A LEGISLATOR'S TRIP.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 625, 30 September 1909, Page 4

A LEGISLATOR'S TRIP.

: LESSdNS FROM OVERSEA. , HON. T. K.-MAtpONALD BACK, AGAIN. r .. "My, trip through Europe was extremely i I toresting in'ma'ny respects," said tho Hon. i Kennedy Macdonald, M.Ii.C, to a Dominion i , porter shortly after landing from the Sydn t- boat. yesterday. - 'fit is impossible to go; ; Genoa and Milan, and other Italian cith . without realising ■what'.ii.'/hold-imanufactur 1 have. In-certain parls-of'- 1 that country, ai ■ feeling how much we in New. Zealand aro t • hind iri.certain branches,of industry. ■ "One'thing that greatly delighted, mo: w ;, tho,str6ng desire of the, nations to commemc ;■ ate th'oi/ history by moo.n8 ; of works of art! . every.kind. -You may Tomomber that, two :-' three years ago,-1 urged.the necessity, in tl interests of our young people, of cstablishii . memorials, in our Houses of Parliament, of tl men.who .were associated with tho earlier pol tical history of New Zealand.-' The large e . penditure:, on . such memorials, both on tl continent of Europo:andi in London, imprcsst • ime'as showing how value the"leadii nations place upon such moans of enabling tl , men and nomen of the future to appreciate tl character and ability of.\those- who have doi so much for thehi m.the past. , ~ '■ "I found 'on reaching london that a grci deal of. interest was felt in New Zealand an 'its financo/ and legislation..'.' I' attended -tl •Ndw: 'Zealand dinner, and .metihundreds < New;Zcalanders and people connected with tl Dominion,;and later on I had several'.conversi '.'tions with lending'bankers and/financial hiei and the impression I /formed was that' th "country occupied a'very, high platform,in thci .(minds,.:,There can bo question' that the >pa riotio proposal to assist the Imperial Navy b the .provision,-pf' a warship was as. popula in. London as it was in New Zealand itself. Mr. .Macdonald.said;he found tho ; Londo money market' ve,ry buoyant. He ascertains that-the million sterling, whiotf tho Wollingto: Harbour,:-Board,-last,'yea'r /obtained' power, t borrow could be obtained the instant theboan stated that it >as prepared to'talie'-it: -\Vha he learnt in London" also ■ convinced - him tha there was ,no ; need, to worry, about -New- Zea lands.finances, ' and when.Sir Joseph Wan placed: the position ■: before the people, thewould, ;no. doubt,^be abundantly' satisfied.."'' ;■: "I had quite a number of. conversations will some -of-ther leading men on" the ..prospect o tho'.-Budgetybeing^ddoptbUiS■■/'continued Mr •Macdohai(l.;"Th^eir,-piiiiiioni;generally, seemei to-bei.Jthii.t thp;Lords wOuldithrpw,,it out.ahi forco. a'-general election: ;'I, heard-Mr. Asquiti speak to:, about,: 2000 merchants and others ii too' large' hall of .the Cannon" Street -Hotel He.is'a cabh, uneniotiohaLspeakori and jij hii of his'audi : etaco..';otf';bohalE-''of?''th6 .Budgot proposals, -hi I .'used'.-ho 'rhetorical v flights, but -relied on th< logical; ability with' which he;stated. the : pqsi- , tion, and, made ;his' appeal to the intellect anc ,not ■; thq '/.euiqUqns.',', He. ,is putting up,' a , grea.l -nght,->ut' he.; is boing^;inet-by > what I copsidcj strapgerj'force? :bn r ':the'.other, side. A general election/.seemed likely to /take place brettj .soon, ; with the Budget versus tariff reform 1 as •;thß;vissu«,}''ahd": there'.Vis-.n?': (\oubt '.that" tht greatest political'figbt that England has witnessed for a century will bo fought but within the.next:year,'or,two." '■~ .'<■'/ .-.;;'.'.',.',.■' •' Mr.'Macdonald/gratefully: acknowledged' the ;cxtreme v l£i,ndlinqss. and, hospitality, shown' to ■the j visitors from?/oversea- 'by'.people-'- of-all .classes w in the Old Country.;.ln getting back to he ,wm:very,glad to:find:that tie ,_ sq-caUed.. depression"." of the last : few months, was:passing;',away,' and he anticipated a.period of very.real-and substantial prosperity like .that, now being'experienced in Australia: