THE OLD COUNTRY REVISITED.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 9667, 8 April 1893, Page 2

THE OLD COUNTRY REVISITED.

FROM AUCKLAND TO ADELAIDE. (from oub special correspondent.) On Sunday morning February 2G, I left Auckland en route for Englana in one of Hud^.art, Parker & Go's, fine steamers— the Warrimoo. She is a splendid vessel and is running in opposition to the Union Company's boats. Sho had 170 fist class passengers on board, but there was room for more. We had a fine run across to Sydney, doing the distance in four days. The last night we were on board a concert was got up in aM of the Queensland Relief Fund when a nice little sum was raised. Whit a grand harbor they have at Sydney; and well may the people bo proud of it Had we but one of their small coves how we should go ahead with such shipping advantages. But we don't want tlio climate of Sydney. I had not been long on shore before I folt the heat most uncomfortably, and became so limp that I began to think it would bo necessary to suspend myself to a line to get dry There are some really handsome buildings .in the city, but I had not much time to look about mo. I met several who hail from New Zealand who told mo that things wore very quiet in Sydney. I had a loug chat with Mr Burr, Into of the Taranaki Hkrald, who is on the Sydney Daily Te'egraph. but I was unable to catch Mr Whitely Kin?, who was not at his oflico when I called. Fruit is very cheap in Sydney, fancy bom™ able to buy large luscious grapes at 2d a pound. Steam trams are running through tho streets, but Melbourne takes the lend in this respect with hor cable trains. Oj Saturday, March 4, 1 went on b^ard the s 8. Himalaya, which, as she called at several of tn - Australian ports, it g ive me an opportunity of seeing something o£ the cities during tho steamer's Bt y. The Himalaya is a magnificent boat — in fact, s'>e is a Honting paluce. I was on bar 1 a week, and even then had not had a comp'etc run over her. It is like looking along a street when looking along her deck The Himalaya, with tho sister ship Australia, are the latest additions to the Penmcula and Oriental Stettin 'Navigation Company's flee\ She was built, one o£ the officers on board kindly informed me, by Meßsrs Caird & Co, of Glasgow, and >s 7000 tons gross register, and 10,000 indicated horse power. Her length is 466 feet, breidth 52 feet, depth 37 feet 6 inches. This will give you some idea of the size of this magnificent steamer. Her engines, I am told, arc the largest ever construe ed in Greono ;k. She has accommodation for 265 first and 144 second -class passengers The main saloon is 50 foot long by the whole width of the chip. It ia very lofty and beautifully decorated, the interior wood carvings being quito works of art The saloon is finished in white enamol, the effect being very chaste. Tho f toainer it fitted with tho elsctric light throughout, and there is every convotmnce for tho comforts of the pas Bengers. The baths and lavatories aro a special fonturo, each bath for both first and second class passengers having an arrangement, giving four systems of spray and douche. The cabin fittings are similar throughout, both in the first and second class ; and the saloon of the Inltor quite equal to the first-class sa'oons of many of the ocean steamers. The Himalaya has a full poop, top-gullint forecastle, long bridge hoube, and main saloon amidships, Sho has four decks, and is fitted for carrying refrigerated produce. The chef | officer informed me that on her ttial trip she cruised about for three or tour days, and fr< queitly attained an average spood of 19 knots j,or hour over long stretches; aid altogether proved herself to be one of the moat perfect and rapid passenger steamers afloat. I have found several on board who were from New Zealand, and a sort of clannish f3eling has sprung up amongst n», which will last, no doubt, to the end of tho voyago. At Hobart wo took in 9000 cases of apples for London. Trade is very dull there. The failure of the Bank of Van Diemen's Land some time since, and the levanting of a lawyer with £30,000, belonging mainly to poor people, has bad a great deal to do with the depression that prevails in Tasmania. Even the fruit has not r. roved very profitab'e to the growers this season. I was told that some large consignments were sent to Sydney, which did not pay expenses; in fact, when tho return sales wero made up the consignors found themselves in debt. We stayed three days at Hobart, and then went on to Melbourne, where also a few days were allowod us ashore. The city is well laid out, with good wide streets, with a large number of fine public I buildings, showing that in their construction money must have been quite a cc 'ondary consideration. I visited tho Zoological Gardons in the Royal Park. The public gardens must bo very beautiful in the spring, but as they have not had rain for four months, they have a very scorched up aopoaranco. I went to Flemington and saw t*.o Champion Race. It is a splendid racecourse, and the view from the hill is grund;l was, however, disappointed at not seeing a larger concourse of people there. It is evident that the people have not recovered from tho lute "burst up,' and have not the money now to spend in amusement It is also rumoured that they hive not sotn the end of their trouble jet. The Chunpion Ra"G wai well contested and caused considerable excitement, the finish being v close one between CamoDla and Cullodon I should have liked to have seen Culloden, the New Zealand horse, win, but Camosla just beat him on tho post, I hear that the Mooroopna Fruit Growers' Association are sending a consignment of g apes by tho Himalaya. They are packed in r'pauiph cork dust, which ha» been specially imported for tho purpose. Tre grapes, I was told, belonged to tho Gordo Blancho and Doradillo varieties, which are thought to bo the most suitable fc export. There is ulso a small consignment of pears going with us. The fruit has been coneignod to Messrs W. N. White & Co., of CoventGarden, London, and I shall try and learn what they realise when sold Wo left the port of Melbourne at noon on Saturday, March 11, and made an excellent trip to Adelaide. It is really wonderful the punctuality with which the movement of these lurgo t-teuners is conducted, for tf ey arrive *t the ports and take t heir depi tv c from thet.ee to the very minute of the time advertised. Whilst the steamer was stopping at Adeiaido I went out to Mount Lofty, about eleven miles from the city. There wa3 not a blade of grass to be seen anywhere. It had been all burnt up by the nun. There wore cows out in the paddock; but, poor things, there was no moro feed for them than you would have for animals in Brouglnni street. I wonder what our farmers would think if they had for two or three months in tho summer tc provide feed for their cattle, Tho more I see of other places the more am I pleased with Taranaki— with our green fields un'l lovely bush. In Victoria the native bush in all tho same — which is so monotonous as you travel though it that at last it has a very depressing effect on a stranger, I suppose those living there get used to it. As far as I can judge wo need not fear the competition of Australia with regard to the dairying products. Everything is in our favour, owing to our good land anJ excellent climate. When in Adelaide I visited the stores of Me'lors* Co-operative Company, Limited, and there caw some novelties in agricultural implements .There was a stump jumpj ing plough and barrow. I do not fancy the

plough, but the harrow might bo useful for settlers on bush farms. J. think tho plough would be bettor for stony ground rather than for a buah clenring. I send you an illustration of tho plough and harrow, so that anyono interested can see what sort of implements they ara. The steamer is now lotviug Port Adelaide (March 15), and I send this ashore by the boat.