LONDON

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 1915, 8 September 1921, Page 3

LONDON

STILL THE LARGEST CITY. London still leads (writes F. A. McKenzie in the London Daily Mail). Now York city’s boast that it has at last surpassed us in population is lain. New York wishes to compare Greater New York itli the County of London to show that it is larger. But Greater New York includes very large and thickly populated parts of the metropolis, such for example, as Hornsey. The only real basis of comparison is between Greater New York and the London city and Metropolitan police districts. Greater Loudon has well over seven millions population.

Greater New York has over five ami a-half millions. “Little old New York,” as the mau on Broadway loves to call it, has done its best for a hundred years to catch up to us. Its population increased for a long time at a much greater rate than ours. Not long ago it seemed likely that. New York would reall pass Lon■ don in l!)30. But Loudon since the war has been growing very rapidly too. It is now more than ever the vital centre of the world. Every great world-wide enterprise has to have headquarters here. Each city has its own distinctive charm. London can show nothing to compare with the glories of New A’ork Bay and the New York sea approach. Now York cannot show anything so charming as the view from Richmond Hill.

New York is the more splendid. The groat Public Library on Fifth Avenue is an example to us, not only iu beauty, but also iu sheer utility. We have nothing to compare with New York’s two big railroad stations. They are super-palaces. New York puts all its splendour in its front window. It shows itself at its best. London docs its best to hide its beauty. New York has the glory of its skyscrapers, and a very real glory it is. London has the beauty of her great white stone historic buildings in the City. Our streets are on the whole more conveniently arranged for traffic. Some New Yorkers will howl at me for saying so, but it is true all the same. New York City’s long, straight streets are about as convenient as anything could be for transit. To prove this you need only ride on top of an omnibus from Wellington Square to One-huudred-and.uorty third street on a May afternoon. But do not make the experiment unless you have most of the afternoon to spare for that journey. London is better governed. London Port arrangements are infinitely better than New York’s. London has a greater charm. It is a City of Homes as New York is not.’

And yet no one who has lived much iu New Y r ork City as I have done can be blind to the wonderful attractiveness of its vivid, virile, vigorous life. It is the City of Strength. Least of all, London is expensive to the visitor. After a short time he finds very little money left in his purse. New York does not leave you with little; it will leave you with none at all