LIFE IN BOLIVIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 5

LIFE IN BOLIVIA.

HOME ON FURLOUGH.

CHRISTCHURCH ENGINEER.

MANAGER OF 810 TIN JONES.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. After an absence of 30 years from i'\y Zealand. Mr. P. E. Holme, now of divia, where he is general manager the world's biggest tin mines, lias turned to liis native city on vacation. In Bolivia Mr. Holme is general anager of the Patino mines, which ive a capacity for a monthly producon of 1200 tons of fine tin,"or about >,000 tons per annum. The mines are *ned by the Patino Mines and Enterrises lneor|M>rated. an American con?rn, and under Mr. Holme's suj>erision are WOOO men employed in the lines. These men and their families lake a total of 30,000 people dependent n the mines for tiieir livelihood, and hey populate a city which must be one f the biggest of its kind in the world. Mr. Holme said that he was not tlie nly Xew Zealander in Bolivia, for there i"ere several in various parts of the oiintry, most of them beina mi.— iouries. who did good work and were lighly esteemed. Referring to Bolivia ifonerall;. . Mr. lolnie said 111 sit the count r\ \\a~ re<-m erng rapidly fro;u its financial difliciiJies under the efficient control of a miliary government. It «as a country of ■nnrmou* possibilities in industries ither than mining. So far little had been lone to take advantage of the magiiinent opport unit ies for agriculture and lock raising, the lack of suitable trans.ortation proving the chief tamer jn he way of progress ... these t« o d.rec ions, and for the same reas. n the amber industry had been held hack "rhe climate was excellent especially „ the eastern slopes of the Andes, and lmost any agricultural produce culd e orown with great M.cress. .... Mr Holme, who is traveling with his ife. son and daughter. will leave for olivia at the end <>f June, journeying ia Suva, Hawaii, San KrancUcu and mama.