CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1927, Page 2

CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND

BRIGHTER COMMERCIAL OUTLOOK. VIEWS OF HAWERA VISITOR. After a trip extending over four and a-half months, during which he visited England, Scotland and Wales, Mr. G. H. Buckeridge returned to Hawera last week with valuable information in regard to the working of the system of dairy control in the Old Country. In conversation with a News representative to-day, Mr. Buckeridge gave a brief review of conditions at Home. He explained that his principal work in connection with the dairying problems in the United Kingdom had brought him directly in touch with the dairying interests for the greater period of his stay. “Apart from the dairying industry, which I will deal with on another occasion,” said Mr. Buckeridge, “I found the position of trade generally, so far as I could learn, was on the improve, and I had an object lesson in the improvement taking place on my visit to Neweastle-on-Tyne. The atmospheric reception I got at Newcastle was one of heavy, black fog, and on mentioning my impressions of the fogginess and smokiness of the day to business people I was told that they were very glad indeed to see it, as it was the best indication they had for some months that things were going right with them.” RECOVERY OF INDUSTRIES. They stated, said Mr. Buckeridge: “We live on smoke and don’t like to see the bright skies that you are so much favoured with in your country, as that would mean, to us, that our big industries were languishing, and we have had too’ much of that sort of thing during the past six months or more, when, owing to the coal strike our mining industries and ironworks have been completely shut down.” The full blast of the furnace and the smoke from the chimneys was the best sign they could have of an activelyemployed community, and money being earned, and they liked to see that -much better than a clear sky. “Business generally throughout the United Kingdom, and in London particularly, where I spent the greater part of my time, seemed to be recovering quite well from the effects of the recent strike, and most of the business people with whom I came in contact said their businesses were progressing nicely, and they looked for still further improvement, provided things continued in the normal way as they were doing at that time,” continued Mr. Buckeridge. MANY CHANGES IN LONDON. “I saw very considerable alterations in London since my last visit there in March and April, 1914, and many of the old landmarks tjiat used to guide me through London had disappeared entirely. I found myself in streets that I used to know quite well, but which had now taken on an altogether different appearance. This was notably the case in Regent Street, Pieadilly, Oxford Street and in Aldersgate Street, near the Great Central Post Office. Building generally seemed to be very brisk. In all parts of London one could see great blocks of buildings being taken down and rebuilt, streets being widened, and the general characteristics of the streets .vastly improved. “I could not but be struck with the class of building which is replacing the old brick buildings, the new structures being mostly or almost entirely of the modern steel girder and concrete type.” Mr. Buckeridge was particularly interested in the strengthening and reconstruction work being undertaken in St. Paul’s Cathedral, as we in New Zealand have contributed our small mite towards the Object of preserving that wonderful old pile of buildings. It was gratifying to know that the work was nearing completion. When this was done St. Paul’s would last many more centuries, Mr. Buckeridge asserted. HOUSE CHF COMMONS VISITED. He also had the opportunity, while in London, of being present in the House of Commons while the House was in session, and had the pleasure of hearing the Prime Minister (Mr. Stanley Baldwin), Sir Austen Chamberlain, Sir William Joynson-Hicks, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald and the first lady Member of Parliament he had the pleasure of listening to, Miss Wilkinson. Another feature of London life that struck Mr. Buckeridge very forcibly was the provision of the great modern highways to relieve the congested traffic on the streets towards London. These highways were laid out to a full width of 100 feet, extending round the greater part of London and out towards Southend and other watering places. Travelling along any of these highways and seeing the enormous amount of motor traffic, one could fully appreciate the necessity of the provision of such highways. At present most of these highways were permanently laid down with tarviated macadam to a width of 50 feet only, but provision had been made for a further 50 feet. “THE OLD ORDER CHANG ETH.” “Aly first impressions of London were that the traffic was not so dense as it used to be years ago,” said Air. Buckeridge, “but on travelling through London a few days after my arrival, from the top of an omnibus I learned the reason for this. To-day the traffic is almost entirely motor-driven, which tends to more expeditious handling of the traffic than was possible under the old horse-driven regime. The manner in which the traffic is controlled by the metropolitan policeman is a credit to any country, and is an Object lesson to any other country I have visited,” concluded Air. Buckeridge. In his travels Air. Buckeridge visited Bristol, Cardiff, Newport, Birmingham, Nottingham, Liverpool, Carlyle, Sunderland, Edinburgh and Glasgow 7, and in the last-mentioned city, contrary to his expectations and to previous experiences, he spent one of the most pleasant days of the whole of his trip from a climatic as well as a business point of view. The reception he was given was bright, cheerful and cordial in every way.