CITY’S BEAUTIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 273, 16 October 1936, Page 6

CITY’S BEAUTIES

VISITORS DEEPLY IMPRESSED. DELEGATES FROM LONDON. Unstinted praise of the civic amenities of Palmerston North, the beauty of its gardens, the general lay-out of the city and tile hospitality of its people, was expressed by a party of delegates to the recent Congress of the Federated Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire, who spent a brief period in the city on their way north. They arrived yesterday and departed for Chateau Tongariro this morning. ■ The members of the party are: Mr F. Holgate Barber, delegate of the Fulham Chamber of Commerce, a member of the council of the federation; chairman of F. H. Barber and Co., Ltd., Fulham; a life director of B. B. Evans and Co., Ltd., Kilhuru, and Mayor of Fulham in 1931. Mr Milton V. Ely, delegate of the London Chamber of Commerce; managing director of the Foster Engineering Co., Ltd., electrical gear manufacturers, London; L. G. Sloan, Ltd., and chairman of A. Roberts and Co., Ltd., Government contractors. Mr E. Horace Holme, delegate of the London Chamber of Commerce; a retired manufacturer.

They were accompanied by Mr A. Ely, of Auckland, a brother of Mr Milton V. Ely. The charm of the city's gardens, and particularly the Esplanade drive with its cherry blossoms, deeply impressed the visitors. Mr Milton Ely said he had travelled extensively—in South Africa, Canada, and America, and the South of France, and never had he seen anything approaching the present beauty of Victoria Drive, except, perhaps, the mimosa at Cannes. The Square Gardens and the lay-out of the city were also praised by the visitors, who said, however, that it was a great pity the railway made such an eyesore running through the centre of what was otherwise a most admirable civic amenity. The city’s wide streets were described as a great asset and the principal shops came in for much praise. Some of the business premises, it was stated, ranked very highly and were as up-to-date as many London establishments, and were displaying goods on the lines of London’s best. The hotel accommodation provided for the guests was also the subject of favourable comment.

“But,” it was observed, “get some other method of waking up visitors in the morning than the shrill railway whistles.” when further reference was made to the proximity of the railway.

The Manawatu Golf Club’s links at Hokowhitu, to which the visitors were taken yesterday, were warmly praised as being a delightful scene. The club possessed a good course, and would be envied by manv larger places. Colonel J. H. AYhyte,'and the club’s professional, Mr J. R. Galloway, whom the visitors had met, had shown unbounded hospitality which was greatly appreciated; indeed, the hospitality ot all whom they had met in Palmerston North would be remembered for long by them, the visitors concluded. It was evident from the general conversation of these visitors that Ralmer6ton North’s name will be talked of in a much wider sphere as they were most agreeably surprised to find such marked progress m an inland town apart from the four main centres. They had experienced rough weather in the South Island, had been held up by floods on the roads and enencountered drowned stock on the highways, so that Palmerston North provided a very pleasant contrast.