CANADA AS IT IS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 264, 31 July 1908, Page 8

CANADA AS IT IS.

MISCONCEPTIONS CORRECTED. ■ Major 0. Sheet, of Canada, who is at present'-in'.-Wellington, gave a Dominion reporter some interesting information concerning Canada. , . , "Yes," ho said,. in reply to a question, "wo know a lot about New Zealand, and we are very interested in it. .You have a fine climate and • d fine class of people, and I can assure you that any New Zealanders will bo warmly welcomed in Canada. "Tho two Dominions," lie added, "are alike in some respects, but principally ,in their conspicuous loyalty to the Mother Country. ■ That-is one thing I wish to emphasise. ' To , a man, . Canadians . are ' strictly loyal to the King and Empire. ' Tho. gift of, £1000 from you in connection with our Tercentenary celebrations will undoubtedly be greatly appreciated." - • - "The.-reporter- inquired • about. the 'French' Canadians. Wore-they, not a separate ■community?" . ■" . • "Now, that is a misconception I must correct," declared the Major: "I have lived among-them, 1 , and they are just ,as . loyal as other British subjects, and they, are willing to take part, at any time,- in the defence of tho Empire. , '■ "Another, misconception I would like to clear up .is tho idea about tlio intense cold oxporienced, in Canada. In tho first place, it never gets, a winter of more than three months, and in -, some years not more than six weeks'; and secondly, in'.'Saskatchewan and Alberta, ranching cattle live all tho year round on grass. in that locality a hot wind from the south-follows a snowstorm, 'and by the next morning the snow has disap-, ■pearea. Countless thousands of 'oraigrarits come into the'coiintry,'and I have never seen any .of them- looking for work. There is plenty to bo done, and men work all tho year round. This talk : about irion having to sit down idly during .tile winter, is not correct. In the north-west, they have'snow,'but little or no rain, and the days are warm :and ; the nights cold; In short, the Canadian ; winter is very similar to that.'of'.Otago, minus .tho rain. ■ I' was .twelyo months in Kloridyko, where they have a winter, of four months, ,and the Jcmpcratiiro. varies from 25' to ,40 degrees below, zero, but it is. a dry. cold, and is quite endurable."

Asked about the recent anti-Japanese out-, burst,'tho Major said that ho was .in Vancouver at the time. Tho trouble was caused by a few . Yankee agitators, and'what happened did' not in any way represent Canadian' opinion. , _ . As, to defence, the Major mentioned■ that Canada has a first line of 100,000-men,'and a large number on tho .reserve .list.. Rifle clubs are .taken up enthusiastiaclly: , Regarding the recent financial. panic, ho said that Canada was not affected to any great.extent. ■ Major Sheet also gave an interesting account of the Grand Trunk Railroad, .which would open up vast areas of timber country and ■ greatly aid the wood pulp industry.