VISITORS FROM IRELAND.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14326, 11 April 1912, Page 9

VISITORS FROM IRELAND.

SIR ROBERT ANDERSON AND PARTY.

.Among the passengers arriving by the second express from Dunedin last night were Sir Robert Anderson, I3art., and Lady Anderson, and Air and Mrs \V. H. McLaughlin. The visitors como from Ireland, and are at present touring the world. .Sir Robert is a member of the Belfast Town Council, and chairman of the Belfast Corporation Tramways, and was last year High .Sheriff of the County of AlonaghanHo was twice Lord Mayor of Belfast, and was created a baronet when High .Sheriff during the King's visit to Ireland. Mr McLaughlin is the city magistrate of Belfast. Tho party will bo joined on Friday by Mr A. Hope Robertson, who is a nephew of the late Bir Henry Campbell Baunermau. The visitors leave for Otira this morning, and return to Christchurch on Friday night, and proceed to AA'ellingtoii on Saturday night.

Sir Robert Anderson and Mr McLaughlin kindly submitted to the inevitable* interview, and gave a few details of their tour and their impressions. The visitors speak in high terms of New Zealand scenery. .Mr McLaughlin, who has been to Switzerland. South Africa, Egypt, the continent, and America, declares that be never saw anything so beautiful as tho scenery at Queenstown, the Remarkables on a bright day being a glorious .sight. The air ol" prosperity surrounding New Zealand towns has caught the attention of the visitors, and Sir Robert Anderson has been especially impress-".! with the contented and ivoll-to-do appearance of tho artisan class in the colonies. The practice that, is still kept n\i of speaking affectionately of Britain as "Home" strikes the visitors as pathetic evidence of the loyalty of colonials. The wonderful "up-to-date-nes.s" of the colonies has impressed the visitors, who have been astonished at the perfection of the electric tramway system, and of tho electric lighlin-* schemes in vogue. are about 300 ears and 1000 men omploycil in the Belfast tram system. The system is run at a profit, and this year about £20.000 is being given from the tramway earnings towards the relief of the rates. Tho system cost about a million and a quarter to inMtal. Ever since they reached -New Zealand some weeks ago, the visitors havo been treated with the greatest kindness, and the desire shown to make their trip a pleasant one has won their warmest gratitude. Sir Robert mentions particularly the attention shown by Mr Piper, stationmaster at Dunedin, who supplied useful information from a tourist point of view. On the journey up to .Ashburton the party had tho company of Mr (}. M. Thomson, M.1., who came up to attend the social to Mr C. A. C. Hardy at Methven. Mr Thomson, heing well acuuainted with the districts along the line, was able to while away the tedious railway journey for the travellers by imoarting a Croat deal of interestin<r information. While in Dunedin Kir Robert took great interest in the Chapman-Alexander mission, and was much gratified at the success that attended it. The visitors leav/*. Auckland for Sydney on .April 22nd.