Men From Japan.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7719, 23 January 1905, Page 2

Men From Japan.

An Interesting Chat. Knocking about the town during Saturday with wide-legged »tridj nnd swagger, the quaintly drc£s>\«l Japanese wrestlers of Fit/«orald's circus attracted genera'; attention. With heads hare of uiik>h ravel ,lack, conise Imir dune up into fancy toilknots, broad bare lliroals, niiisiiilur bodies ami l:nili», each made a pic- ! tui-o which was spoilt it iiniy when 'one fouiKl Hit! harmony broken by I European stockings and shoes. In considering the physique of*'* or eight nun who make up the I troupe, one i. struck hy UK' inup-proprialcii-'KH of the term " Little," ro coniinonly upp'.icd to t l*o men m of .lajmn. Among the party there uio ' Hjuie who even ui height are quitu 'up lo European average, while if con.viue.ed noni the point of viciv of avoirdupois and muscular d'velopIntent u-'arccly one of them can he called little. | in the course of Mi.' evening a News man took his place in the last-filling circus tent, where an exceptionally orderly, and perhaps even 's.nnewlKU apathetic, crowd sat a- | waiting the beginning of the performance. After some conventional horse acts and trapeze pieces the wrestlers' were introduced, and stripping tu their work |>ut up sonic apparently strenuous tussles with "the Champion"—the referee keeping up a uniting sing-song of directions to the peitforniers. There may be, and probably are, many differences between Japanese wrestling and " Calch-as-cutch-can," but except that the contestants kept off the floor, and that ■a throw consisted in a foot outside the ring, there was no difference perceptible to the unskilled sjiectator. Ju opening each bout there seemed to be a set form, and usually the two sprang at each "other from Iheir haunches and made impact with <a mighty '•huh !" Generally, it, may be said, that if the throws were not genuine they had the appearance of being so, and were doubtless a good exposition of Japanese wrestling. Subsenpieiilly the News man sought the Japanese, tent at the back of the circus, but found the men just dispersing towards the centre of the town. With diliieulty he kuriied th.it vhr lirnerpieter hail already left, but accompanying two of the performers to a well-known bourd-ling-houso found all the other membe. s of the party there making hasty preparations for •the start to Manuknu u t midnight. liriefly introducing himself and exehuny.ng cauls «(;th Mr S. lh.yiiwathe scribe found the latter a natty gentleman in European at- | tire nifJ speaking English with fair fluency. " As your time is brief." said the News man,, '■' I'et me ask you direcUy if you 'have imtdu any further Maori notes or seen anything to contradict or confirm your opinion as lo a lejuiionship between the Japanese and th'e Maoris >" " Well, nothing much." was the reply. "I am quite sure that our Government', in response to friends to whom X have written, will causu a lull linguistic and ethnological investigation to 'be made in New Zealand,. For that purpose one or more professors will come here from Japan and report on the who'ie subject. Of course, I don't say that linens as positive proof of any direct | relationship, but 1 still keep noticjing littlo things that make me think a good bit. For example, at your ]Exhibition buildings to-duy 1 sawladders or- steps which are made and used by the Maoris. These conjsist simply of small trunks of trees, I with peculiar notches cut in them. 'Ladders practically identically identical with these, and cii|t in just tho [same way, have been in use in our jinine* in Japan from the most undent times. Hut let me any this to you, plain and blunt and straight : 1 don't Hko talking about the Maori much now. No, 1 have found things in the Maori character 1 don't like, |as for example, "utu," compensation, for dishonour,! A Maori does | onoi of our men a wrong, and a 'struggle takes place; in excitement Maori, meets slight n..ark, accidental probaWy—what you call the j black eye—with hand, or toe of shoe jor otherwise. Then comes talk to mo of compensation and summons, and as I am a man of peace, I pav , that thcro shall be no Court. Hut no more the Maoi'i : Kindlv, to tell lyou the truth, I prefer to* talk of the European. Yes, of the Kussian if j-ou like. Oh, yes, we arv doing very nicely, thank vou ■ w c will win, of course." "Hut •if," says the scribe, '• there is always an 'if you know ?" ' There is no 'if this time. We will win. After Mukden, then Harbin and perhaps in time also Vladivostok, lhen llussua will make peace. ,if she does not we will «o on. fighting, q' course. • Money? Do vou forget (hut England and the li.iu-d , | ruahed our loans? Not rush, ed ? N 0 ? social security ! Yes, well of course and uuttc right U)Q I»an is an honour, ami if she coukl not pay, well u receiver is put in, "!: Jaim' l "'""Id not object. Would wt ike it? No, of course not, but Japan will reply, always honourably ■ Hut J do not carry all figures in my head ; „„. writ * to 3,'°" So,lc ' Minister of Finance. n c will sewl you reports-in English too. Money will come in plenty as long as we win victories. Everv v £- S'f "oith m Unv lllilH » * also Economic and Science School Charing Cross, j, ()m | un . .,'