POLICY RESENTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23703, 10 January 1939, Page 12

POLICY RESENTED

NEW ZEALAND CRITICISED ATTITUDE IN ENGLAND MAY BE REPERCUSSIONS “New Zealand? That’s the place where you get something for nothing, isn’t it? w . . And the man in the street in England usually sniggered. That was the impression gained by Mr F. Beasley-Hartley, who returned to Auckland last week by the Orient liner Otranto. Formerly the proprietor of an engineering business in Auckland, he disposed of his interests over a year ago, and, accompanied by his wife, left for a business and pleasure trip to England. During that time (the Auckland Star says) he has been in business as the owner of a retail hosiery shoo in Leicester. New Zealand —not as a country, or as a people, but as a political experiment—is far from popular in Great Britain, Mr Beasley-Hartley said. This attitude was not the reflection of a small section of business people, but of the man in the street. The artisans and operatives of industrial England were definitely opposed to New Zealand’s political regime—and to such an extent that they were prepared to extend a boycott to New Zealand produce.

Workers Against Socialism

They felt naturally that any possible restriction of imports, as far as the Dominion was concerned, would affect them vitally as suppliers of manufactured goods—and might mean loss of employment. The repercussions of such a policy were such that he had been informed by provision merchants there that working-class buyers were choosing Danish in preference to New Zealand butter.. This was before the present import control scheme came into force.

“Investors are uneasy, manufacturers are uneasy, and the workers are resentful —that is the position,” Mr Beasley-Hartley said. “ The general idea seemed to be that it was impossible for New Zealand’s present form of economic control to carry on, and that there would be a financial crisis leading to a change of policy.” It was remarkable to note the distaste English working people and other classes had for anything savouring of Socialism. Their experiences with a British Labour Government had been so distasteful that they had thrown that Government overboard in the interests of safe and sane British rule —and they did not wish to see the same experiment carried to its ultimate conclusion in the Dominions.

Mr Beasley-Hartley said he and his wife were quite satisfied with their experiences in business in Leicester. They had taken a shop only to have a place to live and something to do. Business had been good, and they found that the majority of their customers—and people they met outside of business —were keenly interested in what was happening over here. “We were jorry to give up business,” he added, “ and it was only the fact that I did not like to keep my wife—who is a New Zealander—in any country where there is danger of air attack, that brought us back here.” Though it was 35 years since he had left England for New Zealand, Mr Beasley-Hartley said there was little difference as far as the character of the people was concerned. “ They are just the same solid, hardworking, undemonstrative people as when I left them,” he said. “ The recent crisis over the Czechoslovakian affair started a ‘ buzz,’ but nothing stopped. Everybody went right ahead. That’s England.”

No Business Interference

“And I can say this about English business,” he added. “ There is no interference there as far as the Government is concerned and then, too, there is more scope for expansion. As far as climate is concerned, most people would prefer New Zealand, but as an Englishman I did not notice the Old Country to be particularly cold. • I was accustomed to it 35 years ago.” But Mrs Beasley-Hartley looked wistfully at Waitemata. It was beautiful, she said, and she was so proud that a man on the boat who had seen many of the world’s beautiful harbours, gave the honours to Auckland. “ But I liked England,” she said. “ I would feel satisfied if I could have a leg in each country, if one could put it that way.” As the granddaughter of one of the original Albertland settlers she is a keen supporter of the attractions of the Dominion. “ No, we don’t know what we will do” said Mr Beasley-Hartley, in

conclusion. “We may stay here in Auckland—l may even start business—but on the other hand we may return to England. We have made no definite plans as yet.”