LONDON LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5737, 4 November 1905, Page 7

LONDON LETTER.

PERSONAL NOTES. (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, September 30. The Hon W. P. Reeves returned to London this week from Vienna, where ho had attended the International Workmen’s Congress as the representative oi the New Zealand Government. The trip occupied thirteen days altogether, and Mr Reeves travelled posthaste to and from Dresden—a tiring journey—in order to have more time in Austria. There were between forty and fifty official delegates at tho Congress, but, adding mouthers of the public, tho attendance totalled about nine hundred. As the Socialists intervened once or twice, the proceedings were distinctly stimulating, and at times amusing. Tho actual results of the Congress were not, perhaps, in any way remarkable, but the reports and speeches will bo extremely useful and profitable to the New Zealand Government. Air Reeves will make a report to Ins Government on the results of the Congress, and this will take some time, as the work will have to be dono with great care. “So far as I could gather,” said Mr Beeves, in conversation with your cor -espondent, “ tho members of tho Congress were particularly interested in the new treaty between France and Italy, under which each country agrees that Frenchmen working in Italy and Italians working in France shall be regarded as natives for the purposes of accident insurance. I believe this is the first labour treaty of tho kind that has over been made, and the idea is one that, might perhaps be followed with advantage by other countries.”

Tho fact that tho New Zealand Government have recently acquired land at Petono for an experiment in erecting cheap dwellings for workmen lends especial interest to tho High Commissioner’s investigations upon this subject at Vienna.' ' In company with Air D. Schless, of the’ English’- Board of Trade, who represented. ■ the Imperial Government at tho Vienna Congress, Air and Mrs Reeves paid a visit to a suburb of workmen’s model dwellings on the outskirts of Vienna. They found it an ext-emcly interesting experience, and the High Commissioner intends to report to his Government on the subject. Those Viennese dwellings would not be suitable in all particulars for imitation in tho colony, but tbe internal arrangements struck tho visitors as firstrate: the manner in which space was utilised and the use made of scientific methods, were notable features. ‘‘They are a great improvement on the ordinary workman’s dwelling,” said Air Reeves, “ and the rents are hejow the average rent of a private dtvelling of that class; and at tho same time this undertaking, which finds homes for 2000 human beings, returns 3 per cent, on its capital. We wore particularly struck with the healthy and happy look of the. children in these model homes.”

The Earl of Ranfurly has been lecturing at Dungannon, County Tyrone on the industries and scenery of Neir Zealand, in aid of the Veterans’ Home at Auckland, and he intends to repeat tho lecture at Belfast shortly, for the same meritorious purpose. Speaking at Dungannon, lord Ranfurly said it might not seem quite fair to ask Irish people to contribute to an institution so distantly situated, but tho truth was that in New Zealand there was a number of old soldiers who had fought their country’s battles in all parts of the world. It was well known that, unfortunately, soldiers were not noted for saying money, and when old age came upon them, and wounds received in battle opened afresh, as frequently happened, they were often reduced to very low circumstances. The Home in Auckland already provided for thirtyeight men, but there were plenty more applicants, and funds were urgently required. Men were in that Home who had fought in the Crimean war and through the Indian Mutiny; in fact their "hahy'* was sixty-seven years of age, and their “old man” over eightyeight—(cheers)—and they required good attention and proper treatment. He could not speak too highly of the medical profession in that respect, for they attended to the inmates gratis. (Applause.) The sum of £BOO a year was required to carry out tho work of the Home, and that in a rising colony was somewhat difficult to obtain, and he had received a despairing letter on the subject tho other day. However, as tar as ho could, ho would try to send out something, and as the New’Zealand Government doubled any funds handed over for tho Home, his audience would be pleased to know that the' two shillings paid by each really represented four shillings. (Applause.)