JOURNALISTS ABROAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 236, 2 October 1920, Page 17

JOURNALISTS ABROAD.

IMPRESSIONS OF CANADA VASTNESS OP THE COTTOTRY. HAH.TTESSIKG NIAGARA. THE nWENCH-CAINIADIAN. OPERATION OF PROHIBITION. (Special Correspondence.) (NO. 6.) ' A journey by train of nearly 3000 miles, from Vancouver to Montreal, impresses one with the vastneae of Oanadian territory, and official statistics showing that its area of 3,729,665 square miles, exceeds that of tlie United States, including Alaska, that it is as large as 30 United Kingdoms and 18 Germanys, twice the size of India, and almost as large as Europe, deepens the impression. Of course there are vast areas of Arctic land, mountains and lakes that cannot be cultivated; nevertheless, it is calculated that 440,000,000 acres are fit for the plough, of which only a third is now occupied, arud only 34,000,000 acres under cultivation. Canada possesses, in X>ake Superior, the largest fresh water body in the world, S'I.SOO square miles. Its growth in population and productiveness has been phenomenal. Its population is now nearly 9,000,000, and of these 55 per cent. are engaged in rural pursuits. The trade of the Dominion has more than doubled in five years. The growth of Oanadian cities is noteworthy. Montreal, its chief commercial centre, hae now a population of 1,100,000, or nearly ac many people as there are in New Zealand; in 1901 the population was only 277,502. Toronto, which in lS»i had a population of 105,2111, now numbers within its city and suburban area 499,278. It (has become a great industrial centre. The rapid settlement of the graingrowing areas of the West has built up Winnipeg from a trading post of 215 in 1870 to a well-built city of 262,000 The banking, insurance, and financial institutions of Canada have attained great magnitude, and are ably conducted. The people have faith in their country, and evidently consider that there are compensations for climatic extremes which appear intolerable to residents more favoured in this respect. The CanadianPacific Railway Company, commonly known as the) C.P.R., own and control 13,772 miles of railway, a fleet of 59 steamers; it employs 30 steamships on trans-Pacific and transatlantic lines. It owns and operates 15,000 pole miles of telegraph; owns and conducts 15 first class hotels, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, which contain 3,500 bedrooms. It has in its employ 7I),000 people. It received as subsidy for the construction of the transcontinental line 25,000,000 acres of land in Western Canada, and has still over 6,000,000 acres unsold. The i-ompany, as part of its scheme of development, irrigated a 3,000,000-acre tract in Alberta. The Canadian National Railways comprise 14,000 miles, which traverse the great grain-growing plains of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and l Alberta. HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEMES. It may be gathered from the figures above enumerated that Canada is a country of big things, and schemes of magnitude find ready acceptance there. The country is deficient in hard coal, although there is a considerable production of soft coal, which is widely jlistributed. The lack of good coal no doubt stimulated the development of hydroelectrical works, for which the great lakes and falls offered exceptional facilities. Niagara leads the way. Commencing in 1895 with an installation which yielded 15,000 horse-power, there are now three companies operating there with plants capable of generating 435,000 horse-power, and big works are now in process of construction under the public control of the Ontario Hydro Electric Commission, which involves the construction of a canal 12J miles long. This gigantic work, which is- costing between £ 8,000,000 and £ 10,000,000, will yield 300,000 horse-power, capable oi being increased to 450,000 horse-power. All the towns, from Toronto to Buffalo, are sharing in the benefits of these electric suppU 3s for power and lighting, and the preset ice of such an indestructible supply of "white coal" is considered the best possible guarantee of the industrial prosperity of Ontario". It is estimated that the maximum power capable of development along the Niagara River exceeds five million ihorse-power, which is equal to the aggregate horse-power used in Great Britain. Another calculation is that the motive energy in the river

and falls is equal to sixty million tone of coal per annum. But although the Niagara electrical works take the lead,' hydro-electrical developments are making progress in many parts of the Dominion. The town of Winnipeg derives 60,000 horse-power from the Winnipeg River 75 miles and brings its water supply 96$ miles through a concrete aqueduct with a capacity of 85,000,000 gallons a day. It is estimated that, in various parts of Canada, electric energy developed by water power represents a total of 2,305,310 horsepower. Apart from the use made of this energy industrially, its benefit is seen in the brilliant street lighting of Canadian cities. THE ERESTOH (POPULATION. Although the fact that early French settlement has left its mark on the population of Canada is well known, one experiences some surprise when 'brought into direct contact with the people of cities like Montreal and Quebec, where a very largo proportion of the population oanot speak English. Of the two million pecplo in the Province 'of Quebec three-fourths are of French origin. British immigration is neutralised by the rapid natural increase of the CanadianFrench, who usually 'have large famMifes. Roman Cathc-lice form 3f).3il per cent, of the total population of Canada, and noble cathedrals in Montreal and Quebec testify to the .devotion of the people. Nevertheless, the French-Canadian did not manifest any enthusiastic disposition to assist France in the war. Recruiting among the French population was meagre, and the law of conscription was put into operation largely with the object of making this .section of the Tanad-ian people bear its fair share of the national burden. Tt may be said, however, that, .generally speaking, the Freneh-Canadia-ns are 'loyal to the Government of the Dominion. They take a full share in its administration, and realise the advantages which its liberal constitution assures to them. PROHIBITION. • The law of prohibition in Canada is \ery unequally enforced. Quebec exempts light «-iuee and beer from its operation; a»d it is _ quite l*wfui is. t, Sestteat aa one^

province to order a case of whisky! «L°« alcolloli c liquor for his own 1 use, irom another Province. The lanOnly prohibits the local sale of alcohol. This system is resented as unfair, bej «ause it deprives people who cannot aflord to purchase in quantities, while gmng unlimited supplies to those who are better off financially. It is anticipated that the law will either be made miqre stringent or repealed,. Current | opinion eeems to favour the latter course. At the public banquets to the delegates to the Imperial Press Conference iced water was chiefly used. Aerated Tic 61,8 seemed to be v ery little favoured, although every kind of temperance drink seems to find patrons at the numerous places where such liquid refreshments are sold. During our tour of Canada we only saw one drunlfen man, although statistics chew that the country is far from being free from this offence and prosecutions for the illicit sale of liquor are common. If statements currently made may be believed, those who want aleohobe liquors can get them, but at a. very high price, and of a quality that leaves much to be desired. There was a run on the doctors for a while, but a two dollar fee for a sis ounce bottle of whisky, charged at chemists' rates made a too expensive beverage to satisfy an overpowering thirst, and so the revenue derived by the medical profession from this class of "comfort" has become a diminishing quantity. The law has certainly made it very difficult, if not impossible, for a stranger to get alcohol in every province except Quebec. Residents in a town may be familiar with ■ underground passages, but our impression was that it is not easy for anyone to procure a e ingle bottle of whisky, and that if procurable at all the price is almost prohibitive. GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE COUNTRY. The provinces of the eastern side of Canada, notably Ontario, have a pleasant summer aspect. A motor ride along the well-formed concrete road between Niagara and Toronto, takes the tourist through a country not unlike New Zealand. The land is undulating, and the orchards and vineyards, comprising apples, peaches, cherries, plums, and other familiar, English fruits are extensive and well cultivated. Grapes of the wine-making varieties, bear abundantly. They are cultivated on the Italian rather than on the Australian system. The cottages are mostly weatherboard structures of a familiar New Zealand type, which suggests that this form of architecture originated in America and was reproduced in the southern colonies, just as the Californian bungalow is now marking an advance in keeping with the increased ■wealth of our communities. The landscapes are adorned with many beautiful trees, among which the maple, Canada's national emblem, is conspicuous, but elms, horse chestnuts, oaks, ash, birch, and other deciduous trees are common. Looking out upon such verdant scenery in summer time, it is difficult to realise that the entire country is covered by a pall of snow for several months in winter, and that the frost is so severe cataract of Niagara, in parts, 5s frost bound. Because of the necessity for growing and storing -printer feed, Canada can never become a great dairying country, and land cannot reach the extravagant figures prevalent in New Zealand. But vegetation prows so rapidly under the stimulus of the hot summer temperatures that the resources of the country for the production of frrain and fruit are almost without limits, and its offers to the immigrant greater attractions than are now presented by the. United States, with the result thai there has in recent years been a large influx of people across the border into the fertile provinces of the West. RELATIONS WITH NEW ZEALAND. The partnership existing between the Canadian Government and New Zealand, under which the Pacific cable and the Vancouver mail service are maintained, has been strengthened by the reciprocity agreement under which. Canadian manufactures gain preferential treatment under the New Zealand Customs tariff. But association of our soldiers during the war has created a new spirit of kinship, which was happily expressed in a letter received in Toronto by the chairman of the New Zealand Press delegation, and wi£h which these discursive notes may well be brought to a close. The writer says: "Dear Mr. Leys,—So many pretty tributes have been paid New Zealand by Canadian soldiers that ' Canada has a-very kindly feeling towards her sister colony. Our Canadian soldiers of all ranks are unanimous in expressing the high esteem with which they regard all New Zealanders. This was, perhaps, most typically expressed by a little signaller, who said, 'The English are all right—the Scotch are fine — but every New Zeauander is a gentleman to his finger tips! . Wishing you a very pleasant journey and New Zealand peace and prosperity. —Yours truly, A Canadian Girl."