AUSTRALIA'S PROSPERITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 25, 29 January 1921, Page 6

AUSTRALIA'S PROSPERITY.

A VISITOR'S VIEWS. Some interesting particulars regarding conditions in Australia were furnished to a representative of the Auckland "'Star" this morning by Mr. J. B. Clarkson, Australasian director of De Dion Bouton, Ltd., London and Paris. Mr. Clarkson who returned by the Tofua, which is the first steamer with passengers from Sydney to Auckland since the stewards' strike with the exception of the Port Nicholson, which only brought seven. "We were very crowded," said Mr. Clarkson, -< and people were sleeping anywhere in order to get home. I may say the stewards were most attentive to the passengers on the trip across." Aeked if there were still many Ne>v Zealanders stranded in Sydney Mr. Clarkson said about a thousand names were recorded of people awaiting a passage. It is also knosvn that many others are scattered amongst friends in Australia. Within the next week or two another 500 are due to arrive from Europe in Sydney, for whom provision must be made to bring across to New Zealand. A peculiar point connected with the present position is that while the men on the Niagara and Makura had to go out because they signed on at this side those on the P. and 0. and Orient boats, also the Ventura, could keep at I work, having signed on in England.

THE LABOUR PARTY. Mr. Clarkson said it seemed to him that public opinion in Sydney was entirely with Mr. Storey and his party in declining to be dominated by the Australian Labour party. "Lord Mayor Lambert,"' said Mr. Clarkson. "and his followers of the Labour party missed the bus that time in the attempt to dominate Parliamentary politics. By the way, the Lord Mayor frets £1500 as honorarium, ie also president of the Australian Labour party, and secretary of the Workers' Union, so he must be a busy man. Apparently they hold that 'the labourer is worthy of his hire,' because a -was brought forward to pay each City Councillor £250 per annum."

Following upon the drought. Mr. Clarkson states has come a wonderful season for Australia. The wheat crop ia an enormous one, the bulk of the grain being weil saved. Stock are doing wonderfully well, and in some districts owners of sheep runs are getting a second lambing season this year. Everywhere there is a shortage of stock to eat up the superabundant pasture. The fruit crops are also excellent, and everything promises well for the man on the land.