SEARCH FOR HEALTH

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12901, 30 June 1936, Page 3

SEARCH FOR HEALTH

ROT ATM AX SMITH’S VISIT TO AUSTRALIA INTERESTING AND AMUSING IMPRESS lONS WHAT HE SAW AT TOWXSVI’LLT FT,’I! COATS IN THE TROPICS!

Some interesting impressions in respect -of his recent health-recruiting trip to Australia woo given to his fellow-numbers at the Rotary Club vestorrla.v by the president, Roiaran O. A. Smith, who was very warmly welcomed back. The chair was taken by Rotnrian R. VVillock. Rotarian Smitli sa’d that he leifc the Oomwiinn in the Blue Star liner Sydney Star, eall'ii" at Riuff and thence proceeding to Queensland. On the Sydney Star he, had had most com fortable quarters. She was well equippod for the carriage of frown and chilled products to the Homeland. There were special compartments in which commodities could lie transported at the required temperature. For instance, she had in one. compartment pass-on fruit juice from North of Auckland and in another crayfish from the South Island. Flo had been imp eased whilst sit. Bluff with the oyster-canning industry. Some 24 men were busily engaged opening oysters for the onnnefs. The oysters were for a welt known London retail firm and he understood that as many oysters as could be despatched were required. The fertility of Southland was also a matter for ‘Surp iso to a vVtor. A;s a result of the use of fertilisers, lamb production bad been considerably augmented there. To-day the three •Southland freezing works handled one-seventh of the lamb exports of the nominion. It so happened that the Sydney Star was in very light trim; .niTtor discharging her cargo at New Zealand ports and this became, very noticeable, in the had weather encountered. “Fkldles” had to he fitted on the din'ng tables and even 11 1 on a lady pa.'senger had had the discomfort on one occasion of havuig a. water bottle emptied into her lap. WHERE KNOWLEDGE OE GISBORNE IS SCANTY At Townsville, their first port of call, Rotnrian Smith said, the weather proved vcy humid. Although it was w'nter. it. was as warm as was Gisborne In summer. When hri had enquired how the people fared in the summer, lie was told that in offices a plentiful supply of towels was necessary to- cope with the perspiration. It had been facetiously remarked to hint that it- became necessary for ono to wipe, hiis wist before attempting to s : gn a ‘cheque,! Strangely enough when they were there, however, t'nv Rp'te the humidity, the lading were wearing fur coats. TliaL was probably to he accounted for by the fact that it was the proper season for them to he worn! He had visited Gladstone, which, was originally designed to bo the principal port of Queensland. Today, however, it had a. population of only about. 3000 and fewer amenities than say Wniroa or Opotik'. What had impressed him most about, the place was that a likeness of the great English Liberal statesman wa.s stamped upon nil the chilled heel’ wrappings. He had had very interesting experiences at. Rockhampton which was situated 35 m'les from the coast-. It, was connected with Port Alma, by a- railway which, for half its length, ran through inang ove swamps. The port itself was merely a wharf in a swamp. Whilst at, Rockhampton, Rotarian Smith continued, lie had at ten 1ed a- Rotary . gathering. The District. Rotary Governor way at the time making an official visit to the club there. Incidentally he had been fined 'because none of the Rotarians at the head table knew whether Gisborne was in the No-tit Island or the South Island of New Zealand. When lie visited the home of a Rotarian that evening, the daughter of the house hail, however, volunteered the information that, Gisborne was tlio place where the frozen meat came from. iG'isborne, i» poem*;. had cropped up in the course, of’; her .school lessons that. day. In Rockhampton, there were about 80 hotels, but good accommodation was rather scarce. Tlie principal industries appeared to he thp sale of -lottery tickets, and a particular brand of ice cream which was sold all over Australia and was now. lie understood, on sale even in this Dominion. (Even in remote localities one saw posters for the lottery tickets and the. ice cream. AN INVASION RY REPORTERS In Brisbane, a city of between 300,000 and 100,000 people, he was impressed b.v the fact that it had a public debt of £22,000 000. Its town hall had cost £1,000,000. Whilst on the Sydney Star, he had the experience of an invasion hv newspaper re porters. They were very anxious to learn about the political situation in New Zealand and as a consequence lie found a picture of himself in a paper together with a short interview which ho had given. Incidentally, he had in that interview preferred to adopt, a cautious tone. The gist of what he had said amounted to tins: that probably 30 per cent., of those who had assisted Labor into power were not avowed Socialists and \if they did not get the results they expected they would vote in a different direction when they next, got a finance. Sydney proved too “fast.” for him. The of traffic there and the congestion were bewildering, lie felt, indeed, like a “country bumpkin”. On occasions when going to e oss a ,-treet he would -top' off the path but immediately draw back. On one Saturday night during his v'sit. as many as 20 people had been killed in traffic accidents. Yet Sydney people wandered through the traffic without any apparent sign of concern. Sydney harbor was a wonderful sight, and no visitor could onine away unimpressed with the Harbor Bridge. In conclusion, Rotarian Smith said that he was pleased to say that he

find greatly benefited in health as ft result of his trip, but lie was genuinely glad to ho hack home. At a Sydney Rotary gathering he had raised a hearty laugh by telling its members that he was looking forward to returning to Gisborne and the lealisot.ion had proved! as delightful a- the anticipation. The- speaker wn,s heartily thanked for his interesting address by Rotarian ('. H. Bull, who congratulated h/bn on the improvement, in his Health and in having arranged his it nera y so well That he had been'enabled to attend so many enjoyable Rotary gatherings.