A TRIP TO AUSTRALIA.

Evening Star, Issue 14163, 13 September 1909, Page 4

A TRIP TO AUSTRALIA.

Mr J. F. M. Fraeer and his wife returned to Dunedin on Saturday afternoon, after, a holiday of pearly three months in Australia. They travelled through Victoria, slaying awhile in the' western district between Gee long and Warrnambool, and enjoying the country life in ' that favored part of the State, where the land is eo rich as to command £6O art aero ,for ; onion-growing. Then they went to New South Wales, and, not content with "doing" Sydney, went up into the interior. From thence Mr and Mr-s Fraser made tlie journey to Brisbane, to see the show. They met with fine weather throughout, and cam* homo well and thoroughly delighted wjth the trip. Chatting this morning to a reporter, Mr Fraser said : I have been, much impressed by the dismal references to tjiis country appearing in the Press of the Commonwealth, and I have been at some pain 6 to point out tliat whilst wo never were in the fog, wo are now in thp sunshine. This is a period of great prosperity on the other side, attended by tieayy personal extravagance, and it 3s tp bo hoped that a pyele of lean years is not epmjng. The Commonwealth teems with ill-distributed wealth. The prodigality of these rich Australians is such as to astonish a New Zcalandcr. Wages on the coast sidp of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales are low. I met ;) man who had labored for 6ix moot lis jn a vineyard for 386 a week, and hp found himself. The work was heayy, and 24s a week was the maximum. Scores were available at the money. There is a very loud outcry in certain quarters for 4 a progressive land tax, and one iinds this in all the States save Queensland. A great portion of the Continent appears to a New Zealander dangerous from a close settlement view, and the earth hunger that undoubtedly exists may lead some day to a catastrophe.

The- Australians aro a charming people, and show a very real courtesy to strangers. 1 should eay that they are "absolutely the most polite people in tho world. This politeness is noticeable in all 'classes, particularly amongst the workers.

Their strongly-developed vices are gambling and sport. I thought that wo knew a little about both vices in New. Zealand, but I am now satisfied that in comparison with our kin across the Tasnian Sea we are. spotless in pur purity. Football is with the Australians a gladiatorial display, and only charms by its brutality. The Queensland show was an interesting spectacle, and we could take a leaf out of their book with advantage. In the jumping contest the ring was turned into a hurdle course, with a good double, and the horses sent twice round at top. I was much struck by the generallyexpressed opinion that Australian visitors would not in future visit the South owing to the lack of good accommodation now available. Australians are accustomed to good hotels and every reasonable comfort, and if we Southerner.-, are to look for a return for our tourist expenditure steps must be taken to provide good accommodation. If private enterprise is not equal to doing this, the shipping companies and ihc Govenuuent must tackle the proposition. I met scores of people who said they were not coming oyer hero again under existing conditions. Their objection has nothing to do with the drink question. It is simply that they demand more comfort. That was the answer I got from numbers whom I urged" to como and see Inland Otago.

We in New Zealand possess one enormous advantage—good food. I have dined all over Australia, at the expense alike of my purse and my digestion, and I did not taste good meat until I returned here. All that Australians would ask for would be good, clean accommodation, good environment, good attendance, and good cooking. If we do not give them that thev will stop away, and we will lose good oash customers.

It is pleasant to hear the outside criticisms on our steam service, for they are highly flattering. r A word about Baden Powell's boy scouts. The movement has caught on tremendously in ISfew South Wales, and on a Saturday afternoon one sees them in all directions. Six thousand of them were recently reviewed in Sydney, and all classes unite in praising the scouts. Cprtainly, they are smart-looking little chaps, with a civil answer for everyone.