How New Zealand Surveyors Fare Abroad

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 340, 28 April 1928, Page 26

How New Zealand Surveyors Fare Abroad

THE SUy recently informed its readers that 15 licensed surveyors had sailed from Neic Zealand within a few weeks. One of this number was Mr. A. Bishop, of Howick , who has taken up survey work in the Malay States. Tormented by mosquitoes, struggling with a strange language, inexperienced in a new land, he courageously faces the future. Because we are Indifferent to their value to us, because we no not offer them a reasonable return for their skill and knowledge, many of our promising professional young men are seeking employment in lands afar. By a recent mail Mr. Bishop Rives some interesting information regarding conditions as he has so far found them in the tropical land to which he has gone, and where he will, if his health remains sound, stay for a period of four years under contract to the Government. “I have not been here long enough,” he states, “to like the place yet, or otherwise. I simply exist, for I have found I am indeed a small, and as yet unnecessary, cog in the complicated and ponderous machine of Government. I am to have a fortnight’s knocking round to pick up a little Malay, and get a camp equipment together. . . . You never think of buying anything or accepting any offer at first price. By doing so you immediately brand yourself a ‘mug,’ and become a mark for increased roguery. . . . At present I am staying at Government House. These establishments are just like ordinary hotels, built in the first place by the Government and leased to private individuals. Government servants travelling on duty have preference, and if

necessary can give an already established boarder the A. 0.8. if there is no other room. Long Live King George! ... I am very comfortable. My apartments comprise two porches, for morning and evening a big centre

room fairly well furnished, and a bathroom to myself—all for 3.50 dollars a day—that is, about <£3 a week, including board. The only fly in the ointment —query, why is there always a fly?—is a Tamil temple which breaks forth into pandemonium at all hours of the day and night, especially now when the Mohammedans are in their Lenten season, and fasting hard. Every half-hour or so a bell rings, and then the fun begins. A wheezy combination of bag-pipe*-: is blown by relays of natives; when one fails for want of breath for food • there are always plenty «nore enthusiasts to fill the gap, and he result is horrible in the extreme. I

always had a distant liking for the bag-pipes—the more distant the better, of course—but for sheer unadulterated barbarism these Malay pipes take the biscuit! I was so intrigued the other night that I went as far as the door of their temple and watched. The instruments are not bag-pipes at all, though equally obnoxious, but a series of flute arrangements, on which the player runs up and down the scale or wherever he chooses; much the same as a small child trying to play the piano, and with the same result. If that was Mohamet's idea of heaven, you know. 1 pity the poor misguided chap. There must have been something wrong somewhere! . . . The Japanese here supply a long taper affair which burns slowly, and the smoke keeps

the mosquitoes away. These insects are very Tormentingforced to choose between tw the ’skeeters’ or the former gives one bites, and tfi gives one headaches: but little really does keep the horrible blighters away.” writia* Mr. Bishop at the time oi - was stationed at Seremban. -- f expecting to receive into active survey work once.