TWO HOBBIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 308, 30 December 1933, Page 6

TWO HOBBIES.

ENGLISH VISITOR. MOTORING AND STAMPS. DOMINION ROADS PKAISED. Motoring and stamp collecting, are the hobbies, of Mr. E. J.-Leej an Englishman, whg is at present in New Zealand in the course of a tour ■with, his chauffeur arid car, and in both of these fields of interest he has attained unusual distinction. Mr. Lee has now travelled 300,000 miles in 101 different countries. He has kept a motor diary since 1905, so that these figures may be considered as much more accurate than any mere estimate of distances. Sir. Lee started out on his present trip especially to have a mouth's motoring in New Zealand, whichj incidentally, he describes himself as enjoying immensely. From England he motored to Naples, and shipped the ear to Freinantle through the Suez Canal. From Fremantle he motored through the desert to Adelaide, and then to Melbourne. He shipped the car to Tasmania, motored over that island, returned to Melbourne, went on to Sydney and Brisbane, then went back to Sydney, and brought the car to Auckland on the Mariposa. The car is an 11-year-old Yoisin, and up to Thursday morning had done 127,000 miles. Mr. Lee visited the Ninety Mile Beach, and attained a good speed on it. "It is a fine beach," he commented. His,chief compliment, however, was for "New Zealand roads. • '"i would like to say,!' he remarked, "that' I have never motored in any country where the roads have been better flagged than in New Zealand, and in very few where they have been a* good. I cannot emphasise that point' too strongly. This is a glorious country, and it is a great pity it is not nearer Europe. If it were, there would be tourists galore."' I

' Mr. 'Lee is a keen philatelist, who lias made a speciality' of collecting the postage stamps of Uruguay and the Argentine. ' His collection of the stamps of the former country is housed in 118 volumes. It has been awarded four grand pnx, and has 'twice been placed second in international exhibitions all over the world. Mr. Lee is a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society, of which the King is president, and in October last was awarded the Crawford Medal, an honour of very high distinction.

'Mr: Leer,' who is at ' present iu ' the South,' intends to leave for England, via Panama, from Auckland on. January 13,