A CONTRAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 180, 9 November 1910, Page 7

A CONTRAST.

To the Editor. Sir,—Having travelled through the South and North Islands, one cannot help noticing what a vast deal of diifference there is between the people 01 the two in regard to courtesy, good breeding and manners. It is really worthy of note how nice and polite the South Islanders really are, compared with the dwellers in the far north. But Taranaki deserves special comment for being unsociable and, to my mind, inkospitable. That condition may be largely due to the fact that Taranaki people are never in the habit of frequenting a place of worship, especially those people in the back blocks. The Sabbath Day is held in contempt, whilst gambling is prevalent, and all the evils connected therewith. Any cultured person with a Christian feeling must perforce feel great disapproval at the amount of ignorance, contempt and disrespect shown by Taranaki people to the unfortunate stranger within their gates and which chance Providence has thrown upon their truly inhospitable shores — the land where ignorance is bliss, and where it is folly to be wise. I have travelled on the live continents, and can converse in seven different languages; therefore I have had ample opportunity to study the various characters presented before me. I was surprised whilst in Central South Africa to see the various colored tribes attending church 01 chapel on Sundays. And on one occasion I went in for curiosity. A colored preacher was delivering an earnest appeal to his people to always remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day. He invited me to the front, and said, in tlit Dutch language, that I was doubly welcome on account of my having been a stranger, and especially because I resembled the color of that Great White Chief who gave His life for His enemies as well as His friends. In conclusion, I may state that even some of those who go to church in New Zealand, go there as a matter of form. And they are so parochial and clannish that if a stranger dropped in amongst them, he would feel himself like a square peg in a round hole, and that their God could not possible be his. There are instances on record in our northern cities where a stranger cannot get a seat in church on account of people who are residents having engaged them by payment of money—front seats meant for persons of means to enable them to sport their dress.—l am, etc., WILLIAM MERVYN JONES.