Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 10 September 1938, page 7


EDITOR HERE

From East Indies

The remarkable advances made by Australia in its 100 years of History have impressed Mr. J. K. Kroon, one of the editors of the newspaper "De Locomotlef," which is published at Samarang, Java.

Mr. Kroon will complete a fortnight's holiday in Melbourne to-morrow, when he will leave for Canberra. Later he will stay for a fortnight in Sydney.

Mr. Kroon explained that the curious name of his newspaper, which means "the engine, had its origin in the 19th century, when the railway brought progress to Java. The name of the newspaper symbolises that progress.

Mr. Kroon believes that more of his countrymen from the East Indies should visit Australia. Many persons in Java, he said, are employed by the Government, After about eight years' service they are entitled to approximately six months' leave. The Government provides a return fare for all Government servants to Europe. If they wish to travel elsewhere they must provide their own fares. This meant that only people of independent means could visit Australia, or other countries in the

Pacific Ocean.

The Indies, he says, have cheap textiles, which come from Japan, but are not generally bought by Europeans. Goods are imported, however, from all over the world at prices which compare with those in

Australia.

Facts which also impressed Mr. Kroon are that air travel here is not much more expensive than rail travel, that air passengers may take photographs, which is not permitted by his country, and that smoking is permitted in aeroplanes, which, too, is forbidden in Java, because of the

danger of fire.