A CORNER OF THE PLAYGROUND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 597, 25 February 1929, Page 8

A CORNER OF THE PLAYGROUND

♦AMERICANS make the world their playground. Their country’s prosperity has given them the means, and alert caterers for the growing tourist business have evolved a satisfactory method which finds expression in the commissioning of large and luxurious steamers, whereon cruises round the world may be booked. Just as the sons of cultivated England were once sent on the Continental Grand Tour to complete their education, so young Americans are sent voyaging across the seven seas and huge vessels are even fitted out as colleges in which a curiously-mingled curriculum is observed. Two of the great pleasure-liners from the U.S.A. came to New Zealand a couple of years ago. They were the Franconia and Carinthia, each of which sent a tide of tourists surging through the country. It seemed as if a prosperous new phase of the tourist business was to be opened in the Dominion. The opportunity was unfortunately marred. A city newspaper derided the tourists, their clothes, their accent, their mannerisms. That it was gross bad form to sneer at guests was forgotten. And the tourists, bearing their resentment abroad, declared that future voyages would not embrace New Zealand. The inevitable sequel was marked caution among the executives of the tourist business in America. Their clients must keep clear of New Zealand. Evidently they have now lived down their caution and their resentment, for the new Matson liner Malolo is to call here in the spring. The occasion should be accepted as an opportunity to extend cordial hospitality. It is little use maintaining a Government publicity office if the object of its excellent work is to be defeated within our own shores. The American visitors will repay hospitality, if only from the base viewpoint of material profit. At present the commercial relations between New Zealand and the U.S.A. are one-sided.