CIVIC CLUB LUNCHEON.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 30 September 1936, Page 5

CIVIC CLUB LUNCHEON.

ADDRESS BY MR THOS. WATSON. “A TRIP TO AUSTRALIA.” At' the Civic Club’s luncheon, yesterday, Mr Thos. Watson gave a talk on Australia, from a visit to which country he recently returned. Mr iv. M. Little, the president, introduced the speaker and welcomed Messrs W. J. Croucher, R. Denize, and Palmer as visitors. “Although far from being a globetrotter, 1 have had the pleasure of seeing King Neptune and his gentle Queen come over the bows of the ship as she crossed the Line five times in all,” said Mr Watson at the outset. The most imposing of all the gateways to the Australian continent, the speaker proceeded, was the bold headland at the entrance to possibly the most famous harbour in the world, that of Sydney. That harbour had to be seen, for no pen however facile, or tongue however eloquent, could do justice to it. The Wanganella, on which he travelled with Mrs Watson, entered the harbour just as day was breaking and with the lights along the shore, and the great bridge looking like a vast arch of silver with its myriad of electric lights, presented an unforgettable sight of glittering white. On going to the Sydney Post Office to despatch mail, Mr .Watson said, lie suffered an uncomfortable experience. Passing over the counter a good New Zealand coin with which to pay for stamps, the traveller was astonished to see the coin returned, the clerk stating that it was not acceptable. The Minister of Finance, Mr Watson contended, should have this discrediting of our New Zealand currency remedied without delay. The short stay in Sydney was made most enjoyable through the kindness of friends who provided an entertaining and interesting car ride of over 100 miles into the country, away across the Nepean River and up in the direction of the Blue Mountains, through countless orange groves, with the ripe fruit hanging in profusion but for which a profitable sale could hardly be had. Often one passed cottages with notices hanging outside quoting oranges at a shilling a bucketful. Noble Hobson Bay, with its 150 miles of shore line, was in keeping with all that Australia suggested of the vast, said Mr Watson, regarding his visit by boat to Melbourne. Greeting the Yarra River again after 52 years, he was surprised to note the marvellous transformation. The Yarra was no longer a winding, shallow ditch full of difficulties for the small craft which ventured up its waters to the city. To-day the stream was straight and wide and deep. He found Australia as a whole in quite a prosperous condition. There was the appearance of contentment, with trade and industry booming. He was impressed with the operations of the gigantic stores of the universal type, and wondered how small shopkeepers could live in their midst. One department store employed over GOOO hands, while the wool department absorbed 350 girls. Recalling his visit to the Melbourne Broadcasting Association, Mr Watson said that the association offered £SL)U in prizes every Saturday for “tall” stories. Continuing, Mr Watson . said that be had met members of the Henty family, who were famous on account of having brought the first Merino sheep to New South Wales in 1821. Thomas Henty, of Sussex, had despatched the first Merinos from liis flock to Australia. Having been associated with the raising of Merino sheep, both in Queensland and the South Island of New Zealand, Mr Watson was able to enter into the story of how the grandfather of his hosts, Mr James Henty (son of Mr Thomas Henty) was the first settler in the colony of Victoria, at Portland, in

1834. He was given a copy of a booklet entitled “The Coming of the Hentys to Australia.” Describing his visit to Victoria’s War Memorial Shrine, Mr Watson said that it was an inspiration to all who beheld it. It would be impossible to fully describe this monderful tribute to the men who laid doivii their lives. The speaker referred to the spiritual feature of the shrine, “The Rock of Remembrance.” It consisted of a plain slab of dark marble sunk below the floor level in a manner obliging all to bow their heads to read the simple inscription thereon: “Greater Love Hath No Man.” But that was not all, for from the apex of the dome a. great “eye” of natural light shone, down upon the rock, whilst a second shaft of natural light, slender as a spear, named “The Ray,” was admitted through an aperture in the roof, located and shaped according to astronomical and mathematical calculation in order that the ray should fall upon the centre of the rock at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of every year, concluded Mr Watson. Mr F. J. Allen moved a vote of thanks to the speaker for his interesting remarks, and this was carried.