American's Kindly View Of New Zealanders

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 37, 13 May 1965, Page 6

American's Kindly View Of New Zealanders

The view of the New Zealander as energetic, ingenious, versatile and hospitable, a citizen of oue of the best nations of the world, will be taken home to the United States by Mr Cnrtis Barnebey, an American chemical engineer who is completmg a vear's visit to the Dominion. "Let's get stuck in" and "Have a go" are far more characteristic phrases in this country than "She'll be right," in the opinion of Mr Barnebey.

From Longview, Washington State, Mr Barnebey has been visiting the country under the Rotary Youth Exchange scheme. He has frequently been a guest of Putaruru Rotarians, and at their meeting last Tuesday evening he summed up his impressions for them.

Commenting on a suggestion that there was no need to have a Rotary Youth Exchange link between two friendly Christian nations, the United States and New Zealand, Mr Barnebey said: "Through my travels I have found a great need for the meeting of ordinary citizens of our two nations. For people of my own nation because so many are conceraed with our enemies that we barely realise that we have such good friends; for people of your nation because so many have a distorted pieture of Americans. For some it embraces everything good, and for others everything evil. "There is also a need to get past and break down the overly nationalistic feelings of the two countries, the feeling that one's country is always right, is always best. I have learned tolerance to your countrymen's criticisms of the United States, and I have learned caution to blind I praise. Apd maybe those | people who have taught me ! those things have also learned a little more of tolerance, a little more of caution." Mr Barnebey commented briefly on his impressions of the Maori people. "I have heard many times how the Maori is an outward going, friendly fellow, but I have noted throughout my travels how few I have met, how few were willing to talk to me. From this lack of experiences I can only tell the American that the Maori is very friendly in his own group, that he is shy and sensitive about meeting strangers, and that he is not ! found very often in adminij strative and technical jobs. 5 To the normal strangers, he is reserved, quiet."

Since his arrival in New Zealand, Mr Barnebey had j travelled 19,000 miles seek- j j ing a wider knowledge of j | the New Zealander at work I and play, everywhere being j I met and taught by Rotarians, he stated. Tourist View "You have separated me from the normal tourist, and I find it very difficult to think like some," Mr Barnebey commented. "I feel very out-of-step wtih some of the tourists. Occasionally I hear or read that tourists consider you complacent, behind the times, and a little smttg. "Are you complacent? "If clearing poor housing | areas, as they are doing in Dunedin, is complacent, then ; you are complacent. If seekj ing new markets in Japan j and Malaysia is complacent, | then you are complacent. 1 And if the ideals which have ! been put into action in ! Volunteer Service Abroad are complacent, then you are complacent.

"If you have a society that is enjoyable and you have j the time to enjoy it, is this complacency or are your visitors a little envious of i the fruits that you are en- j joying now? So many people in my own country and j others strive so hard all j their lives for a better standard that they don't recognise it when they get there. Their striving has become in itself a way of life, and they cannot enjoy their newlywon standards. "Are you behind the times ? "Only if by growing 30 per cent. more wool than the Americans cjm you be con- j sidered behind the times. ; Only if stocking more sheep and cows per acre than most of the world, only if the herringbone shed and the shearing method invented here and taught all over the world are behind the times. And people can criticise with justice only if the most advanced welfare system in the world is behind the times. "Are you smug? "Is this smugness that the tourist sees or is it pride ? Pride in the successes of what was a very poor country 30 years ago at the height of the depression. Pride in the continuing rise in the standards of living, and pride in successful internal relationships. "This nation is not perfect 1 few nations are. But of all nations in the world this is one of the best. I am not being complacent or smug. I am actively and enthusiastically proud. "What will I tell my people?

"I will tell them of your mountains, your beaches and j your game, but mostly I will j tell them of the peoples who j inhabit these isles. I have | many inspiring tales to tell j the American about the New Zealander. I will tell him about the jet boat and N.Z. j Forest Products, Ltd. — one j man's inspiration — and I will tell them about the new topdressing plane, the Airtruck. "Sometimes the character of the country is often given aWay by the colloquialisms j of the people. The story of j | the Airtruck more than any | other illustrates the most j wonderful phrase I have j 1 heard in New Zealand, the; j story of a single man to develop an idea, to dream and to mould his dream in aluminium rods and wire struts. The phrase that this j always reminds me of is 'Right, let's get stuck in.' And there are many more examples of this attitude. "And on the other hand, I have heard the phrase, | 'She'll be right," which

would be the worst phrase that I have heard in my year in New Zealand. But I can honestly say that I have seen little of this attitude. An Image "If I am to draw an image of the New Zealander I think that I can do it in four words : Energy, ingenuity, versatility and hospitality. I have not one example, but many, for each of these traits. It is a moving experience to see, in any town at any time, people using all of these four traits in helping others. "Never have I seen so many ealls from charitable institutions, ehurches and clubs, and never have I seen such a ready response. "This country still feels its youth, and another thrilling phrase I have heard symbolises, I think, the j pioneering spirit when the land was first broken in, when the forests were first started and when the gold was first won from the hills. It is the phrase 'Have a go.' "I see this spirit still on the Government level with the building of a new steel mill and the establishment of giant hydro-electric dams. I see this spirit on the individual level, where a tech- ! nician will build his own house or a salesman will build his own boat. "It is these qualities that have brought this nation to its position today. There is no other nation in the world with an agricultural economy that has a higher standard of living. There are very few nations where so many have so much leisure time and have so many re- | sources to use it. "This is indeed a fortunate country — not a lucky one. This very good life that you enjoy is a produet of hard work, of sincere effort, and it has remained good only because the people have ! retained the urge to improve | and the drive to secure what i they have gained."