SCULPTOR’S VIEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1933, Page 8

SCULPTOR’S VIEWS

AUSTRALIAN CHARACTERISTICS

MELBOURNE, March 19.

After years of close observation of ■the physiognomy of the people he has met in many parts of Australia, Mr Paul Montford. the sculptor, has found two notable characteristics —a big nose and small jaws.

He. attributes both those, and other characteristics, to the climate. They are more frequent in those whose family history has been Australian for two or three generations than in those in whom there has been an infusion of English blood, Man must breathe to live, and noses have grown with a wider air intake capacity. He finds it a little more difficult to account for the smaller jaws but is certain on one point—Australians, particularly the younger generation, have bad teeth, and small teeth, which they lose early. Naturally, he says, the smaller the teeth the smaller the jaws to .accommodate, them. The lower jaw is square at the base, but inclined to come to a- point at the chin. Although it is not a square jaw, he does not suggest that it is a weak one. It is fairly prominent but n uroiv. Why Australians should have bad teeth lie does not quite know. It might be the water, the addiction to sweetened tea, the atmosphere, or the diet, or a combination of' all influences. Jt is a very good tiling, in his opinion, that so many Australian soldiers brought home brides from the British Isles in the war.