SNAPHOTS OF AUSTRALIA

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3263, 5 February 1926, Page 11

SNAPHOTS OF AUSTRALIA

TAKEN BY REV. G. S. COOK The President, Mr. H. L. Young, directed proceedings at the Palmerston North Rotary Club yesterday, w hen the Rev. G. S. Cook made some observations on our neighbouring country. He styled his talk, “Snapshots of Australia.” Mr. Cook said Australia was an interesting subject to New Zealanders not only because of common language and ancestry, but also on account of the common sacrifice made in the Great War. The Dominion, on its side, appealed to Australians because It was an ideal tourist resort that was bound to bo availed of more and more every year. New Zealand was a small, rich country that by cultivation would fill up before Australia thirty times the size, and when this country got to that stage, quite a number of New Zealanders would no doubt get the •'wanderlust” and make Australia the land of their. .future. The 45.000 New Zealanders even now resident in Australia were prospering and were in every way regarded as desirable citizens. Impressions. f After referring to Australia’s configuration and climate, Mr, Cook gave some impressions of the country. The first was the scarcity of New Zealand news—one had to drop New Zealand overboard on going to Australia, although there was never a tremor or an earthquake that was not recorded at the St. Ignatius observatory. The result was that over there they referred to New Zealand as the “shaky isles” and had the impression we were living in most precarious conditions. Speaking to an American and Australian one day, Mr. Cook pointed out that In 75 yeans only seven lives had been lost through earthquakes, while more were killed by motor-cars every week-end in Australia. Deathrate figures proved that there was a chance of living two or three years longer in New Zealand than in Australia and six years longer than In America. In Wellington which was noted for its earthquakes, the death rate was the lowest of any city of* Its size In the world (laughter And applause). 1 Fertility Of The Soil, The soil is rich In Australia and even In the Blue Mountains, which was considered euch poor country that the trees had not been cleared off large areas, gardening was successfully carried on without need or manuring. In the wheat-growing areas TOlbs, of superphosphates to the acre was the maximum—a larger quantity had to bo used in New Zealand. A great, deal of wheat land got a rest owing to the periodical droughts a kind of farrowing that kept the soil In good condition. A wonderful extension of the wheat and fruitgrowing areas was noticeable to Mr. Cook since previously In Australia 17 years ago . In the irrigation district one fruit-grower had disposed of his holding, Ip full bearing tor £450 an acre. Twenty years earlier ri on the same land had been exhibited a ernment notice informing Intending settlers It was worthless! But irrigation and fruit-growing had transformed it. ' / A further example of fertility was given by the speaker when hei quoted the case of a man who havthg run 400 sheep on a similar number of acres of river flat land had grown lucerne and his farm now carried 2000 sheep, and he hoped to double the quantity when he got in the lucerne lie needed. Orange (N.S.W.) paradoxically was noted for its cherries and over two million pounds had been grown this season to the. value of nearly £60.000. Scenic. Mr. Cook had been to some of the finest scenery in Australia, the Blue Mountains, being the pick. Unfortunately the waterfalls boosted in that region are a mere trickle in dry weather and in order that they should come up to the picture standard, so as not to disappoint the thousands of tourists (the normal population of 10,000 to 12,000 at Kaloomba increases to 30,000 to 40,000 in the season), the speaker said ho had,suggested the installation of a water supply. “I hope they take it-seri-ously but am rather doubtful from the way they received the 'suggestion," added Mr. Cook, amid laughter. Some of the Australian scenery was worth going a long way to see, but owing to configuration, vegetation and colouring being so different no comparison could be made with the scenic attractions of New Zealand.A Dangerous Disease I After referring to the practical disappearance of “Chinatown” throughout Australia, Mr. Cook spoke of the almost total elimination of the rabbit pest and In this latter connection told rather a good story. A picnic party returning for what was expected to be another good annual “bag,” was surprised to find the shooting of the poorest. On enquiry from the publican it appeared other steps had been taken to decrease rabbits and that the effect of the method employed was such as to cause them to sneeze until their backs wore broken (laughter). Morality. Of the moral condition of Sydney, Mr. Cook spoke in a pessimistic tone and quoted independent observers to show that there was a deplorable increase in the drinking habits of girls, one gentleman stating “I am glad I will not live to see grow up the children of the girls of this generation.” While there was good and bad in everything, Mr. Cook was of opinion that Sydney accentuated the bad side of life and taught that there were clangorous things there. As for Melbourne—it was suffering from a wave of crime, the aftermath of the police strike. On the other hand church life and uplift movements in Australia were vigorous and by the formation and work of so.ch organisations as rotary evils could be combatted. On the motion of Rotarian W. E. Winks, a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker was carried by acclamation.. A.t the outset the president had