LIFE IN BRITAIN TO-DAY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25301, 29 September 1947, Page 8

LIFE IN BRITAIN TO-DAY

IMPRESSIONS OF AKAROA MAN The impression of the weariness of the English people was one of the strongest he brought back witn him, said Mr W. W. Jacobson, of Akaroa. in an interview with “The Press. Mr Jacobson, a former member of tne literary staff of “The Press,” returned recently after an absence of more than a year, most of which was spent in England. “Grim realisation of difficulties has taken the place of courageous wartime humour in the attitude of the British people to-day,” said Ivl^. Jacobson. “For the manual worker, food is of major importance. Although he has extra bread and cheese units, the average workman does not get enough butter or cooking fat in his diet. After eight years of exertion on the rations, few men are attracted by the prospect of overtime rates.” Asked to comment on the remarks of the New Zealand doctor in England •who described the general health of the British people as Detter than it had beei. in pre-war days, Mr Jacobson said he had asked another doctor in England, also a New Zealander, for his opinion. This doctor had contradicted the other’s statement, saying that he dreaded to think of the effects of another harsh winter on an undernourished people.

The people had not the unqualified confidence in Mr Attlee which was necessary for the leader of a nation in such cjire straits, said Mr Jacobson. Mr Bevin, however, had the respect of followers of all political parties. Mr Jacobson intends to take up work in Akaroa, his home .town. It is 15 months since he left for England via Cape Horn, on the Samrich. The Samrich, on which Mr Jacobson worked as attendant to a flock of stud sheep bound for South America, was the first liberty ship to travel round Cape Horn. While in England, he worked for a news agency in south London and for. a logging company in Devon. He visited France, Scotland, and Eire.