A WORLD TRAVELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 181, 18 December 1912, Page 8

A WORLD TRAVELLER.

IXTEUVrF.W WITH DU. ISUKiiIAAI. Dr. Brigham, director of the Bcrnice Pouahi Bishop Museum of Honolulu, who lias been touring the world inspecting museums, .and who arrived in Christchurch recently, was interviewed by a Lvttelton Times reporter, when he made sonic very interesting comment* on his recent experiences. "I have travelled about 40,000 miles," said Dr. Briglnim, '"and have visited and examined the principal museums of all civilised countries, including the whole of Europe, America and Java, also the Boulac Museum in Egypt, which is the only museum which that country possessesl, and which was built by the British Government at a cost of two n;.,lions. New Zealand is the last place ' I am visiting before returning to llono[lulu. I leave for Wellington, and have yet to visit Auckland before my work is finished.

"Yes, it is a good many years since I was last in Christchurch, and on that occasion the top of your Cathedra] spire was twisted by an earthquake." "You have just returned from a visit to Mount Cook, have you not?" the interviewer questioned. "Yes," said Dr. Brigham. "When I arrived in Christchurch I found that there was no room for me at any of your hotels owing to the holiday-seekers being here in great numbers, and ao J went off for a little holiday myself, and am very pleased that I did so. I went down to Dunedin, and as a side trip went to Mount Cook. But it is very cold here, and I am beginning to think that the various Antarctic expeditions have annexed New Zealand to the polar regions. However, New Zealand is a grand place for tourists and visitors. Its glaciers beat those of Switzerland, for they are so much more accessible, and one can study them better. And not only have you the beauties of woodlands and ice-clad mountains, but yon have your wonderful thermal regions and the magnificence of the Wanganui river. You have most of the "beauties of the world. They are very wonderful, of great variety, and are all contained in so small a compass. "Sixteen years ago I was here, and since that time there have been great improvements in all directions, some of them being almost startling. Your Canterbury Museum is quite the best in the southern hemisphere. From a scientific point of view the Sydney Museum is better than that of Christchurch, but the Christchurch Museum contains a more comprehensive and varied collection, and, moreover, takes in art. A town in Europe does not consider itself complete without a respectable museum. "The building of some of your museums, however, is very bad. It is a crime to let the Wellington Museum remain in wood. In ten minutes a fire would destroy quantities of exhibits that could not possibly be replaced. Auckland's Museum, too, is in the midst of wooden buildings, and a fire would quickly sweep it away." Great improvements have been made in the New Zealand railways, continued Dr. Brigham, and in particular tncre .has been a great extension of the lines of railway. "When I was here before the railway carriages were horrible, and there were some 011 the Auckland-Roto-rua line that ought to have been burned years before. However, they are greatly improved now, and there is a much more prosperous look about the country. Most of the farmhouses seemer little better than pigstyes when I was heio before, but everything is now •piite changed." "

• "I was very much surprised," said Dr. Biigham, at the number of publichouses there are in New Zealand, and I have never seen so much drinking in any of the countries I have visited, except in Russia, and there it is mostly vodka drinking, and it is terrible. I do not mean that I have seen more people dead drunk in New Zealand, but I have seen more in a state of maudli* drunkenness, and I repeat, after due *>nsideration, in the whole of Europe, except in Russia, I have seen nothing like it. There are bars everywhere, and whereas in most countries they are confined to the towns, here you find there scattered all over the country. It is a very great pity, for the people of New Zealand are of a fine stamp. The colo-nial-born are clear of eve and have a wonderful freshness and vitality about them. They are finer men than the Australians, and seem healthier and more vigorous, but a man cannot be at his best if he continues to po.ur drink into him until he is maudlin.

'lt astonished me, too, when I saw the amount of smoking that is bom" indulged in here. Why, nearly every man you meet is sucking a pipe" It is a curious fact that if you take' a drop of blood from the heel of a smoker you will smell the nicotine in it. Surely if it enters the system like that it must have a very harmful effect, Ido not think there is any other place where I ave noticed more smoking. Where I am staying there is a fine smokino--room, but the only way to n-et awa°y roin the smoke 1 6 to go there, for the guests smoke everywhere but there. Ic seems extraordinary that such should be the custom, to snioko practically wherever you choose, and it does not seem to me a pleasant custom."