TOUR ABROAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 301, 21 December 1939, Page 10

TOUR ABROAD.

SOUTH AFRICA'S PROGRESS.

ADDRESS BY MR. E. R. DAVIS, M.L.C.

An interesting address covering the many places he had visited during an extensive tour abroad was given by the Hon. E. R. Davis, M.L.C., at the Royal Empire Society's luncheon 111 Milne and Choyce's reception hall yesterday. Mr. Davis, who is a vice-president of the society, left Auckland in May last and visited Australia, Pacific Islands, America, England, France and South Africa. The speaiter dealt with the amazing progress of some of the countries he visited, particularly South Africa, where the wonderful advancement made was due mainly to the discovery of diamonds and gold. In 1886, he said, gold was discovered and since then the mines had produced more than £1,500,000,000 worth. Los Angeles was another place where the advancement made was almost beyond belief. Fifty years ago there were in Los Angeles about 50,000 in-habitants—to-day the population numbered 2,500,000 and there were over 1,000,000 motor cars.

After mentioning the San Francisco Exposition, Mr. Davis spoke of a most impressive pageant carried out by British bombers whilst he was in trance, and of the balloon barrage erected to protect London from enemy bombers.

One point that Mr. Davis mentioned was as he had been on a health trip, he had patronised the medicinal waters of France but he was convinced that in New Zealand there were waters containing medicinal qualities equal to those to be obtained in any part of the world.