Sunday, 31 July 2016

From Melbourne (Mum) : 21.4.82

From Melbourne
21.4.82
Dear Alan,
                                That was unfortunate that the man you are with is a bit odd. I have found out that if you are paid you can do anything for a little while as long as you know you do not have to do it forever. I have enclosed an article from last Saturday’s Age. Peter Smark is a reporter who has been a few months in South Africa and I think he is coming back now.   It doesn’t seem to bias either one way or the other but you are in a much better position to know that than me. Tell me what you think of it.

                We just received a letter from you with a photo of the Victoria Falls @ a soldier it didn’t have enough postage so it was sent surface mail. You never know one day we might see the falls. It was nice to see scenery etc. but I think I would rather meet people. Both would be better.

                You remarked about the photo you sent how the white people think the black people are ugly. I have just read several books about the Kalahari Desert and it seemed that the Bushmen were down the bottom of every bodies list. When you read of the trouble in Nth Ireland and between the Jews and the Arabs, and in Central America you wonder whether people will ever learn to live together. Last Sunday we had a Baptist minister who had just come back from Zambia. I was speaking to him afterwards. He said he was walking by himself in a town near the copper mines when he was stopped by a black man. The man held onto him @ asked him where he came from. He said Australia but the man wouldn’t believe him.   He asked him who the Prime Minister was @ other questions. The black man was sure he was a South African. The black man let him go but he felt that if he hadn’t answered the questions to his satisfaction he would have been hurt.

                All the papers in Australia this week @ the editorials have been about 2 ministers who lost their jobs from the cabinet because one bought in a colored TV set without paying duty and the other did nothing when he found out. What a difference to so much of the world.

                Dad, Beverley @ myself are going to stay a few days when the term ends with Lois. We are going up on the train (I hope) Friday night staying in Mildura 3 days @ then coming home with Lois.

                This weekend Pamela is coming with me to Trentham she has got new shoes to go on her hiking holiday in Kashmir and needs to try them out.

                Were those black people you sent photos of Zulus? I have read that they stand out among the tribes of South Africa. The Masai further north always impress me too.

                                                                                                Love from Mum



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