A RETURNED COLONIST.

New Zealand Mail, 21 February 1901, Page 23

A RETURNED COLONIST.

MB CHARLES PHARAZYN. SOME' SHREWD OBSERVATIONS. After an absence of a few days short of two years. Air Charles Pharazyn, one of the shrewdest, most far-sighted and of. our settlers, is amongst us again. During that time Air Pharazyn has> covered a great deal of the earth’s surface, and has enjoyed a variety of climates and experiences. In July and August, 1898, he found himself at Spitsbergen, away beyond the 80th parallel, the glacierland. par excellence, “the place where it is always afternoon," or, at any rate, where there is never an intruding night. From there he journeyed to Iceland and the Orkneys, where, naturally, his faculties as an observer were constantly on the stretch, and -where his observations would more befit the capacity of a book than a newspaper. •

Of course, Mr Pharazyn went to Paris, and came away with the impression that the word “exhibition” has no longer any meaning.' A more expressive word is required to explain the mind-stunning variety of objects contained in a space of seventy acres of land, covered with twostory 'building??. So, after conscientiously devoting two solid, days to a superficial examination of the leading features, Air Pharazyn gave it up. s Presently he found) his way to Egypt, travelling up the Nile to the first cataract. He saw the great Assouan dam, a wonderful example of what English capital is capable of accomplishing. Three millions of money have been sunk by a Home firm in the instruction of this dam, and yet that firm has made no demand for advances from the British Government, Ttnd no proposition for payment will be made until the time when water rates will come in far more than will cover, the original outlay. The dam referred to will water an enormous area, it*, will impound the Nile and convert it into a still pond for a distance of 150 miles back into the desert, thus facilitating navigation; at the same time that the converging of the mighty Nile into the limits of a forty-six feet sluice will enable the capture of sufficient electricity to work every industry in the region round about. If there was one thing which struck Air Pharazyn more than another, —“it made one feel proutT to the English race”—it was the manner in which a derelict country Had been taken in hand by the Home administrators and placed on a wonderfully prosperous footing ; while the down-trodden Fellaheen had been converted, by a magic stroke, into well-to-do, independent people, all on a sound financial basis. No other ct untry but England would have attempted it; no other countiy but England could have carried it out.

From Egypt Mr Pharazyn passed orfr to India* touched at Bombay, went through into Jeypur, where the old Rajah system is still in full force, with tins exception, that the potentate in power is somewhat restricted in his amusements. The old oi'ocodile pool remains adjacent to the palace, and the cicoodiles are still there, but, alas! they have to be content with ordinary meat offerings j for the days when they breakfasted off criminals, and at the same time provided a feast for the eyes of their royal master and his court, havepassed and are no l more. Regret at such a circumstance is tempered to the visitor when he realises the power of his countrymen in this land. Are the streets crowded when the visiting Englishman drives along with his easily-paid, yet gorgeously-equipped attendants? Immediately the cry goes up : “The Sahib. Make way for the Sahib!” and the multitude disperses like c-haff before the wind.

Through this land of temples and idoiators our colonist wandered, until he came to Darjeeling, where the tea industry flourishes. Is the wool trade precarious? Well, Mr Pharazyn would rather have to do with wool "than tea. There are unlimited acres of land, and there is unlimited available labour, and yet, as run by competitive companies, the trade is precarious. If they had Richard Seddon there, or John McKenzie, to buy up a lot of derelict companies, cut the areas up into small holdings, and encourage the native families to become producers, that, Mr Pharazyn thinks, would minimise many of the evils attaching to the industry. But, sad to say, India, though prolific in many respects, is deficient in Seel dons and McKenzies!

Arguing thus/ Mr Pharazyn was induced into another line of thought. “Talking about things nearer home,” he said, “there was one thing that struck me in England in regard to New Zealand. People can say what they like about the Government here, but there is no doubt they have struck the keynote of Imperialism, and a visitor to England nowadays feels proud to he a New Zealander. Th© English people are agreed that we have done wonders ; they say we have done the right thing; ?nd" what is more, we have done the right thing first. The stand we have taken is much more important than any mere monetary consideration, and nobody could be more quick to appreciate that than the people of England. We have taken the lead right through. Mr Seddon was 'cute enough to go straight

for the points which struck him, and there is no doubt of the manner in which his best aspirations have been realised. -

‘■‘And, to diverge again a little, I cannot help thinking that the woman’s vote is tending to give us a Parliament of strong men. Women always vote for strong men. That is what I told them when I was addressing women’s franchise meetings at Home. They are going to get the franchise there. That is another case in which they are going to follow our lead. I told them that as soon as a woman wanted a vote as badly as she wanted a new bonnet, she would get it, because a woman always get what she wants sooner or later. I told them that the wonderful way in which the women had come forward over this war —prepared to sacrifice husbands, brothers and sons —showed how the women were in favour of a strong, decided policy. “In reference to commercial questions, I think the time has come when we have turned the corner. There was once a very bad time, when there seemed to be over-production in many things, but I predicted that a brighter day would come, and I think you can say that the boom which has spread over the world as far as profitable production is concerned is beginning in these colo-

nies, and though we may see ups and downs, there will be no flash in the pan, but a permanent state of 'dungs, in which the producer is going to produce at a profit because the wealth and the needs of the consumer have of late years increased, side by side in a most remarkable way.

“Touching details for a moment, our frozen meat has what the Americans call ‘caught- on/ AVe are sending a good article at a low price, which was what was wanted. While that goes on, we shall hear little about ‘the middleman’ and ‘prejudice.’ “It is true I did hear the word 'prejudice’ mentioned in England; but I replied that, the prejudice that * consumed four millions of our sheep per annum was not the sort of thing to waste tears about.

“As far as wool is concerned the statistical position is in its favour. There has been no over-supply. The market has been upset by over-speculation, but the world wants wool, and I am satisfied that-the time is coming when the world will have to pay for it. Butter, of course, has become of late years a sound and safe thing upon which calculations can be based without risk.”