AS OTHERS SEE US.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 25 May 1926, Page 5

AS OTHERS SEE US.

ADDRESS- ON NEW ZEALAND. “NO TAXES OUTSIDE LAND TAX.” (To tike Editor.) Sir, —I am forwarding you a- cutting from -an Old. Country paper, which reached m© by a recent English mail, wondering if it will prove interesting enough to print for your Star subscribers to read. It amused me- to- read some parts, such as “nothing in. th© wlay of poverty.” Wlrat- is the- charity -ball held in Ha-wera for ©very year? Also “grapes- Is per bucketful.” (He doesn’t say the size of the bucket). Then “port wine -sixpence- a bottle, ’’ and ‘ ‘peaches a, penny per lb in the markets.” Ido not prdfes-s to know a great dea 1 ! about farming matters, but, 'like a- lot of others, I read the papers, and recent reports- from Hawke’s Bay, telling of shortage of feed and Starving stock, mak© the “green grass all the year round” -and “excellent feed to the top of the- hills” sound a hit of a farce; hut no doubt the farmer can judge that for hhnself. I have been in New Zealand for seven years, and my husband was born in New Zealand, and- he, like myself, thinks my countryman at Home ha-s “stepped th© line” a hit too- far. Pte-rha.ps it was the sixpenny h’ottl©, of port that did it.l am, etc., 1 HOMIE. , Meremere.

The clipping which our correspondent forwards is headed “Rotarians and New Zealand,” and reads a-s follows: —> “West Ham Rotarians, at their weekly .luncheon meeting at the -Pigeons Hotel, Romford-road, -on Wednesday, listened with keen interest to an able exposition by Mr F. , Sammes of the physical beauties of New Zealand. Mr Sammes, who spent ten years there, sketched a delightful' picture of the country, its climate - , industries and social life'. He declared that during his sojourn there lie- saw nothing in the way of poverty. He never saw a parson in reduced -circumstances nor a man wanting work who- could not find it. Dealing with the show places, he said the hot springs at Rotorua were one of the finest sights in the world. They were natural ■ hot springs, which worked of their own accord, and were not made to work artificially. Then there were pools of boiling mud. The-crust of the earth was very thin. Sometimes- it cracked, and the result was another boiling lake. These- were in a- hollow, and at the top of one of the hills in the surrounding range were two lakes- — in© blu© and cue green. In the southern island were- the famous Southern Alps, with beautiful mountain peaks 10,000 to 15,000 feet high. Up the deles of these peaks' were huts for tourists, who could thus -spened a-s long as they liked over their visit. Speaking of the New Zealand climate, Mr. •sammes said he liad never wore an overcoat there. In the middle of the so-called winter it was like a finei English -spring, and' they reckoned upon having nine months of summer. In the back garden of a- house where he stayed were apricots as large- as'Engish black diamond plums ; indeed, fruitgrowing in New Zealand was wonderful. Vlany acres of ground l were deVo-ted to the growing of -grapes in the open, and they were -so plentiful that a shilling would buy a bucketful of luscious “grapes. Port) wine- at -sixpence- a bottle

was far better than that costing 5s in this country. Being p-ure grape- juice, its had more “kick” in it. IP-esclies tveie so'd in the market at one- penny a. pound. Farms in New Zealand were something never to he forgotten.. He , * knew a farm- at Hawke’s Bay where they ran two -sheep to the acre. Ihe o-ra'ss was green all the year round, and there was excellent • feed right to the top of the hills. New Zealand mutton shipped to this- country was finer than, any grown at home, because only' the best was allowed to be sold. ; Cattlelat two years old were fit for killing, and l at three years were 'rolling fat, although, thev never had cake or other artificial winter feed. The creameries, too, were remarkable. New Zealand butter being, „ the finest in the world. Hides and - ' skins were prepared in New - Zealand and sent to the country all ready Lor the market. Flour milling Was extensive, and flax-growing was one of the biggest industries. Freezing was another great industry. Some 2000 to oOQO head of sheep a day were p nfc th rough the -refrigerators. each carcase having first been passed by an inspector. -No country in the world liad a- finer climate,, aud - y anyone .seeking health could find it " there. The New Zealander was the most hospitable man lie ever met. As to education, the. universities, were frpe_ to anyone who could pass the qualifying examinations. It- -was what was known as a democratic coun try , and there were no taxes outside- Tnnd_ tax. The cities were built on a definite system, and tlierc were no slums. There were no » workhouses, vet everybody worked? New Zealand was essentially-an agricultural oountrv, hut there was amp I ©, opportunity for anyone willing to work. Ho had the- autlioritv of the High Commissioner for stating that at the present tim© New Zealand required experienced farm hands, farmers with capital and skilled men connected' with the building trade.” --p