Japanese preacher in city
An interesting and remarkable visitor to the dominion at present in Dunedin is the Rev Paul Kanamori, a distinguished Japanese evangelist and leader. Yesterday he granted an interview to the Otago Daily Times. Mr Kanamori is of short stature, with the typical features of his race and a longish, well-kept beard that lends dignity to his presence. There is a quiet refinement of manner about him that suggests the immemorial courtesy of the East and tells of strength as well as gentleness. He would easily pass for a man about 50 years of age, and it is therefore a surprise to learn that he has been a professed Christian for a full half century. Mr Kanamori has been in New Zealand for four months now. In speaking of his journeyings, it was noticeable that the long Maori names, usually so formidable to a visitor, came from him as though spoken by a Native, and it was only some of our English names that presented any difficulty. This visit to New Zealand, Mr Kanamori explained, is part of an extensive world tour he has planned. He is connected with no organisation, and comes here privately at the invitation of some friends who have read his books and known of his work in Japan. “I preach wherever I can as far as my knowledge of languages will allow.’’ Three years ago he toured the United States of America for two years, visiting 33 of the 48 States. He travelled over 40,000 miles, spoke over 600 times in churches, visited the principal universities, colleges, seminaries and schools to the number of 200, preaching the Gospel all the time. Mr Kanamori gives a flat contradiction to the suggestion that the Japanese are warlike. That, he says, is an entirely mistaken idea. The Japanese are not a warlike people at all, though they are very strong on the defensive side. Study of Japanese history will show that they have made only one aggressive expedition. They were on the defensive against the Mongolian invasion and the Russian invasion, and in the Chinese war over the question of supremacy in Korea. They have never been aggressive except in one great expedition to Korea, and that was a failure. Mr Kanamori had to explain that he was referring to an expedition that took place 400 years ago. The present occupation of Korea is diplomatic and not the outcome of war. The Japanese, Mr Kanamori says, do not want to fight, though there is a military party who are given to warlike boastings, but even then it is defensive war and not aggressive of which they speak. Many seemed to be thinking now that Japan is aiming at Australia and New Zealand, but that is an entirely mistaken idea. Japan has no such idea. “No one knows the Government and the people of Japan better than I do, and they have no designs on Australia."
Mail items ‘donated’ in error
Post Office authorities obtained permission to examine the receptacles at Knox Church, the Octagon and the Early Settlers’ Hall for used books, pamphlets etc, which are sent on in due course to the Sailors’ Rest. These three receptacles were searched yesterday, and quite a number of letters and postal packets were discovered, including those about which the postal officials had received complaints regarding non-delivery. — ODT, 21.10.1924
Compiled by Peter Dowden
