TWELVE MONTHS' TRAVEL.

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 April 1910, Page 1

TWELVE MONTHS' TRAVEL.

A TOUR ROUND THE WORLD. It is not given. to everyone to bo able to take a round trip such as lias recently fallen to the lot of the genial manager of the Greymouth branch of the Bank of New South Wales, Mi H. P. Stark. But he, having justly earned a complete rest and change of scene after many years of faithful service to his employers, was in-anted a year's holiday, which he has just returned from, well in health and refreshed in body and mind through the many interesting countries he has visited.

Mr Stark left Greymouth on March 26Ui, 1909 and returned hero on Friday last, April Ist, where ho met the many friends he had left behind him, but who were delighted to see him back, looking such a picture of health, as to show that the attack of malaria, which he contracted while in Java, had left no traces of its severity, though he had to admit its severity while it lasted. But with the aid of medical skill and the best of attention, he was soon about again. The readers of the "Star'' have had news of Mr Stark's travels at different times during his absence, but an opportunity was afforded a representative of this journal to gain a somewhat fuller account of his travels soon after his arrival, in spite of his time being very much taken up prior in taking over the reins . of office once more.

After leaving Greymouth, Air Stark journeyed from Auckland to Sydney in the C.S.S. Go's tine steamer Mamma, arriving there just in time to see the Royal Society's show, at which there were 110.000 people present; and which, from a colonial point of view, is one of the leading splits to witness in Australasia. He also visited (lie Randwick racecourse, where large crowds assembled to witness the Easier races, and during his stay in Sydney he visited several of the lovely suburban towns such as Coogec, Bondi, Manly, i'\c [| ( . also witnessed the performance of Williamson's famous pantomime and heard a recital given on tie- world renowned Town Hall organ, TO CAN ADA.

Thence he journeyed via Brisbane to Suva and Honolulu to Victoria in British Columbia. He described Honolulu as a must delightful place, which he should liked to have seen more of. but the steamer only lemained long enough to coal. The journey to Vancouver was most enjoyable ami .Mr Stark has returned a linn advocate of the -All Red" route. The activity Hi Vancouver is a revelation to ait v one hailing from Xew Zealand and flu.ugh everyone seemed to l»■• hustling tiir..imh.an the day, they ha-e then time lor recreation and enjoy splendid homes and plenty of life and amusement. THROI/GH AMERICA. After spending a day <>r two there lie tiavelled by the Canadian I'aciiie Railway through to New York, passing ihroiigh the marvellous scenery on thRockies to Banff, Winnipeg and .Main toto and un to Toronto where he halted to see that wonderful centre of activity. Thence a visit to the ureal lulls o| Niagara and to Motitieal wttere tin- great horse show was being hehi which attract-'.l visitors from all ovi r America and was indeid a most notable event. XEW YORK CITY The City of Xew Yoik usurp".! several days ni the visitor's travels but they Were days of intense interest to .Mr Stark who .aired with him such credentials as proved an open sesame to all the leading commercial and financial institutions, including the great Wall Street: money and shaie market, where he was introduced t.. many oi the money who were courteous to a degree to th lr guest

and made his stiiv in that cit-v most enjovable. XEW YORK TO ENGLAND. He had tile pleasure of being a pas sengcr from .New York io Qtleelistown in that floating palace, the Lusitania, which left the'former place at 10.2 U a.m. on May 19 and armed at the latter port at 10 p.m. on the 24th. thus doing the trip in less 'han days. From there to Liverpool and by express train to London was accomplished in very quick time arriving at I liii hotel Husseil, which he made his quarters during his stay in rip- great | metropoli -. (>ne of the first .hue- o! j amusement that le. risked cvas tie j Royal Opt ra House, Coveiit Garden, | where he had the good fortune In sij ..in good King and Queen who won- \ pia sent on tin occasion. Ho remained in London son." time I renewing acquaintances, meeting i friends, some from Xew Zealand ami ; making hosts ot others and of course ; visited tin kh/soin race meeting on the | Derby Day rendered famous by n beImg the day on which King Edwaid ! wen tile bllle llbaml of the UU'f With j Miner... lie describes the scene < !

that win as one that not oily made j eu-ty Britisher proud, but entirely baffled description, the excitement J being so intense. j SOME NOTABLE SIGH IS. lie also visited Deal where he saw the golf championships played, which j of course appealed to him greatly- IE was als.. present at Rortsmuuth < n the occasion of i lie great Naval display and went on board Nelson's old ilagshij), the Victory, besides visiting the isle of Wight, Spithead and other pails along the South Coast. Reluming to London after a most profitable visit to the South he attend d the Royal Ascot race meeting "lid was an honoured guest at the Royal stables, when- he was shown everything and where, ho alleges, he could not have been more royally treated if he had been an intending purchaser. HOLLAND. He also attended the Henley regalia, one of the sights of the aquatic world, and ilso the Tennis Championship meeting, after which lie visited Holland calling first at the chief centre, Rotterdam and subsequently visiting Amsterdam, the Hague, Doodrecht, Yitissingen, Gose, Middk-berg, and /.eland He was very mue.ii taken up with the ways of the Dutch and the quaint dresses...of the women, yet withal an industrious, good living, "clean, healthy race of people. What lie saw of their markets would till columns but everywhere he went he saw the same industrial activity and frugality. While there he took a run up to Antwerp and returned 'o Amsterdam from where he visited the dead cities in the Zuyder Zee, viz., the Isle of Marken, Colendam and Mound keiidam.

GERMANY AND DENMARK. ! Leaving Holland ho proceeded to Germany visiting Bremen, Bremen- ! haven, Hamburg, Blankenese, Aldona, and Lubeck and thence into Denmark journeying via Warnemunde to Copenhagen which place he remained at for some days enjoying the lovely scenery and studying the habits of the inhabitants. English tourists were constantly met and occasionally parties of Americans, so that there was not a dull moment. While in Denmark lie had time to see some little of the butter industry, which, to a New Zealander, was very interesting. He then sailed from Copenhagen to Malum in the South of Sweden and after twelve hours in the train 1 cached Stockholm. Passing by way of the Gota Canal to Gottenburg lie visited Helsingburg, Helsiugnor and reached Copenhagen again where he took steamer for England arriving at Harwich and returning to London. THROUGH GREAT BRITAIN.

After another stay there ho did a j tour of he Midland Counties seeing ' nil all the capital cities en loute and then on to Scotland, wheire he visited Edinburgh, Musselburg, St. Andrews, lakes Catherine, Loch Lomond and down to Glasgow. Ayr, Paisley and otter notable centres taking the steamer Princess Maud from Glasgow to Belfast and' Arrived at Dublin just in time to see the great Horse Show there, which even after that at Mon-

i treal, was a revelation, as .t is undoubtedly the world's show of horses and attracts the largest number of people from all parts of the world. Mr Stark describes the sight as .me that should not be missed by anyone visiting the old country. Apart from this his stay in Dublin was most enjoyable as the capital was seen at its best. However, no bad to return to London | once more and did so by way of the Isle ot Man. THE RETURN JOURNEY. Mr Stark finished up his social and business transactions in London am! then started on his return journey to New Zealand first proceeding to Newhaven and thence via Dieppe to Paris in which gay city he vemained sufficiently long to familians;- himself with the locality wliich has sinew boon the scene of such disastrous floods, but whic"h on the occasion* of his visit was innocent of such despoliation. He visited Versailles, Foiitainbloit and other cities in France and thou journeyed to Switzerland, staying at the charming city of Lucerne'and visiting many of the lakes in that picturesque | country and thus through to Italy, where he halted at Managgio and (Vino from where he took train to Milan, Turin, Sarona, and thence on So Nice, Monaco and Monte Carlo where he saw all that can bo seen of tin? world's greatest Casino and sur- j foundings. |

SCENES IN ITALY. Mr Stark spent a good put .-f his holiday under Italian skies, visiting as he went through Genoa. Venire, Florence, Rome, Naples, where he ascended Mount Vesuvius and saw liedevastation that had befallen rite city and suburbs of .Messina and c a:; ma. He also visited the ruins of '.'-tpri and Pompeii and brought a.way w ; th him albums full >f most charming photographs of all the st noted places he met with. Indeed Ins accumulation of views which he has been making during his travels have added materially to his impedimenta, but will afford him and los friends great interest in the future. Italy is, in Mr Stark's opinion, the wonderland of the world, every part containing some special feature of interest and its wonderful natural resources render i. especi: llv p.pillar wit !i visitors. GREECE AND EC VIM. Ills stay in Athens, during which time he visited Crete, was y.-iy ,n joyablo but was far !..■. short as Io- had "to make g0.n1." After visiting Alexandria and Caii... neither ..t w inch gave a desire t.. remain, li • pr..,-.- .!. •! io I'm! Said mi his vv i<, the ih.lv I and He describes the coaling of the large steamer at that prnt as be in.' done in the most primitive way but so e\pr-ilii i.mslv by women, who pass small baskolsfull in long rows, a plan ,-vloptt .1 at other coaling stations in the East. From here ii pr >- .-'. d <! t. Jaffa and thence In vriv of Ley-rout through till the places reudi led of special int. n st as 'ar as ;ho ■-.', , f Calih- and (bene- through Bethlehem and Jerusalem back to I'ott Said. IX 01IINFSF W \TKRS Mr Stark's v isil |.. tin : -land ■ t Java proved unfortunate as I*; - iim h> -.1 ay t li. re h. coiil ract. d ~i- ,: ,- 1- ..t malaria w inch in .'■•■ sit,-p ■.i ,> rei n,u to Hongkong for tieatliieiit. How v r. In- saw much of the wonderful island with its 37,000,000 population and also visit d s 'vei-,-,1 of the hading Chinese cities where the over population i ■• ■■ t I ! Canton (~.- in>lamv b" noted 'rial -,r - |.,iM:...:. v. ! 'I-. ■■..;.! 11l sampans and o' her ,-i ■ ; o-i I lie rivers, there heme no had been a rising shortly b-foo he reached Hongkong* and he -; w for himself tin at' ci'i ■- tCo .. t ■ ail- - inistei ■ 1 bv ; !i- aul ha n ii-s uianv "i them being of a most lv-volting i-hai--;i Pi and calculated io n mai-i in his mem i|\ foi some time. lie iescribes tile si|iialor of the crowd, d portions of the city and the absence of sanitai.oi as something alarming and I;.king everything into consideration he was .dad t. leave China and her '••eming millions behind him . His visit t>. Japan was f;n mure enjoyable and Indescribes the beauties of Nagazaki, Kobe-, Yokohama and Toko, veiy graphically. Mr Stark milm queiit ly bit Hong kong on February 14tb via Macau and then on to Cantmi. HOME again: From ('anion to Manila and I heme ! y v. v of Thursday I -land. I ownsill. . I'.i ■ ban - I-. Smliu'.v, an iving ihm-e on M.iiidi 7th. was a phasing - hang.' affei Hie sights he bad wit noss. d in China and ha\ ing .rrivi d at Auckland on March 13th he determiu.d io have a nst U r .i few day.so proceeded to the Lakes district wheiv he remained till March 28th when he made direct for (Ire;, mouth and heme. Being asked which country he preterm! of all he had visited, Mr Stark .. iv candidly replied "There is none, in mv opinion, to compare with the ■jltle* Domini -ii of New Zealand."