A TRIP TO FINLAND

Evening Star, Issue 22890, 23 February 1938, Page 7

A TRIP TO FINLAND

ADDRESS TO TRAVEL CLUB At a meeting of the Travel Club held in the Vedic Cafe this morning, and presided over by Mr H. L. Gibson, a welcome was tendered Messrs Horst Graff (Berlin), Fred Wise (Detroit). Stefan Weintraub (Breslau), Emanuel Fisher (Poland), John Kay (Peru), Leo Weiss (Berlin) and Mr Edward M. Smith (Newcastle), members of that talented musical, organisation, the Wein-* traubs, now in Dunedin. Mr Graff, replying briefly, said that the company had been warmly welcomed in New Zealand.

The Weintraubs were formed 15 years ago, said Mr Kay. The members, some of whom had studied to become engineers, physicians and bankers, had been drawn together by a common lore of music. During the last few years they had travelled all over the world, visiting nearly every country, giving concerts. They had seen much of life in other countries, but nowhere had they encountered such hospitality nor witnessed so much freedom as in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr W. R. Brugh, who has recently returned from a nine and a-half months’ tour of .the continent, during which he visited 17 countries, then spoke of his visit to Europe, concentrating mainly on an account of a trip to Finland. This trip had been made by train most of the way, the train being joined at the Hook of Holland. Travelling so extensively Mr Brugh said he had come to realise how insular people in New Zealand were. It was very fine to be proud of one’s country and to consider it the best in the world, but it must be remembered that there were other and countries in which the people were just as, friendly. He had praise for the Germans whom he had found very sociable. Mr Brugh had stayed some time in Helsingfors, the capital of Finland, and had found it a delightful town. The people were very polite and he had come to like them very much. Finland, he said, was the first country to give women political rights, and he had found women occupying important positions and filling them very capably. Pood in Finland was good and very cheap, and wherever he had gone he had been given huge meals, a custom of the country. On six occasions he had had the unusual experience of having tips refused. From Helsingfors he had travelled 250 miles inland. The country abounded in. lakes and forests, and

was remarkably beautiful. So heavily wooded had been Finland that all farming pursuits were carried on on land that had had to be cleared of huge trees! Though the winter was severe and much snow fell, he had found the summer climate warm and congenial. At the conclusion of his address the speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.