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Evening Star, Issue 19745, 21 December 1927, Page 6

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SIGHS OF PROSPERITY IN ENGLAND MR- H. R. SPENCE’S IMPRESSIONS. Well-known as a former Collector of Customs at Dunedin, and perhaps better known as the secretary of the laic Exhibition, Mr H. R. Spcnre has returned after an eleven months tour oi Great Britain, Ireland, and the Continent. Mr Spence, who was accompanied by Mrs Spence, called on route at Australian ports and South Africa, and came hack by way of the United States and Canada. Staying at the Grand Hotel, Mr Spence is looking extremely well after his trip abroad, which, by the way, is not his first to Great Britain. Mr Spence was struck with the iact that economic conditions were improving in the Home Land, a hopeful sign being the desire of both employees and employers to have round-table conferences, where they could thrash out their differences without resorting to the disastrous methods of strikes or lock-outs. Ho understood there was now a movement to restrict, as far as single men wore concerned, the operation of the dole, which, it was considered by many, had tended to sap the individuality of the worker. While conceding that it was difficult to judge whether there w'as much unemplo.Muent in a large place like London, Mr Spence was particularly struck by the many signs of progress since his last visit—the extension of railways, the formation of new roads, the many now buildings that were springing up, and the many and varied public works that were under way. Ho noticed a great extension of the residential areas in the suburbs of London. Roth in the city and the suburbs the traffic problem was becoming very acute, and several of the principal streets bore the notice “ One-way traffic only.” Mrs Spence and he travelled many thousands of miles by motor, and everywhere—in England, the Continent, and America—the roads were splendid. Those who met Mr C. I*. Hainsworth, who was general manager of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, will be interested to learn that Mr Spence renewed acquaintance with him in England. Mr Hainsworth had been appointed manager of another large exhibition which is to Ire held at New-castle-on-Tyne in 1929, and which promises to be very successful. He also met Captain Graham, who was Commissioner for the British Court here, and Mr J. 0. Turcotte, who was Commissioner in the Canadian Court. Captain Graham was very pleased to have just received a copy of the official record of the Dunedin Exhibition, and stated that it had been favorably commented on by a number of others. Mr and Mrs Spence intend remaining in Dunedin for some lime.