DAYS IN MADRID

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 132, 7 June 1930, Page 8

DAYS IN MADRID

MEDICAL CONFERENCE WELLINGTON DOCTOR'S NOTES Writing to a friend in Wellington, "Mr. Campbell Begg, surgeon, who attended the International Urological Conference at Madrid, gives some interesting particulars of his visit to the Spanish capital. "I landed at .Cherbourg from the Olympic on 3rd April, and went to Spain via Paris," states Mr. Campbell Begg. "The Cote d'Argent express is a very good train, with the most comfortable sleeping couches I have seen in any part of the world. It is necessary to change at the Spanish frontier town of Iruu, as the Spanish railway gauge differs from the , French. The scenery is rs, ,her fine running through the Pyrenees. One reaches Madrid at 9 o'clock at night. I was fortunato in having the company of the British delegation in the train. "Thoro are splendid concrete and bitumen highways throughout the country, second to none in Europe, and they are well maintained. All the streets in Madrid are.kept in beautiful order, and are very clean; and thero are here and there fine groups of statuary.

"Madrid is certainly well policod. These officers look very smart in wellkept blue uniforms with white helmets, and pipe-elayed Sam Browne belts. There are hundreds of police controlling the traffic, which-is well managed. Taxis are good and plentiful and very cheap. It is possible to drive two miles for about, the equivalent of an English shilling. One was very much struck by the courtesy and consideration of the police, and, indeed, of the whole population, who would go out of their way for miles to show one the way. Beggars are 8 unknown. The hospitals are good and beautifully kept; not a spot of dust anywhere. RECEPTION BY ROYALTY. "The Palace Hotel, where we stayed, is the largest in Europe, and very comfortable. In all restaurants and railway cars the service is added to the bill, and I have had the novel experience of the waiters refusing to take tips. In any circumstances, all taxidrivers, messengers, etc., are grateful for very small tips. "The International Urological Conference was the excitement of the city. The International Urological Association is a rather restricted body, and lays down the number of possible representatives for each country. Britain is allowed 40, and the United States 44. There are representatives from France, Switzerland, Belgium, Rumania, all the Balkan States, Cuba, the South American Republics, and, as indicated, a strong contingent from the United States. We passed a. resolution which will enable the late enemy countries to join. Tho official languages were Spanish, French, and English, - but there was not much English spoken. I had learned enough Spanish to carry on. It was absolutely essential for ordinary purposes.

"I enclose a nywspaper cutting giving an account of the official opening by the King. We had special receptions by the President (Berenguer), who is really dictator, by the municipality, and finally a reception by the King and Queen. Both the King and Queen separately spoko to the delegates for a few minutes each. The King gave me quite a different impression to that which I had got from seeing him before. He is full of fun, ~nd a boyish smile is never far from his lips. He knew quite a lot about Australia and New Zealand, and about the part that the New Zealand contingent had in the war. He is well up in local affairs, and is taking a great interest in a new 1500 bed hospital which is being built Ho'knew all the figures and details, and had a good deal to do with the scheme. He said that he thought that in three years Madrid would be equal to any capital in Europe in- respect to medical facilities. The simplicity and ability of the King and Queen to put one at ease was quite in contrast to the medieval pomp at the Palace. Hundreds of powdered footmen in elaborate gold-braided livery were on the steps of the Palace. The Palace is, of course, pretty strongly guarded.

"Wo managed to arrange, through tho International Committee, for the creation of a separate section for Australia and New Zealand. On previous occasions wo were members of the British section. They allowed us a maximum of fifteen members, but at present wc were content with three—Mr. Gordon Craig (Sydney), Mr. Tait (Melbourne), and myself, for New Zealand. "Tho Madrid people organised excursions to Toledo and Segovia and other places of interest. They also had elaborate banquets, theatre parties, etc., and . defrayed all the cost. The only trouble is the lateness of the hours kept. No one dines in Madrid till 10 or 11 at night, nor goes to bed before four in the morning. The theatres start at 11 p.m., and that is the hour when most of the receptions and evening entertainments begin. We averaged about three hours in bed.. It was quite a strenuous week."