Request from Japan

Sirs,—I am writing this letter from Japan which is now in a beautiful green. The real summer season that we have been looking forward to is upon us. Everyone feels refreshed and happy under the blazing summer sun.

I am a fifteen years old Japanese senior high school student and I want to have penfriends in your country. For a long time I have had a desire to correspond with people in New Zealand in order to learn more about your country and in return to tell my friends about my country. I have often thought how wonderful it would be to have such a friendship.

I know a little about New Zealand from our social studies course in school. It has been reported that the social security system in your country is well-administered. We really envy your system for we have to bear individually heavy burdens such as medical expenses, schooling fees and the like.

As is needless to say. when we have started the exchange of letters as the result of this request, we certainly would promise to write something worthwhile as students, as friends and above all as good citizens of the world.

Keiko Ishii (Miss) 1145 Iwasaki. Togane City, Chiba-Ken Japan.

NZ culture

Sirs,—According to your report. Mr. Maurice Shadbolt complains of the rejection of Polynesian culture by New Zealanders. May I respectfully suggest that this may be due to the fact that most New Zealanders are not. in fact. Polynesian, and consequently find that which is familiar to the Polynrslan rather alien.

However, Mr. Shadbolt may be heartened to know that there is such a thing as indigenous New Zealand culture other than that of the Polynesians. In fact, for the past year the New Zealand Folklore Society (Wgtn) has been studying and collecting writings and music which must qualify for this description. It appears that this is the first attempt to collate such material. If Mr. Shadbolt Is interested he should write to the society, Box 1727, Wellington.