IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ZEALAND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10958, 29 April 1907, Page 4

IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ZEALAND.

... ■.. : — ■ ♦ INTERESTING SPEECH BY CAPTAIN ATKIN. Speaking at a dinner given by him at Christchurch, Captain Percy Atkin, British Commissioner at the Exhibition, stated that he was amazed at the number of politicians; educationalists, and students who had found time to v spend hours . and hours m the British court, apart from the Art Gallery. He continued : "From my observations New Zealanders seem determined to become a naw people, a new na. tion — not a separate.. people -from the Old Country, not a separate Government from the Crown of Great Britain; but. they seem determined to make New Zealand something quite unlike what is to be seen at. Home, while still a part of our great Empire; It is not an unreasonable aspira. tion. Jt is one which is likely to be realised, and every Englishman will wish you God-speed. (Applause.) . You have great advantages m this country. You have above all, what I have so often referred to m my public utterances, the advantage's of a growing population of boys and girls who, I thuik, are quite unbeaten for health and strength and rosiness and power of body and mind m any country m the world. (Applause.) Whether it is a good country for the English immigrant is a question which .has often interested me. It certainly is a splendid country for the Englishman with small capital, who can take up a small farm and work to larger tilings; but that is the only class that I can see which is likely as a class, to do any good here. The class of emigrant that Canada encourages is not what you want, although" Canada makes him such a brilliant success there. The Exhibition has certainly done one tiling already. It has raised the standard of the fine arts, m educating the people as to what is really good and incidentally raising -the standard of prices to those sums with wliich the public have, through the Exhibition, now become familiar. I am convinced thafc m th c immediate future the advantage to art and to artists through the Exhibition will be both mark, ed and lusting. Both m the departments of music and painting they have a new standard to aspire to for the future. (Applause;) What I certainly hope for ns some results of the Exhibition is that the Canadian : exhibit willassist m leading to the establishment of a sound Vancouver mail service from this colony, and. that the South Australian court will have shown you' hosv the finest -grade grapes may be made available for the whole people. I have learnt much since I landed here m October last. I have learnt to appreciate the wonderful development of newspaper enterprise ih a British colony, and I am convinced that.,, considering its size, its population, and its-age, New Zealand is better supplied with newspapers than any other part of the world, not only m point of numbers, but m point of quality, purity, and high literary merit, and m flu's respect Canterbury by no means --holds a second place. I have also learnt that at Wanganui and Palmerston Aorth you have thriving and progressive municipal theatres, and I have been favorded with come, valuable and instructive details. of these enterprises which will attract much interest at Home. I have also learnt that your tramways and many other public services are under municipal control, and that as a rule they afford a profit to your communities. If we have done no other thing by bringing out to you the British Government exhibit than to direct attention to th a charts showing the social condition of the British people, containing as they do the warning of what you must avoid, Me have great cause for thankfulness and gratification. The people of New Zealand are true patriots of their own country, and not like a, few we could well do without at Home, who are patriots of every country except their own. ! The only thing- 1 have to regret m my | happy visit-is that I am to go away. I hope my going is not adieu, but au revoir. I go .;■ away with a sore heart at parting from 'so beautiful a country and so kind a community. To-morrow I vanish from this hospitable city with a heartfelt, grateful, respectful, and affectionate farewell."' Captain Atkin '.resumed his seat amidst loud applause. •