HALCOMBE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10496, 5 November 1912, Page 7

HALCOMBE.

From Our Own Correspondent. Just about eleven years ago we farewelled Messrs J. Purkiss and H. Taylor, who, owing chiefly to health demands, had decided , to_ try their Inck in Sunny South Africa, whete with their wives, . they have since resided. Mr .Purkiss, as an experienced railway .’officer, was at once appointed to a responsible position in -the Durban service, which he. left recently on six months’ leave, and with Mrs Pur'kissfhe. returned to ns last Jfriday. Mr, Mrs and Miss Taylor are still in Durban and we are pleased to learn they enjoy excellent health. Time has dealt kindly with Mr and Mrs Purkiss, who appear the same to |us as when they left Halcombe. In other respects Time has not been so considerate, for during their absence he has claimed the parents of T Mrs Purkiss (the late Mr and Mrs Linton), and the father of Mr Purkiss, who was long known and honoured as the Father of Halcombe. Many others have crossed the, Ear since Mr and Mrs Purkiss left us, but I hope they will find many of the old friends to give them a warm welcome home, and help them to enjoy their holiday with us. With Mr and Mrs Taylor here and a few more kindred spirits it would be easy to forget the time that passes. The other day I had the of a ten minutes’ talk with Mr J. Oorhfoot, who, with Mr D, Hogg, recently returned from a six-months’ trip abroad. Of the many countries visited Mr Cornfoot was most impressed with, progressive Germany. The workers are specially educated for their work—their system is a science and their methods most modern, and the result is cheap production, , trade expansion and enormously increased spending power of the artisan. Every, industry appeared to be flourishing, and t saw, no indication of poverty. The people are methodical in their pleasures and they enjoy the best of band music with their long lager. I saw no drunkenness in or about their attractively social beer gardens. 'We visited*many places of ’historical interest. The ; Rhine? Yes, we travelled down its length and looked upon buildings hoary with age. and each with a history that began in the dim and distant past. Apart from these ever recurring objects of interest Nature was more lavish of her favours when she created our Rhine. . v

Material wealth was nowhere so ( evident as in England, and in London you are in touch with the extremes—the enormously rich, and the. distressingly poor. I was at the Boyal Flower Show, at which half a million pounds’ worth of orchids were on view. The prices of many of these freak flowers were prohibitive to all but the wealthy. Mr Gornfootmet one of the worldhunters after rarities whose customers were the millionaires. New Zealanders met on the Thames. There were six that we knew on board one of the boats that followed Arnst and ‘Barry. Arnst had the best of Barry on smooth water, but he could not hold his own in the rough, and the water was so rough in places that I expected to see the scullers go under. Yes, naturally we were, disappointed; we hoped to see our side win, and I still think that Arnst fit can beat Barry over smooth water. We also saw the classic Derby, notable for the display of equine aristocrats and for the presence of fine women and brave' men, together with the most motley crowd imaginable. English County homes are surpassingly beautiful, and some country villages are surprisingly quaint. One of them we found in a Devonshire valley, which appears to have been lost for centuries.' Its approaches are mule tracks rather than roads and its streets are “cobbled” pathways. The baronial builders of the bridge were worried with the quicksand, but they slowed it down and solidified the foundations with wood. Oook and Sons are capable conductors. You pay to them' your money and take your choice of route, and they will see that you see all that is worth seeing with the least trouble to yourself. ” What of New Zealand when compared with the countries you have seen? “It’s on top. We don’t know the vaTue of our assets, we have much to learn. ' We have barely scratched the surface of the soil and as to our —but here’s the tram —and Mr Gornfbot was off before I could ask him where lie saw the most beautiful women —a question which ■ —my wife’s opinion to the contrary —is prompted by my insatiable thirst for knowledge. ” Our popular stationmaster, Mr Couch, is off for a five weeks’ holiday. It has been well earned, and we hope he’ll not only have a good time but that he will return to ns tuned up to concert pitch, and fully fit to play his important part in our business and social life.