TRIP TO ENGLAND

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 66286, 5 October 1925, Page 4

TRIP TO ENGLAND

MR lIESKETH'S IMPRESSIONS Mr Hesketh has returned to Te Aroha after an absence of five months during which, with Mrs Hesketh, he visited England. Mr Hesketh, on being interviewed by a News reporter, said that they left Auckland on the Home trip on April 9th last, their purpose being to visit the Wembley Exhibition, see their relatives, and renew old acquaintances. The passage between Auckland and Sydney was not an unqualified pleasure. There was a heavy swell, and 95 per cent, of the passengers were down with sea sickness. At Sydney, before transhipping to the Orient liner Ormuz, an exceedingly fine sea boat, they had a few hours in which to view the sights of te city and suburbs. “The impression I received,” said Mr Hesketh, “was that the city needs rebuilding and the streets widened,” The main streets were not to be compared with Whitaker street. The scene as v the boat prepared to leave the wharf at Sydney and passengers were farewelled by their friends would not soon be forgotten. Hundreds of coloured streamers were stretched between the passengers on board and their friends on the wharf, and last messages were exchanged, gaiety mingling with sadness, as the liner slowly swung into the stream. On the trip to Melbourne the sea was very calm, and all the passengers were eager to get ashore and enjoy the sights of Victoria’s capital, The botanical gardens, Mr Hesketh considered remarkably beautiful. The streets of the city are wide and planted with specimen forest trees. The next port of call was Hobart, where they had the pleasure of inspecting some of the great commercial orchards, on which much of Tasmania’s prosperity is based. They were also escorted through some of the immense jam factories which are conducted on the most hygienic lines. Adelaide, which is considered one of the finest cities in the southern hemisphere, was visited. The citizens, said Mr Hesketh, had every reason to be proud of their city. The passengers all acclaimed 'its beauty, and at the zoo every animal wonder of the world was to be seen. In each city visited Mr Hesketh examined the cricket grounds. He could understand, he he said, why it was that the pitches lasted so well after seeing the way they were laid down. At Fremantle they took the train for Perth, which, as a modern city, greatly impressed the visitors. The city is well laid out and the streets, public services and buildings spoke of progress and prosperity. Returning to the boat the voyage to Colombo (Ceylon) was commenced and the passengers settled down to beguile the tedium of the days with sports, concerts, whist drives, and ordinary and fancy dress dances, while the shipping company provided picture entertainments twice ~ weekly. News by wireless was of course regularly received. After 10 days delightful sailing they arrived at Colombo, and soon rickshaws and motors were in demand by the passengers, who were anxious to make the most of the one day allowed for seeing the city. What interested Mr Hesketh most was the worship of the god Budda. a huge figure 16ft high, carved out' of wood. The park with its tropical plants, only seen in New Zealand, if at all, under glass, delighted the visitor. On arriving at Suez, the passengers were surrounded by native traders eager to sell their* wares. The Oriental life there and also .at Port Said had about it something fascinating, though there were phases that were anything but pleasing. After leaving Port Said one of the passengers became ill and died, and was buried at sea just before Naples was reached. At Naples all went ashore to feast their eyes upon the wonders of the ancient city. Mr Hesketh was of the opinion that it was possible to buy cheaper in Naples than in any other place he had visited. At Toulon (France) a little time was allowed passengers for sightseeing. The first glimpses of England were obtained on approaching Plymouth. The green fields and forest trees breaking intoleaves could be discerned, but time: would not permit of the passengers goipg ashore, and the boat soon moved off for London. Speaking of the Wembley Exhibition, Mr Hesketh said he considered it well worth going 13,000 miles to see. The New Zealand section was representative of the country, including Te Aroha, and he felt sure that the people in this country would reap the benefit of the exhibition in the near future. Mr Hesketh’s brother motored him through England and Scotland. Englands is the motorist’s pai*adise, the roads being all bitumen sealed, with even surfaces. Motors are taxed £1 per horse power, and a large proportion of the tax is spent on the roads. Mr Hesketh found his stay in England all too short, and owing Jo the shipping trouble he had to leave a fortnight earlier than he had planned. He found the cost of living dearer in England than in New Zealand, that unemployment was rampant, and that tens of thousands were in receipt of doles. He left Southampton on August 24th for New Zealand, via the Panama Canal, one of the great triumphs of engineering. Here he came in contact with the Y.M.C.A., which is doing great work. The raising and lowering of the the liner 30ft at each lock was a most interesting feature of the trip through the Canal. At. Pitcairn Island the people came out to the boat to sell fruit, etc. They were a fine class of people and very, religious. - While in England Mr Hesketh saw Mr H. B. Bell, late of Te Aroha. He was looking hale and hearty and had quite settled down in England. Mrs Hesketh is returning to New Zealand by a later boat, and expects to reach Wellington on October 21st.