KEEN OBSERVER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27275, 29 December 1949, Page 4

KEEN OBSERVER

RECENT AMERICAN VISITOR PRAISE FOR DOMINION Ne\y Zealand is seen 'as “ that amazing, fascinating country—a little world in itself” —by Mr R. S. Hecht, an eminent American financier and a former president of the American Bankers’ Association, in a printed collection of letters which has been given private circulation in the United States. Mr Hecht visited the Dominion in September in the course of a round-the-world flight across the Pacific, the Orient and Europe. Dunedin was among the centres that he visited. With at least 500,000 miles of flying to his credit. Mr Hecht describes himself as a veteran traveller who asks many questions of all the people he meets, but who does not pretend to base opinions on careful study or profound research. In spite of this careful reservation, New Zealanders will find few, if any, errors of fact in his thoroughly compiled notes. “Little World in Itself.”

After emphasising the beauty of New Zealand’s cities and countryside and discussing his day -to - day travels through the two islands, Mr Hecht suggested that the Dominion was, in fact, a little world in itself. It was, perhaps, this very isolation that had made its people so independent and self-reliant and at the same time so sociable and hospitable to visitors who came to their friendly shores. “Economically, the country is still tied very closely to Britain and it has contracts under which most of its extensive primary exports go to the United Kingdom',” he stated. “ Nevertheless, I am convinced that in the years to come there will develop a much closer business relationship between New Zealand and the United States, and that there are amazing possibilities for increasing both imports and exports between our respective countries.”

There was also every reason to expect that, with the constantly improving facilities for fast transport, there would develop an increasing tourist trade and that more and more Americans would “ follow the sun ” to New Zealand. Certainly, there were few places one could visit that offered a greater vai’iety of scenery and climate or a better opportunity for a healthful and interesting vacation in surroundings of great charm and beauty. Good Internal Travel “ Wherever I went in New Zealand, the allotted time seemed too short and I wanted to remain longer,” Mr Hecht says. “ Moreover, internal travel is surprisingly good and compares favourably with almost any of the well-patronised countries in other parts of the world.” The State railways furnished up-to-date rail service with adequate sleeper accommodation, the highways were excellent for motoring, and air transport was frequent and efficient. Hotel accommodation was not up to American standards, but it was fairly adequate and spotlessly clean. Discussing the social and political life of the Dominion, Mr Hecht considers that Labour exerted great power, not only in enforcing its demands for the welfare and protection of its members, but also in shaping the economic policies of the whole Government. A change of Government could not undo or materially change many of the Sodialistic practices which were now in effect, although it would undoubtedly slow down the tempo of the march towards nationalisation and socialisation.