the affection of the people. Right up to the time of leaving England in December new plays w'ere being produced, and the theatres were packed. Many of the favourites, such as “Bitter Sweet” and “The First Mrs Fraser,” were enjoying record runs.

PROBLEMS OF INDIA. Speaking of the recenf'Tlndia Round Table Conference, Mrs Greemvood - said she was convinced that those British people who'had lived, fought, and worked in and for India, could be the only possible judges of what was best and right for India’s governance. The ordinary Briton could not possibly know' the conditions prevailing there, and he did not j-ealise that to give the whole governing power back to a nation that consisted of hostile religions, hostile factions and rulers who ||?si>y nature would be absolute tyrants. Would', make a pretty problem to be solved some day.- ’ ■ hear speeches its I did/* continned Mrs Greenwood, “from such earnest and distinguished people as Lilian A. 'Underhill, who spent years gsp' of her life among the hostile tribes of the border, ministering to friend anci foe, was an eye-opener as to the real state of affairs in India to-day. That country has an area more than twenty riwij tipies that of Great Britain, and withHI in its, boundaries are 600 self-governed *■ States, covering mere than one-third ji. of the wdiole world, and more than 220 languages or dialects are spoken. “The religion of Hinduism, has J-vv thefei is the great Mohammedan res!»• ligiori, and these twm are great rivals 0 and at daggers drawn with each other. Besides those two mighty creeds there 01 are at least five' others, v, “The Reformers, who belong to the Hi very small but very influential educated •N| class, are the only ones who can make their opinions known both in Tndia and in England at the Round Table '/V Conference. They have absolute con- ... trol of the Press and are in possession '>>. of the monopoly of political power and *Ji privileges, but although they talk in tfe the name of the whoie population of fijl, India, they only’ comprise a very small s£' section the enormous population.

NEW FREEDOM FOR WOMEN. “It wa3 one extraordinary outcome of the Round Table Conference that at its social gatherings one saw some the wives of the delegates accompanying their husbands, for the first time' in their lives released from purdah. When one considers what purdah means—absolute seclusion on the physicial and mental side—it is difficua to know how to combat it. The women never cross the threshold of their home, never are allowed to meet people outside their families, and if, as some rarely are, they may be perto go out into the steets, they arc covered from head to foot in a 'sbeet-like garment enveloping them completely. Imagine, then, the absolute change to woman to be permitted to cross the seas, mingle freely with other people, and to join socially in all the entertainments given to the Indian visitors. recci"od by our King and Queen at Buckingham Palace, going to official dinners, receptions, and all such social affairs.

“I met one such, and she was an outstanding example. She is the wile of a very distinguished and highlyeducated Indian, the Nawo.b Sir Ahmed Amin-Jung. He was a very strikinglooking man with long white beard, most cultured and interesting. His wife sat arrayed in beautiful Indian dress, smilingly interested in all that was happening at the reception at which we were present, not in the least abashed or shy, though she could not speak or understand a word C English, and had but recently b°en released from purdah. Never say that

women cannot adapt themselves to any situation.” As a finish to a most enjoyable visit to England, Mrs Greenwood mentioned that she had had the good fortune to have a novel dealing with New Zealand life, written by herself, accepted by a London firm of publishers. In the spring—that was about March or April of this year—Messrs Heath and Cranton, Ltd., were to bring out her book entitled “The Splendid Horizon-.” Although this was Mrs Greenwood’s first novel, it was not her first book. Several years ago she wrote a book on Gloaming, “Gloaming—the Wonder Horse,” and site has published many short stories and newspaper articles.