PROGRESS IN ICELAND

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 14 February 1930, Page 4

PROGRESS IN ICELAND

FINE HARBOUR AND ROADS. Iceland lias moUeruis-eU li-erselt rapituy, in spite of Uiiiiculties, natural ana imposed. Neither iron, timber, building stone, cement, coal, noj- salt are produced within her own borders .vil etiese essentials must be brought oversea, and possibly Hauled ihany miles into the interior over hard ground, where there is at present no read (writes Hovyard Little in the “Daily Telegraph”J. io-day Iceland buys more —per head ol population—in foreign countries tpan does any other nation. Although it is compelled to make relatively enoriiLou.se purchases, the annual credit balance stands high, and shows a tendency to increase. For 1926 this balance was equivalent to 22s per head of the population, and last year to £9 10s. In 1899, when l first visited Iceland, the capital, Reyjavik, was a town of some three thousand inhabitants, and boasted neither harbour nor roads. Nothing went on wheels. To-day Reykjavik has a fine harbour, the construction ol which was actually commenced in 1913, interrupted by tlie war, and, because of the necessity o' continued enlargement, is in part not yet completed. The inhabitants of the town number 26,000, and mere are some 500 motor vehicles, all of which are kept particularly busy. The main roads nave a good surface, and other roads within and leading from the capital art: also being improved. Iceland’s Parliament House, University. and! Museum are all, in many' important respects, models of what these institutions should be. Indeed, |t is claimed, with some show of reason, that her Althing is in reality the Mother of Parliaments. The thousandth anniversary of the first meeting is to be celebrated next June.

Fifty-four years ago Iceland was left in a condition of poverty and without business experience. Her'people, by their own unaided efforts, have brought about many remarkable changes. Moreover, this has been done in spite of natural disadvantages, and in face of •something worse than mere indifference from the outside world—that world which the people of Iceland have actually led in the discovery of new lands and in the founding of self-sup-porting colonies.

BON VOYAGE. Bouquets and wishes followed the couple on their honeymoon voyage. But better than bouquets wore the Pul-rnoni-.s a friend slipped into their pockets. Pulmonas for coughs, colds, sore throats, asthma a.nd bronchitis. Tn a lpmlv (in. Keep Pulmonas by you whether t ray oiling or at home. 1/0 and 2/0. Chemists and stores.—Advt