EUROPEAN TOUR

Northern Advocate, 15 August 1931, Page 3

EUROPEAN TOUR

AIR YARROW'S IMPRESSIONS.

RETURNING PROSPERITY.

THE NEW ZEALAND CRICKETERS.

After an -18-months ’ tour of England and the Continent, Mr W. H. M. Yarrow is back in Whangarei on a short business trip before 'taking up residence in Auckland,

Mr Yarrow was fortunate enough to bo a fellow passenger aboard the Orient Line ship Orford, which conveyed the Victorious Australian cricket team to England, via India and the Suez. The Orford was considered on -this trip to be holding three Australasian records, viz., the highest passenger complement of 3,500. £3,000,000 < *’of bullion, and sports ship (for in Addition to the Australian cricketers there were the Australian Davis Cup team and some New Zealand Bowlers aboard). This seemed to'be -the last prosperous voyage made by any liner from Australia.

The Battlefields.

June, July and August were spent by Mr and? Mrs Yarrow on the Continent. The tour included a visit to the battlefields of Prance and Belgium. Until actually seeing the huge number of 1 cemeteries* their size and the number of graves, it was hard to visualise the pathetic sacrifices of the Great War. One cemetery in particular, in Flanders, called Tyneeot, contains 57,000 graves of British troops. It also contains a collonade dedicated to the New •Zealand troopig, which has inscribed upon it ROOO names of Dominion soldiers who are missing and have no tombstone. This record was put in Tvnecot because there was no room for * v the scroll on Menin Gate.

The Menin Gate, it can be said safely, is recognised as one of the finest national memorials in existence. The gate cost £250,000, and stands as a national memorial to those British soldiers who lost their lives ill the Ypres Salient and have no known graves. On this gate there are 55,000 names. A very .Impressive ceremony is conducted here every evening at,9 o'clock, irrespective of weather conditions. Two permanent buglers are retained for the purpose of sounding the “Last Post” at this hour, and no matter what evening one goes the gate is surrounded with’ visiting relatives of those who are commemorated there.

■Mr Yarrow commented upon the very fine condition in which the cemeteries, numbering nearly 00, are kept, reflecting great credit upon the British War Graves Commission. Although some of these hallowed reserves contain many acres, not a weed is to be found, most graves being nicely trimmed with a rose bush in the centre,

Continental Costs.

Dealing with the cost of living, Mr Yarrow said that he found' Belgium the cheapest'of any country he has visited. For tourists, full pensions, could be obtained to an English equivalent of 5/a day, the treatment and cuisine quite up to a 15/- a day house in England. Hew council houses were being let to workers at 2/6 per week. They were rather small dwellings, but very comfortable. A packet of 25 Belgian cigarettes could be purchased for 2d, and lager were 21 d a bottle. Very noticeable was the, number of British families who had taken up residence in Belgium to escape the high costs iu their own country. It was possible for a family of four or five to live very well on anything between 33/- and £2' a week. Taxi fares on the battlefields were as low as 10/- for 75 miles.

Prance.

Prosperity everywhere was encountered in France, where there seemed to be practically no unemployment. Business Tioiises, no matter what time of the day or evening, seemed to be full of ready purchasers. On inquiry, it appeared that no union restrictions existed, as all classes of labourers' were seen working up till dusk (8 p.m.) for no overtime; The standard of living of the worker would ho considered much lower than our own, but nevertheless the spirit of contentment seemed to prevail.

A striking feature in Paris during three weeks’ stay was that not a single beggar was seen in the streets, and although intoxicating liquor was procurable at all hours of the night and day, it was very rarely that anyone was seen the worse for imbibing. Of course, the national beverage was chiefly wine.

In Prance, British and American visitors are not so well received as they were during the years immediately following 'the War.

Italy.

Italy seemed to boa, hub of prosperity, though the national and civil laws wore so stringent that it was really no place for a visitor on holiday bent. Foreigners wore treated with the greatest suspicion, often being held up by the Fascist gendarmes to produce passports and tell business. In the event of an unsatisfactory reply, immediate arrest followed, until full and embarrassing explanations were forthcoming.

The Old Country.

Mr and Mrs Yarrow travelled, 11,000 miles in England, Scotland and Wales. During the 12 months of his stay Mr Yarrow found that things were certainly in a depressed state, but the consent

sus~6f opinion just before he left was, that, under the contemplated moratorium and a brightening in trade, in the near future a distinct revival of prosperity would come about. The dole in England was always the chief topic of conversation with visitors, as the money apparently was used to no'good purpose, for most of those receiving benefits preferred work to charity. It was the impression during the later part of the visit that the existing Government was beginning to realise some protection would have to be extended to British industry, as England was flooded witli foreign goods and produce that the Home workman, with his higher wages and shorter hours, could not compete against. An interesting item to Now Zealanders was Soviet butter, retailing at Sd per lb. This was inferior stuff, but preferable' to 'the best margarine. Sweets wore landing from Russia, and being sold at 2d per lb, cheaper than the beat West Indian sugar.

Comparative Prices.

Mr Yarrow attended country sales where milking cows were sold for between £3O and £35 per head. Tenant land in places could be taken over, at G/- per acre per annum—and this really first-class country in the Fen district.

While in East ‘Anglia, Mr Yarrow was entrusted with arranging a sale of a deceased relative’s estate. This comprised .142 acres of cropping country, homestead, and waggons and implements. The farm was drawn in, the highest bid being £750.

Fruit Packing.

While British fruit dealers considered foiat some of the apples from New Zealand were among the best imported into the country, they yet thought that much could be done for the apple industry in the Dominion by more careful packing and grading, said Mr Yarrow. He had discussed the matter with one of the large buyers in Covent Gardens, London, and had been told that New Zealand Delicious' apples were second to none, and were preferred even to the best Californian; but it was the usual thing for a 401 b box of New Zealand, apples to go under the hammer in England as 351 b cases. The 5 lbs was lost through faulty packing. One buyer showed Mr. Yarrow a badly packed case where one apple had been bruised, and in the course of five weeks’ chilling had started to ferment! Nevertheless, the New Zealand apple was much favoured at Home and had a growing market. ,

, The virtual abolition of the Empire Marketing Board'had bCen proposed as a measure of economy. If the board did pass it would be a great pity, Mr Yarrow thought, because that; body had done much for trade in the Dominions. Both in organising, selling and advertising campaigns of various sorts, tKe board had continually and successfully brought Dominion products before the public at Home. In the smaller as Well as the larger shows there was always sure to bo a New Zealand exhibit, such as butter, honey or lemons, where the other Dominions were not represented. At a time when its activities had just succeeded in causing New Zealand products to be known it was a mistake to “kill the goose that laid the'golden egg.”

While it would be years before, a level of normal prosperity was again reached in England, Mr Yarrow said that if appeared to him and to business men with whom lie had spoken, that the bottom had been reached. Overhead costs and wages were coming down in. every industry, and he cited the case of ono motor mechanic who was employed at a wage of 35/- a week', and who was glad to get it. On the other hand, things were cheaper to buy, and outside meats, prices were more or less down to pre-war level. “It is only when one goes to other countries that one realises how well off Now Zealand is,” he remarked. “We go abroad and find that conditions' at which we have grumbled would be gratefully accepted elsewhere and taken as evidence of a turn for the better. Comparatively speaking, there is scarcely any depression in New Zealand.”

Our Team.

While in London, Mr Yarrow was privileged to see the New Zealanders in the Middlesex, Essex and first test matches. The showing of our representatives had made a wonderful impression upon the English public. As the test match progressed the spectators were always thrilled as the New Zealanders, instead of playing the usual cautions game, went for the bowling on all occasions. This was realised as the true sporting spirit, and was immensely liked by the crowds, which grew larger each day. The great benefit the Dominion was deriving from the popularity of tho Now Zealand cricketers from an advertising standpoint was remarked upon by Mr Yarrow, as everywhere he went our eleven was the talk of the country.

Notes Taken Before Gold.

A case in which, a tradesman refused to take gold in (payment for a transaction, and preferred to be 1 paid in notes, was told by Mr Yarrow. He wanted to buy something in Panama City, and, knowing that iii times of depression foreigners always preferred to take gold by way of payment, he slipped a couple of half-sovereigns into his pocket to save a possibly difficult situation. To his surprise when he offered the gold, it was refused pointblank, but the shopkeeper was willing, even eager, to accept a British Treasury note. _