DANISH BORDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1938, Page 9

DANISH BORDER

TROUBLE WITH GERMANS

EXPERIENCES OF FARMERS.

JOURNALIST’S DAIRY STUDY.

Troubles caused by Herr Hitler among the Danish people whose homes and farms lie on and across the border between Denmark and Germany were described by Mr Esben Aakjaer, a Danish journalist, who arrived in Auckland by the Niagara the other day to spend about' two months in New Zealand to study farming conditions, for his writings to the Copenhagen journal Politiken. Mr Aakjaer said the people of Denmark had no fear of Herr Hitler, who had no rightful claim on territory dominated by large majorities of Danes. “There are not a few Danish people who literally sleep with their heads in Denmark and their feet in Germany,” said Mr Aakjaer, who referred to incidents of friction between Germans and Danes. He recounted the occurrence of a Danish farmer driving a load of hay along the border between the two lands, when the dray overturned and the hay fell in German territory. The hay was claimed for Germany, but when the issue was contested the farmer’s rights were upheld. INTEREST IN DOMINION. Mr Aakjaer said there was a warm feeling of friendship toward New Zealanders on the part of Danes. The Dominion, because of its famous dairy produce and equally famous scenic attractions, he said, was better known in Denmark than Australia, although it was only a fraction of the size. New Zealand was not regarded as a competitor of Denmark in the produce market, but the quality of its primary products was highly respected. The farming condition? in the two countries were quite different, and he expressed the view that his investigations would be eagerly accepted in Denmark. “Farming is the national life of our country,” said Mr Aakjaer. “Our people are eager to establish an exchange of ideas and experiences in farming enterprise with the people of other nations, and in recent years there has been extensive emigration to other lands. The emigrants first look to countries offering conditions similar to those of their own land, and in my opinion Western Australia is admirably suited to their purposes. Land is comparatively cheap there, and inducements are made to people to establish a dairying industry.” ■f EXTENSIVE TOUR. It is seven months since Mr Aakjaer left Copenhagen. He travelled through Czechoslovakia and Palestine before reaching Australia four months ago. He said conditions in Czechoslovakia when he was there were as peaceful as could be, but there was obvious tension among the Jews and Arabs in Palestine.