N.Z. REVISITED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 297, 15 December 1936, Page 9

N.Z. REVISITED.

AFTER 36 YEARS.

RHODESIAN LABOUR M.P

CHANGES IN DOMINION,

His two grandfathers 1841 pioneers at Kew Plymouth, Major G. H. Walker, D.5.0., Labour M.P. for Salisbury South in the Rhodesian Parliament, is revisiting Taranaki after an absence of 36 vears. Leaving New Zealand as commander of D Squadron in the Fourth Boer War contingent, Major Walker later held high positions mthe! Nl g®""} Civil Service until 1930, when he retired to settle in Southern Rhodesia. Three vears later he entered Parliament as member of the Labour opposition. He had been intensely interested in revisiting the home of his grandparents, said Major Walker, to a Taranaki Dailv News" representative. When left New Zealand much of Taranaki was in bush or was undeveloped. Then there was nothing but bush logs and stumps; now I see beautiful farms and pastures and the best dairy cattle I have SS- he ..id, "The . great that the countryside is almost "SSffw»*«'»"*»< * upon dairying in New Zealand. Before he left for South Africa he was in charge of dairy factories at Egmont Road, Tariki Road, Inglewood and later at War Major Walker served *"tli the New Zealand Rough Riders, and the Colonial Light Horse receiving the Distinguished Servu/ Order, and the King's Medal and the Queen's Medal, both with three clasps He then entered the Colonial Service and va , awarded the King's Police Medal for <*ood services in punishing and bri»£rin°- to justice the murderers of a police "official. He was appointed assistant Commissioner of Police m N : >*eria in 1907 and Deputy InspectorGeneral of the Southern Police Force, Nigeria, in 1920. He served with the W\ F F in the Cameroons and East Africa from 1915 to 1918, receiving the

War Medal, the Victory Medal and- the 1914-19' Star, being promoted major in 1918. As a member of the Rhodesian Labour party, which has five of the seven opposition seats in the-Parliament of 30, Major Walker is very interested in the New Zealand Government's legislation and in the changes in New Zealand. It appeared to be much colder in New Zealand .now than previously, he said; although that was possibly because he was used to a warmer climate. The fellin"- of the bush might have had some effect. Nevertheless, the country had made amazing progress. "Labour in New Zealand never had an opportunity until last year to puts its policy into effect," said Major \\alker. "I am very impressed with what is being done and if it is a success it will be a model for the rest of the world. \our Government is on the right lines as long as it does not go on too quickly to^study the effects." , The monetary system was blamed by Major Walker as responsible for the condition of international trade and commerce, and he endorsed the idea of internal rehabilitation and development ot international trade preparatory to a re-organisation of financial relationship . It was hopeless to claim prosperity, le said, until every section of the people of the world had a sufficient earning and spending power. There was no in producing foodstuffs or manufacturing, goods if the people could not "tilise them. "It is the job of statesmen to-day to solve this problem," he said. _ , . Concerning politics in Rhodesia, Major Walker said he considered the swing of the pendulum was towards Labour.