A TRIP ABROAD.

Southland Times, Issue 16688, 17 March 1911, Page 2

A TRIP ABROAD.

MB T. TT.TtMnro'S VIEWS. ON* TRAMWAY SYSTEMS. Mr Thomas Fleming, who recently returned from a visit to the Old Country, ■was spoken to by a “Times” representative yesterday regarding Ins experiences. Sir Fleming journeyed Home, via Cape Horn, and returned in the Ruahine, via Capetown. One incident of note was the collision of the Ruahine with the Beacon Grange at Las Palmas. Mr Fleming was shaving in his cabin at the time. The Beacon Grange was shifting moorings, and through some reason or other became unmanageable. Fortunately, she had very little way on, otherwise a eerious disaster would have resulted. As it was. the Ruahine was struck on the starboard quarter, and the material seemed to crumble like a hat-box. Later In the voyage, the captain informed the passengers that they were exceedingly fortunate to have come out of the mishap as well as they had done. It was a narrow squeak, and if the Ruahine had been struck amidships she would have assuredly gone to the bottom of the harbour. A host of Spaniards was employed to make the necessary repairs, but, nevertheless, the vessel was detained for five days. The foreman over the Spaniards was an ex-New Zealander, and Mr Fleming remarked at the time that a few New Zealand workmen would •have satisfactorily completed the job in two days. South America. "With two other passengers Mr Fleming went ashore one night at Monte Video. As is often the case a revolution Was in full blast at the time, but one Would hardly know that anything out of the ordinary was going on. Certainly. there seemed to be a goodly number of policemen and soldiers on the alert, but that was the only Indication to an outsider that a revolution was in progress. The next morning when returning to the boat Mr Fleming and his companions had a difference of opinion with a party •of soldiers, who informed them that they would not be allowed to board their steamer unless they produced passports. .However, matters were eventually satisfactorily explained, and the voyagers were allowed to pass. Mr Fleming met several people who had settled in the Argentine, and they all spoke highly of the country, and he also met several passengers who intended settling there. He Is strongly of opinion, however, that the Argentine is not a working man’s country. Capital is required, and the language difficulty is also a serious one. Business Brisk. The -winter In Great Britain had been a very mild one, in fact it reminded Mr Fleming of a Southland winter. On all sides trade was spoken of as being exceptionally brisk, and the prospects ahead were also considered good. He spent Christmas with friends in Yorkshire, and on Christmas Eve he had the pleasure of conversing with no less than six gentlemen who had visited New Zealand, some of them having been members of the Chamber of Commerce party which toured New Zealand some time back. The Coronation seemed to be an all-absorbing topic, and one heard It discussed here, there, and everywhere. Other Incidents. The cost of liquor seemed to have Increased in England, and in some places a drink costs as much as sevenpence. When asked the reason for the high prices, the answer is invariably received that “Asquith is to blame,” the inference, of course, being that the recent additional taxation has been the cause of the price of drinks having been increased. The scene of the terrible railway disaster which happened to the Scotch Express on Christmas Eve was passed by a train In which Mr Fleming was travelling about two hours after the accident occurred. He describes the sight as being a terrible one. and says that the details of the sufferings of some of the killed and injured were simply shocking. Three engines were huddled in a heap, and the smoking remains of the carriages which caught fire were scattered around-, and altogether the story told by the wreckage was not one that a person cares to dwell on. This accident and the Pretoria coal-mine disaster, which happened about the same time, cast a gloom over the whole country, and in consequence Christmas in England could hardly be termed to have been a merry one. British Politics.

During Mr Fleming’s visit the Parliamentary elections took place, and lie was much struck with the time that was wasted, about a fortnight elapsing before the contests are brought to a close. Mr Fleming did not hear many discussions regarding a preferential tariff, and the relations existing between England and Germany also seemed to be a rare subject. In regard to the proposed abolition of the House of Lords, It was difficult to arrive at an estimation of the. extent of the feeling either one way or the other. Some people he had met were In favour of sweeping the House of Lords out of existence, and others were just as emphatic in maintaining that the House of Lords should not be interfered with. It depended entirely on the bias of the person spoken to. Tramways.

In answer to a Question, Mr Fleming stated that he had devoted nearly the whole of his spare time in making himself thoroughly conversant with the tramway systems in vogue in many of the big cities. But lie said that first of all he would like to mention that invariably when he had informed men with .whom he had conversed that the town in •which he lived intended Installing tramways before It had attended properly to Its water supply and drainage systems, they expressed themselves as being hardly able to credit that such a step "would be taken. Mr Fleming was offered exceptional facilities for obtaining information regarding tramways, and at Glasgow, Bradford, Leeds, and New-'i«astle-on-Tyne he was received with treat courtesy, and any information fesked for was given without hesitation. 3Mr Fleming expresses himself as being fcrmly convinced that the railless system i)f tramways is preferable to any other that he has heard of. In support of he mentions that three English experts had visited the Continent to enquire Into the various systems in vogue •there, and on their return they declared for the railless system. As aa, result cities like Bradford and Leeds "which were extending their tramways *B.re now installing the railless system these extensions are being made •fin preference to the one which Invercargill has decided to adopt. Mr Fleming states that he has full and extensive reports in his possession regarding the desirableness of Installing a railless system, but in the present circumstances he 'thinks it would hardly be wise to make public the information that he has collected during his visit to Britain.