A TRIP HOME

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 212, 22 August 1927, Page 8

A TRIP HOME

TOUR OF THE BRITISH ISLES I A NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRESSIONS. Alter fifteen months away ’ from Hastings i returned by the Ruahine. arriving at Auckland on Thursday last, after a voyage of 36 days, via Panama Canal. While home I visited all the five countries of the British Isles. In the Irish Free States every one 1 came in contact with declared they were a great deal worse off than they were under British rule., They had an expensive Government to support with its attendant evils of billet seeking which they had not before. They had driven the capitalist out of the country through its taxation an unsettled state of affairs and now they wanted him back again, but he would not come, the risk was too great. In Belfast, Lister, the shipbuilding was showing signs of improvement. and 1 was told there were sixteen news keels being laid crown The churches and halls for worship were better attended here than any where in my travels.

At Dungannon 1 went to see the Ear] of Kanfurly. who received me kindly and said his seven years as Governor of New Zealand were the happiest seven years of his life. I had a walk round his park and noticed New Zealand flax growing along tlie margin of a beautiful artificial lake, the roots of flax, he said, he brought from New Zealand. He was very interested in the Ranhirly Shield and traced it wherever it went.

In Dungannon 1 saw the greatest pork and egg market I ever saw. Iliere were hundreds of dressed pigs and hundreds of thousands of eggs being sold for export to England. At Belfast I spent a very pleasant fortnight with the parents of Mr. Bell, of the Economic Store, Russell street, Hastings.

In Scotland 1 went to Glasgow and Edinburgh, two tine stone substantial cities. 1 drove out from- the latter city to the Forth Bridge, which is a wonderful piece of work. The strike was on while 1 was m South Wales, and all the pits were closed. No doubt there was a great deal of poverty, but it was not so noticeable as one might expect. They did not take it seriously at first, and took advantage of an enforced holiday to go for joy rides and visit seaside resorts. The Government and merchants handled the situation admirably and had imported coal in the country in such quantities that wherever 1 went, although exercising economy, they were never short. The imported coal was of an inferior quality. The loss to Great Britain through the coal strike was about £500.000,000, and yet they did not seem to feel it except; of course, the miners themselves.

The wealth of the Old Country is great, in fact it is beyond comp hension. The wealth of London is incomputable. No sooner is a loan floated, no matter of what description. if it shows the least sign of being a good proposition ; t >s subscribed in a few hours; witness the New Zealand £6,000,000 loan, and the Belgian loan in this regard. British capital is being used at the present tune for repairing the French railways which have been in a bad state with frequent accidents since the war. 1 went through the motor works, also three or fpur motor bike and push hike works, which were an education.

I was sorry for the blunder of the Dairy Control Board in trying to fix prices. It was like kicking against the pricks, those big combines, with millions at their back, and thousands of retail shops in their hands, at once boycotted the New Zealand dairy produce, with the result other countries’ butter went up, and New Zealand down, and when New Zealand butter accumulated to such an extent they had to remove price-fixing and accept what they could get, these combines stepped in and bought at the low price to the detriment of the New Zealand producer. No doubt the Control Board could do good work in finding new markets, regulating shipments and freights, advertising etc., but it is impossible to fix prices. .1 had several cases of New Zealand apples sent me to distribute amongst my friends, the Delicious (and they were delicious) arriving in excellent condition. They were tighly appreciated, and if the exporters will send fruit of first-class quality it will meet

a ready market. 1 would like to emphasise this as there are such numbers of wealthy people in Eng land, and they don’t mind what they pay tor a good article. New Zealand has a great name amongst the English people and if w« want to keep up our reputation we must send good stuff. 1 have seen plenty of rubbish from other countries and it may pav them as the distance is so much less. Another thing 1 would impress upon the apple packers and that is they jam them too tight in the boxes, with the result the sides of the apples are Battened and in many instances they show signs of rot. The climate of England seems to hare changed since 1 was a boy. There is very little frost and snow at the proper tune. I only saw snow twice while I was there, hut the winters are damp and foggy, and cold and long, and the little frosts lasted this year to the middle of June, Fruit-growing in England is a wretched business in consequence. The traffic in London is enormous and accidents frequent. Last year there were 45.000 accidents. One thousand and eighty were killed in London streets, which works out at 20 a week.

I went to the High Commissioner's Office. Sir James Parr was away at Geneva so 1 missed him. but had a good talk with the immigration officer who is a New Zealander. The people of England and all round were very sociable and I had a splendid time.—T. Miller. Ada street. Hastings.