IN THE EAST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 November 1940, Page 7

IN THE EAST

WELLINGTON RESIDENT’S TOUR VISIT TO JAVA AND OTHER COUNTRIES. ROTARY CLUB ADDRESS. "We owe it to world peace to try to cultivate a better understanding of the peoples of the Orient and view their problems with an open mind. Thus can we do away with racial superiority and prejudice," stated Mi' G. A. Glennie, a member of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company's branch. Wellington, in an address given at yesterday’s meeting of the Masterton Rotary Club on a recent tour in which he covered 32,000 miles, and visited ten countries.

"It is my experience that very few know how to make the most of travel. It is a great teacher and can do much to establish goodwill between nations,” he said. "Tourists should endeavour to study the real life of the people in the' country they visit and pay no regard to the mere superficialities of the cabaret, etc. My advice is: 'Don’t saturate yourself with guide books. They have a value but also a iplace. More interest can be aroused from making your own discoveries.' ” Mr Glennie briefly outlined the course of his trip, and owing to the time available for his address stated that he would confine his remarks to the Orient.

"There is a growing tendency for the East to come closer to the West, particularly with regard to its economic problems.” said Mr Glennie. "Java is the most intense and energetic of countries. Its population of some 47 million people was packed into an area smaller than the South Island.” It was the most densely populated country in the world, and also the most intensely cultivated. On the highways there was a continuous stream of people. It was amazing to the tourist how the motorist managed to traverse the highways. Few had any idea of speed and the principal sports appeared to be running down chickens on the highways and cock-fighting. The Javanese were always loaded up with goods ranging, from peanuts to pigs. They were of a remarkably happy type and happier crowds were never seen anywhere than in Java. The people worked from dawn till dark and the only holiday they observed in the year was one day of religious observance. "There is little agricultural machinery in Java. In the paddy fields the thousands of rice plants are planted by hand, later transplanted and then harvested by the same method. The same applies to the sugar, coffee and tapioca industries,” said Mr Glennie. Java could teach the Western world many lessons. If hard work resulted in national honesty it was a good example. Under the Dutch the people had prospered, through good organisation and efficiency.” Mr Glennie had left Java 3 days before Germany had invaded Holland. Mr Glennie stated that he arrived in Singapore cn May 10, the day Germany invaded the Low Countries. The atmosphere was electrical. All the forces were at battle stations although the scene of action was 10,000 miles away. Considerable interest was taken by the Chinese and Tamail population in European events. “At Hong Kong we found a population of two millions compared with a normal population of three-quarters of a million, owing to the Sino-Japanese war,” continued Mr Glennie. The influx of refugees from the war torn areas resulted m pathetic conditions. However. Englishmen on the island colony had little fears for their future. Mr Glennie concluded his remarks by paying a tribute to the intelligence and business ability of (he Chinese and referred briefly to his short stay in Japan, where he stated he met with courteous treatment.