A TRIP TO ENGLAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 281, 25 November 1914, Page 7

A TRIP TO ENGLAND.

MR FOOKES ON TOUR.

(Continued.)

Mr Fookes spent a pleasant time with Mr Evans, brother-in-law of Mrs Evans, of ltegan Street. He lives at Reigafce, Surrey, and has a beautiful home, with 120 acres of the best country in Surrey. He bad a beautiful old house, and with the plantations, courts and surroundings it formed one of the most beautiful residences Mr Fookes saw in England. After spending a good day with Mr Evans, the latter motored Mr Fookes to Greyshot, just over the boundary between Surrey and Sussex. This motor trip covered thirty miles, and Mr Fookes was enabled to see the best part of Surrey. The visit was highly enjoyable for Mr Fookes, and Mr Evans seemed to also appreciate Mr Fookes' company, taking full advantage to ask about Stratford people. His late brother was headmaster at the Stratford school previous to Mr Tyrer taking the position, and he was very anxious to hear of his friends on this side ol the world. In common with others. Mr Evans wished Mr Fookes to extend his stay, but Mr Fookes could not dc so. Another visit was to Mr and .Mrs Dobson, parents of Mr F. E. Dobson, who have a pleasant home at Sidcup. in Kent, near London. Mr Dobson had visited Xew Zealand, and had much to say regarding his experiences in the Dominion. As to weather conditions, Mr Fookes says that the partj arrived at Southampton on May 3rd. just when the spring was breaking nicely and the journey up to London was a most pleasant experience. England was looking its best and they travelled over some of the best country in the island. The famous old trees of England, in their spring foliage, looked very fine, and wore particularly interesting to an Antipodean visitor. The spring and summer weather which Mr Fookes experienced was unique. English people said that they could nofc remember previously such a fine spring and summer. The English harvest was a magnificent one, which was very fortunate in view of the war, and all the farmers were prosperous. Mr Fookes went to the Hampshire A. and P. Show, which is one of the finest shows in. England and run on a very large scale. It used to be held in tli-3 country, but is now held at South sea on the common by the parade. The exhibits were a revelation in up-to-date agricultural machinery. Mr Fookes was especially interested in the labor-saving farm machinery. The pigs were the biggest and fattest he had ever seen—the Hampshire hogs are proverbial. The big beasts were gasp iug for breath,'and Mr Fookes understood that at the Shrewsbury Show some of tho same pigs died from heat apoplexy. The heat of the sun, however, was very great. Mr Fookes experienced as warm weather in England as he had ever felt i n New Zealand. Hc e felt the heat particularly in London—it was notorious that in London one felt the heat worse than anywhere else in England, this being attributed to the density of the population. Taking the weather all round it compared favourably with anything experienced in Xew Zealand. Fortunately Mr Fookes did not see any of the English winter, and he was particularly lucky in striking the spring and summer he did. Had it not been for the outbreak of war upsetting their plans the visit, from a holiday point iof view, would have been highly enjoyable. They could not regret having been in England at the outbreak of war. It was a life-long experience to be in the capital of a country when that country entered into a war of the magnitude of the present war, and to see the different war preparations was a matter of very great interest. Mr Fookes visited a good number of the concentration camps. He spent one afternoon at Cambridge, 50,000 men being in camp. It was a touching sight as wives and children of the men were there saying a last farewell be fore the men left for the Continent. A striking feature was the fortitude of the women. Mr Fookes heard of only one case of a woman breaking down—the onlookers seemed to feel it worse than the people intimately concerned. A visit was paid to Harrow, where 30,000 t'"°ops were in camp. They were going to the front two days later. Mr Fookes looked over the famous Harrow school, which consists of fifty buildings, and seems to form a half of the town. The school is quite a sight of Harrow, being much visited because of so many celebrated men being educated there. Mr Fookes' also went to the White City, where King Edward's Horse were in barracks, preparatory to going to a big camp near Windsor. This visit was made especially to see Mr John Hurst, who farmed with his mother at Midhirst previous to going to India. In India he was on a tea plantation, retiring from business and going to live in England. Mr Hurst showed Mr Fookes over the lines and introduced him to a number of his companions. The physique of the men was excellent, and Mr Fookes thought that in that respect they must easily be the best body of troops in the British Army. The corps is composed of Englishmen with Colonial experience and ex-Col-onials with military experience. All tho men Mr Fookes saw wore big men in the pink of condition. They were contemplating leaving for the front in three weeks, and Mr Fookes was sure that they would give a good account of themselves in any engagement they were in. Mr Hurst was in the Lancers in India for ten years, and was an experienced swordsman, having won many trophies in India. The corps was a cavalry one, and every man in it was experienced. (To be concluded).