SLUMS DISAPPEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 252, 24 October 1934, Page 12

SLUMS DISAPPEAR.

BRITAIN REBUILDS. COTTON INDUSTRY SLUMP. LABOUR OFFICIAL RETURNS. "If you have £200 when you set out on a visit to England you only get a receipt for £150 when you leave here, but coming to New Zealand if you have £200 you get £2.30. Many people would like to I'fiake a trip to the Old Country, and it is hard, when from their savings of £200 they have £50 taken from Llicm. In my opinion there should be an exemption of the exchange on amounts of £200 or under," said Mr. J. Purtell, a prominent official in the Labour movement in Auckland. Mr. Purtell returned to Auckland this morning by the Rangitiki after spending eight months in England.

"England is still England, and the spring and summer months are beautiful, but I won't say anything about the winter," said Mr. Purtell. "The economic situation is improving, but England will never regain her previous extent of export trade, because other countries which she was supplying are now industrialised. To quote an example: In the cotton trade in Lancashire a year or so ago there were 800,000 looms running, employing directly and indirectly millions of people. To-day there are only 300,000 looms running—300,000 are out of action, and 200,000 have been scrapped as old iron. Looms which cost £20 each have been sold for as low as £1, and many have gone to Japan. About 200 mills have closed down, and in many cases the mills have been pulled down and the stones used for other buildings. "In my opinion," Mr. Purtell added, "the position of the cotton trade, and other trades which are perhaps not so seriously affected as the cotton trade, is greatly the result of Japanese competition, and it is beyond comprehension why tlie British Government has not made a drastic move in the matter.

Outstanding Feature. "The outstanding feature of England'? activities is the tremendous building programme which is being carried out. It may sound big, but it is nevertheless true, that hundreds of millions of pounds are being s|K?nt. Slums are being cleared, and whole villages of new houses are being established. This has been made possible by the introduction of the motor bus, which provides a comfortable and cheap means of transit. Passenger transport by buses has been developed remarkably, and tramcars have had to give way to the more up-to-date buses. Some tram tracks have been filled up with pitch, it being found cheaper to do this than lift the rails. Trams are gradually being wiped out in all the big cities. The buses are also proving a strong competitor with the railways. In a. charabanc you can make the return trip from the North of England to London, 440 miles, for £1 5/. You can also go on a week's tour, visiting places of interest, for £(i, the amount including board and residence. The roads are excellent, all being tar-sealed, and there is a complete absence of dust."

Touching politics, Mr. Purtell said it was very difficult to say what would happen at an election in 'England. The effect of the attitude of Mr. Ramsay MacDonald and Sir Philip Snowden toward the Labour movement was very hard to estimate. "Most people still believe they would have lost their money in the savings banks if they had not voted aganst Labour," said Mr. Purtell. "Still, I am convinced that Labour will poll well any there is an election." Dominion Shops. "The marketing of New Zealand produce, especially beef, mutton, lainb and butter-, is very unsatisfactory, and I cannot see any way to meet the situation other than by establishing our own shops where we can sell and feature our own products. In some retail shops English beef, mutton and lamb is mixed with imported meats, and this does not seem satisfactory to the public. To assist and protect . the New Zealand farmers, the New Zealand Government should at least run several steamers that would provide healthy competition to other lines, and bring about a lowering in freight rates. No Vexatious Regulations. "From my observations the unemployed in England seem to be better off than the unemployed in New Zealand. There does not seem to be the same vexatious regulations that apply in the Dominion, and the Government works in with the trade unions. The result is that the Act is administered satisfactorily and smoothly for all parties. There is decided co-operation between the Government and trade unions."