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Show Christmas ... It 8 Different in New Zealand Daisy Crouch 1 1 Many times after I have been speaking to a person, 1 they will say "Oh yes, you come from Australia, don't 1 you," and I will gently re- 1 mind them No, I came from New Zealand.' 1 Now while both countries are just opposite from us in ' seasons and "Way down un- 3er", they are separate and 5 quite different in many ways. Australia Is the largest ( Island in the world and New 1 Zealand is made up of three Islands, the North Island, ( the South Island and a small . heart-shaped Island, Stew- art's Island. And from the j nearest points New Zealand ( is 1280 miles apart from . Australia. Two distinct , countries in every way even , to the accents. Australia is more like the United States while New Zea- and still is very much like Sngland in many ways. New Zealand is often cal-ed cal-ed "Maori Land," as the 'irst inhabitants were the tfaori people and when the 3utch explorer was explor-ng explor-ng the South Seas he named the Islands 'New Zealand," ifter his native land, but upon seeing savages (as he called hem) he never landed but sailed on. It was in 1672 hat Tasman discovered and xplored part of the North Island. The seasons are opposite :o us and while we are having hav-ing winter, they are having summer. They observed Dhristmas but not around a Christmas tree but on the Deaches and other resorts, rhe day after Christmas is 'Boxing Day" when the great horse races take place. It is the holiday of the year and those who are not swimming are at the races, or on the cricket grounds or bowling greens. When I was a little girl, maybe six or seven a great depression hit the country. Men were idle, no monev. and you could buy a whole sneep ior a sniinng(,i5 pence. In American money that is (24 cents) but no one had a shilling. Soup kitchens fed lines of children and the country was in a bad way. But from then on it has prospered and now there are beautiful cities and every modern invention even in the back country. The Maori race is dying out for it was announced recently re-cently that.the last full blooded blood-ed Maori passed away. There never has been any racial problems among the Maoris and the people who settled in New Zealand. It is a most beautiful country coun-try and unique in many ways with its thermal regions, the greatest sheep country in the world, its lakes and scenery. I came to Morgan in 1913 and my first white Christmas I shall never forget. The snow, the decorations on the tree, the gifts for everyone, it was a new experience for me and.although I have been back to New Zealand five times since coming to America I wouldn't "Change a "White Christmas", with all its Christmas Carols, snow and friendships for all the beaches in the world. Merry Christmas everybody. |
