AUCKLANDERS IN JAPAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18963, 10 March 1925, Page 11

AUCKLANDERS IN JAPAN.

YOKOHAMA RECOVERING. STEADY GROWTH OF KOBE. The remarkable growth of the Japanese city of Kobe within the past twelve years was one of the impressions brought back by Mr. J. P. Hooton, of Edenvale Koad, Mount Eden, who. with Mrs. Hooton and Miss Hooton, returned to Auckland by the Marama yesterday after a year's jour-

neying abroad. The party left Auckland in February of last year for Hongkong, via Sydney, Queensland ports, Borneo and Manila. After spending two weeks at Shanghai, they crossed to Japan, remaining in Kobe for two months during the gay and pleas-, ant spring season when the cherry blossom decorates the countryside. A visit was paid to Yokohama, where it was seen that the greater portion of the native quarter which was destroyed by the earthquake, had been rebuilt, and that about half the former population had again taken up residence. It was :ilm> observed that the heavy Japanese tiles formerly used on the native houses had been replaced by corrugated iron, and while this robbed the city of its picturesque appearance it was generally held by the authorities that, the iron roofing would stand any ftuther shocks better than the tiles had done and be less liable to injure the inmates.

Mr. Hooton stated that when he was in Yokohama no attempt had been made to rebuild the foreign quarter and that the Grand Hotel was being carried on in tents among the ruins. When he was last! in Kobe in 1911 the population of that,: city was about 300,000, but it now stood, at something over 800,000. His impression) was that this city had shown a greater rate' of growth than any other city in tha world, and now seemed to be rapidly approaching the million mark. The misfortunes of Yokohama had assisted in this development, but a determined effort was; being made to get the silk trade back to' Yokohama.

From Japan the party went to Canada; and the United States, afterwards spend-*! ing the autumn in England, where they, motored extensively and also attended the: King's garden party on the occasion ofi the reception to the representatives of 1 the United States. Returning to Newt York at the end of December they joined! the Port Sydney and journeyed through the Panama Canal to Brisbane.