WOODVILLE & DISTRICT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 227, 24 August 1938, Page 10

WOODVILLE & DISTRICT

TRIP TO VANCOUVER.

MR H. HORNE RETURNS

Benefited greatly in health, Mr H. P. Horne, former Mayor of Woodville, and Mrs Horne, who have been on a visit to Vancouver, returned to Woodville on ■ Tuesday morning, having landed from the liner Aorangi at Auckland, on Sunday evening. They were absent from the Dominion for about six weeks. Shortly after his arrival home, Mr Horne, as a member of the Dannevirke Power Board, attended the monthly meeting of the board.

The trip, he said, in an interview, was a very enjoyable- one, the voyage each way being most agreeable. The itinerary included visits which proved delightful to Suva and Honolulu, particularly aa regards the latter city. These enchanting isles lingered in the memory. Vancouver appeared to be experiencing a period of considerable prosperity, and its growth had been remarkable. Described as it is the gateway of the Pacific to the Dominion of Canada, the population had inscreased from 2000 52 years ago to 340,000 at the present day. There was rapid expansion in every direction. The fishing, mining, and lumber industries were important factors in the development of the country. The inhabitants appeared to hear very little about New Zealand, but what they did seemed to favourably impress them; and they were interested in the social legislation of this country and wondered what the ultimate result would be. The Press of British Columbia did not seemingly cater for its readers in other than the affairs of its own country. The Canadian newspapers were of a type similar to those issued in the United States. A common sight one saw in Vancouver was the number of steps leading to private residences and other buildings, on account of the numerous basements High steps and basements appeared to be a feature . VANCOUVER’S PARKS.

Extensive parks were also noted, and

in one of these, adjacent to the city, a great area of native bush had been preserved. The tourist traffic was immense. At the time of Mr Horne’s visit, thousands of people were frequenting the beaches- A visit was paid to Victoria (8.C.). a few hours’ sail from the city of Vancouver, and which is described as a beautiful -..location, with a profusion of flowers, and tree-planting on a large scale. Whilst atyVictoria, Mr and Mrs Horne, called on Mrs Hagen, the widow of the late Mr E. A. Hagen, who will be remembered by early residents of Woodville as the editor-proprietor of the then local newspaper. He was subsequently engaged for a time in a literary venture in Wellington, and.eventually departed for California. OPPRESSED JEWS

On the journey from New Zealand, one of the passengers, en route to Mexico, to rejoin his son, was Rev. G. W. Davidson, formerly vicar of Woodville, whose health had much improved on the voyage. On the return trip to New Zealand there was on board a party of German Jews, bound for Australia, wlio had been subjected to, hardships in the Fatherland, and were barred from removing their earthly possessions except under stringent conditions. They were the victims of Nazi rule and recounted their trials. The group impressed the New Zealanders as being of a very suitable type of settler for this country, as they all seemed to be very hard workers and anxious to succeed. There was room for improvement in the descriptive scenes of the Dominion screened on ocean liners, Mr Horne said. The pictures were not up-to-date find did not show the glories of this land at their best.

In Victoria (8.C.) the visitors did the rounds in a sight-seeing ’bus, which halted before - some monkey-puzzle trees for the benefit of admiring tourists. But, growing in Fountaine Square. Woodville, are two splendid specimens of this tree, which are regarded as being more than equal to those seen on the New Zealanders’ travels in British Columbia. A number of Australians returning home were met on the Aorangi. They had visited the Glasgow Exhibition, and expressed their praiise for the New Zealand Court, which they considered superior to that of the Commonwealth representation. Whilst there was natural grandeur in much that Mr and Mrs Horne saw and some wonderful sights were witnessed, yet for its variety of scene and infinite charm, New Zealand remains unrivalled. ' v