ENGLAND’S STABILITY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 29 November 1938, Page 3

ENGLAND’S STABILITY

“MOST PROSPEROUS COUNTRY” NEW ZEALANDER IMPRESSED “England is the most prosperous country in the world to-day,” said Mr L. C. Rolls, of Napier, on his return to New Zealand by the Mariposa (states the “Star”). He had spent several months in England and on the Continent and had passed through the United States. Although there was some unemployment in Britain, the industrial position was much healthier than in America, and the decline in business had been kept fairly well under control. An important factor had been political stability and continuity of policy, which were in striking contrast to the conflicting views evident in America over the Roosevelt plans to stimulate recovery. Mr Rolls was greatly impressed by the work which was being done by the British Government to clear the slums and raise the standard of living. Owing to the density of the population it had been found necessary to adopt entirely different methods for housing the workers from those being followed in New Zealand, and thousands of flats were included in the schemes of development. This was similar to the methods adopted in the large cities on the Continent.

“The feeling between England and America has never been more friendly than at the present time,” remarked Mr Rolls, in referring to the effect of events in Central Europe on opinion in the United States. He said that during October demonstrations of enthusiasm in the picture theatres when Mr Neville Chamberlain was shown on the screens were a reflection of the new attitude. The revulsion of feeling against dictatorship methods in Germany, which had gone further since, was then becoming strongly apparent.

Leaving England on 28th September, at the height of the crisis, Mr Rolls travelled to New York on the Queen Mary, which on this trip carried a record number of passengers. There were 3500 people on board. During the voyage the passengers were kept constantly informed of European happenings.