TO DELHI AND BACK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 7, 8 December 1931, Page 3

TO DELHI AND BACK

AN INTERESTING VOYAGE. ADDRESS TO ROTARIANS. An enjoyable journey from Dunedin to Delhi and back, with impressions ot tho places visited eii route, was given to members of the Palmerston North Rotary Club yesterday by Mr A. E. McGregor, of Palmerston North. Rotarian W. G. Black presided and welcomed the following visitors: Messrs A. E. McGregor, G.- I. Mcgregor and H. Pierard (Palmerston North), L. B. Wall and R. P. Watt (Kairanga). Mr McGregor, who recently returned from a "isit to the capital of India, said ho had journeyed on an Indian line vessel from Dunedin. Their first port of call was Sydney, a visit there being necessitated owing to the slap requiring repairs to her engines. To Newcastle and up the coast to the Great Barrier the speaker continued, the islands of the Barrier being described. They were covered with a growth of dwarf gums. The voyage here was a smooth one and there was a good deal to interest one; small boats engaged in catching slugs which were preserved for shipment to China. York Peninsula, a barren spot, was the next point observed. On that trip it was recalled how skilful Captain Cook must have been in getting through so many uncharted channels. A visit was paid to Thursday Island, thence past the Carpentaria lightship, about 30 miles from the Australian coast, and on to Batavia. On Lombok Island had been seen a volcano in action with streams of lava running down the mountainside. The vessel had then called at tho port for Batavia; here one was greatly struck by the progress made by the Dutch, the port being furnished with floating docks, concrete wharves and every modem facility for coaling. It was one of the largest coaling stations in the East. Batavia, the capital of Java, was a progressive city, with several modern amenities, including contact with the surrounding country by electric railway. Java boasted 20,000,000 inhabitants and the roads were all bituminised. The country was very fertile and well watered, the principal crop being rice. On the flat the farms weye of about 20 acres; the hills were terraced. Rice had to he grown in water for tho first two months and it was first placed on the higher levels and gravitated to the lower terraces. Tapioca was grown on the higher levels, also coffee. Every inch of the country was cultivated. Traction was provided to a great extent by buffaloes. The speaker had visited an industrial show which was h remarkable exhibition, showing %very activity on the island. The railways were of the same gauge as those in New Zealand; they carried four classes and gave every comfort. The hotels were clean and the rates were much the same as our own, but one did not get so much for the money.

The island of Sumatra was another place of interest, the chief industry here being tobacco growing. When one saw the cheap labour used here one could believe it was almost futile for New Zealand tobacco growers to expect to compete in foreign markets with the Sumatra product. Rubber, tea, tapioca and palm oil were other products. The people of Sumatra were a cross between Mongolians and Malayans and were not so clean as the Javanese. Sumatra was mountainous and there were still many wild animals, such as lions and tigers, rampant in the undeveloped country. Visits to the high lands of the island were described by the speaker who said he was struck to see in the bush there some of the flowers cultivated in New Zealand, such as begonias.

IN INDIA. The next port of call was Calcutta, seven days away, the passage being a smooth one. The speaker described the city with its numerous fine buildings; hut it was not over-clean. The bulk of the work was done by the natives. A number of assassinations of European officials had occurred while the speaker was there. Notable spots in tho city were tire Black Hole, the Queen Victoria Memorial, and the great Hindu temple with its fine mosaics. Delhi had next been visited, the traveller proceeding through the jute country. and the mineral heft higher up with its coal mines and pottery works. After 250 miles had been covered one came on to a plain, stretching as far as the eye could see, on which Delhi was situated. Rice nnd maize were grown here. The first town the visitors stopped at was Benares, the holy city of India, and said to be the oldest city in the country, standing oil tho holy River Ganges. To tho speaker Benares was the city of a thousand smells, despite the daily bathing of worshippers in tire Ganges. Carpet weaving, silk manufacturing and brassworking, were the chief industries here. Lucknow, the next place of interest, was a much cleaner city, with many large and beautiful buildings. Here was the Residency which withstood the famous siege. In the buildings of the Residency one could still see the marks of the cannon-balls fired by tho mutineers. At Cawnpore sad memories were recalled —the scenes of tire massacres of British people. Three or four hundred miles further on was Delhi with its wonderful mosques and buildings with their inlayings of precious stones fixed with silver. Some of the baths in tho buildings were jewelled. On to Agra and its Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world —a massive white marble tomb erected by. an Indian prince to the memory of his wife. Back to Calcutta the visitor* had gone, then off to Penang, on the homeward journey. Penang was very much an English city, and though the Chinese conducted a good deal of the business they had many pretty homes. From Penang to Singapore with its cosmopolitan population; this spot was the key to trade with the East and seemed very prosperous. The naval base was about 12 miles from the port on the other side of the island. Tho strait 'at Singapore was about two and a-quarter miles wide and the islands on either side were heavily fortified, this passage being recognised as the gateway to the Ear East. Samarang, a town very much like Gisborne, had been the next place of eall, then to Thursday Island and homewards. Regarding trade with the East and India, the speaker concluded, there seemed to be enormous markets for such New Zealand products as preserved milk, cheese, butter and apples. On the call of Mr Jas. Wallace the speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.