INTENSIVE TRAVEL

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12249, 22 September 1925, Page 4

INTENSIVE TRAVEL

LORD STRADBROKE’S.TOUR 5000 MILES IN THREE WEEKS IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ZEALAND “Intensive travel” was His Excellency the Earl of Stradbroke's description of Jus visit to Tasmania and New Zealand (says the Melbourne.. “Argus,” in referring to the recent visit to the Dominion of the Governor of Victoria). During his absence of three weeks he travelled in warship, train, coach, car, and oil-driven liner more than 5000 miles. His Excellency left Melbourne on August 6th in the United States cruiser Richmond, and, after spending a day and a half in Hobart, continued on the warship during her speed tests to Wellington. Thence, ae guest of the Government of New Zealand, he went lo Napier, back to Palmerston North, and on to Botorua. After six days of sight-seeing in the agricultural districts of New .Zealand, and incidentally taking part in some of the festivities arranged in New Zealand for the American fleet, he returned by tlie Aorangi from Auckland, reaching Melbourne a week later.

The Earl of Stradbroke gave a humorous description of a tour which he described as “hectic” in an interview at State Government House. “I found the New Zealand people and, their Government wonderfully hospitable, both to mo and the men of the Amrican fleet,” said His Excellency. “In that respect they were no different to Australians. I know I made no new discovery in thinking that New Zealanders are perhaps more like English folk in their speech and characteristics.

“At Hobart I had quite a busy time. Thero were the march past of men of the fleet, and a ball, and a most interesting trip to the electrolytic sine works at Risdon. I did all that in a day and a half as the guest of His Excellency Sir James O’Grady, who is very popular with Tasmanians and very happy’ in his position. Two of the most beautiful sights I saw were Hobart, Mount Wellington covered with snow in the background, and Wellington (N.Z.) also yvith its snow-topped mountains, mirrored in the sea.” DESTROYER SPEED TESTS “After leaving Hobart the Richmond and three other cruisers took part in some speed tests, and I had the experience of travelling at 37 miles an hour, or 34 knots at sea. There was complete absence of vibration and noise at that great pace, and it was hailed as a triumph of the engineering art and skill in stoking that only a faint haze of vapour poured from the cruiser’s funnel. You know the modern oil-driven cruiser or destroyer cap. when it i 6 desired, spread a pall ’ of smoke to cover its track, hut so cleverly was the oil fed into the furnaces that at the greatest speed during the,trials we must have 1 been quite invisible only a few miles off.” “WORKING” THE GEYSERS ' “No, 1 don’t think they tipped any soap down the geysers at Rotorua or Lake Taupo for my benefit,” said His' Excellency, laughingly. “At any rate, the geyoers performed according lo schedule, and when the guides told us a geyser would ‘shoot’ in three-quarters of an hour, up it went to the minute 1 I believe tourists are forbidden now to soap the geysers either because it is dangerous or for fear of working them out. I saw some magnificent scenery at Mhnawatu Gorge, near Napier, and I was particularly interested in tho sheep country and intensive agricul ■turai development of the district. At Palmerston North the Mayor (Councillor Nathan) took me in hand and showed me some wonderful dairy farms, where on 100 acres there were running 70 cows. There was no lucerne, only native grass, which grows all the year round, slid I do not 1 think there was more than 10 or, 15 .acres under tho plough on those' farms. , Near Hawke’s Bay I saw sheep standing knee deep in water. They seemed in fine condition, and none the worse for the wet pasturage. I do not think merinos would stand the wet like that, but these were Romney Marsh sheep, bred from stock originating in low-lying countries." AFORESTATION IN NEW ZEALAND “Apart from the sheep districts and intensive agricultuie, ijheie was another maiter that interested me greatly,” continued His Excellency. “That was afforestation. On that subject New Zealand has . advanced much further ’than Austyaliav . 'Neir .' Whaka. where I saw the marvellous Blue and Greer Lakes, very vividly pnd distinctly coloured, I saw the plantations of Weymouth pipes, and Western yellow larch, and Douglas pines, about U) or 15 years old covering the mountains. I believe that they;are planting Douglas pines almost exclusively now, however. They hnve "ot yet begun cutting the timber, and 1 should imagine that they would have some trouble in getting the timber down the mountains.”

The Countess of Stradbroke suggested that perhaps they would overcome the difficulty by installing an aerial tramway such as she and His Excellency had seen at the Maroondah dam. near Helensville. HOSPITALITY TO THE FLEET “1 can vouch for tho fact that tho officers and mert from the American Fleet were having a fine time in New Zealand. The people were entertaining them royally. And yet the Americans still seem to think that nothing has eclipsed the warmth of their welcome in Melbourne and Sydney. One officer from the Richmond with whom X wa9 talking told me that he had been on the cruiser for the whole oF the two years, and that nowhere had they had such a perfectly good time as in Melbourne. “Now I have completed a most enjoyable tour. I wanted to see New Zealand and its dairying and agricultural resources. 1 thought my day and a-half in Hobart was a busy time of sightseeing and enjoyment, but I had to keep going to see all I did in New Zealand in -ix days. I think Birchnm and I only had two nights in hod—tho rest of the time we were on the move. That is what I call ‘intensive travel.’ ”