FROM THE PHILIPPINES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 86, 31 May 1911, Page 5

FROM THE PHILIPPINES.

IMPRESSIONS OF A VISITOR. Mr R. C. Baldwin, treasurer of the City of Manila (Philippine Islands), who was captured by an interviewee while staying one day in Christ church, had nothing hut praise foj Now Zealand and all that belongs to it. Ho has recently made a hying tour of Australia and was warned therethat ho would line! the Dominion i cold and cheerless country, suffering from the effects of a dry season., Had it not been for the glowing prospect: opened up for him by Mr H. J. Manson, the agent of the Now Zealand Tourist Department in Melbourne, Mr Baldwin declares that it is _ veryunlikely that he would have visited this country at all. Mr Mauser., however, was quite a “champion booster” and overcame any objections Mr Baldwin felt Inclined .to raise without any difficulty. The evidences of a dry season, as prophesied by his Australian friends, were conspicuous by their absence. Wherever Mr Baldwin travelled in the Dominion he was pleasurably surprised to lin'd the country looking so well and prosperous. The cold weather lie had been warned of had not put in an appearance, the climate approximating that of flic “fall” of the United States. Mr Baldwin said he was particularly interested in State or municipal ownership of such utilities as the telegraph and telephone services and tramway and railroad , systems. His experience of such services under direction of private corporations had led him to expect nothing hut overhearing insolence from the employees in such service, hut in New Zealand he was agreeably surprised by the courtesy and politeness shown him on every' hand. “If I had been the President of the United States,” lie said, “I could not have been treated with greater consideration.” .In i-ngard to his own city of Manila, Mr Baldwin said it had a population of 1100,000 and was governed by a Board of live aldermen, three ol whom, including the president, were appointed by the United States government. The question of streetpaving was apparently as important, in Manila just at present as it was in CTiristchiireh. The intense heat and the frequent heavy raimsV rendered the use of wood-blocking out of the question in Manila,, and at-present the city authorities were experimenting kith macadam and asphalt on the lines [Suggested in Christchurch. It in proposed to lay a thick Inundation of macadam, covered with a layer of gravel, and top dressed with tar and sand. (Juestionod in regard to the rumours extant as to Japan s' designs on the Philippines, Mr ISaNw.r said tins was a matter on vdimn be cm-Id not speak with authority. Tie had no information regarding Japanese intentions and he consa'-' ••■! the nee.."mnem- had invented a gr-at manystartling theories and put them forward as facts. The United States Government was spending very hlrgn sums of money in fortifying the harbour of Manila, but there was no secret about that. Anybody could go and have a look at the forts who cared to do so..