A TRIP TO AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14002, 10 September 1909, Page 6

A TRIP TO AUSTRALIA.

MR ROBERT BELL'S IMPRESSIONS Mr Robert Bell, formerly of Timaru, but now of Ashburton, has just returned from a holiday spent in different parts of Australia. In the course of an interview, Mr Bell said that Australia seemed to have moved and to be moving forward. For the last fewyears, indeed since the break up in 1902 of the seven years' drought, the seasons had been very favourable for agriculturists and pastoralists, and consequently the community in general was doing well. The outlook for the present ■ year was hopeful, splendid rains having fallen all over the Commonwealth, practically assuring aucxcelloat harvest and a good sheep season. The general prosperity had had the result of causing money to be plentiful, oonsequtttly trade in general was good and seemed likely to continue so for some time. Money for investment could be had at very low rates. 'On freehold agricultural and pastoral properties where there was a fair margin ,at from 4 to 5 per cent. - The cost of living he found to be considerably cheaper than in New Zealand. Men's clothing, quality for qualr ity, was about a pound a suit cheaper; boots were shillings a pair cheaper; and food products -were also • marked at lower rates. This applied to all the States, with the exception of South Australia (Mr Bell did not visit West Australia), where the prices were considerably above those ruling in New Zealand in practically ' every line. Rents, however, in all the large centres, were Very dear. In Adelaide an average five-roomed workman's cottage cost from 15s to 18s per week, and a six-roomed one from 18s to 21s.

But though living was, on the whole, cheaper" than here, wages, on tho other hand, were lower. Labouring men did not seem to get more than 7s' a day in the majority of the States, while in Tasmania the rates were lower than that. The wages for grocers' and drapers' assistants-in the large centres ■ —Sydney, Melbourne and 'Adeliade—•were very low indeed, ranging from thifrty shillings to £2 (at the outside) per week. In one case he 1 knew of a- ! .paper's assistant —a. man' ou years or. age and first-class at his trader—was earning,only £2 per week,, and when asked if he.could not get more, replied in the negative, stating that he was at the top so far as wages were concerned, . and that if he asked for more he would certainly be discharged, and a young man at 25s per. week put in his place. - In reply to a question as to how the Dominion is regarded by the Commonwealth, Mr Bell said: "I was surprised to find so Jittle community, of-interest between the Commonwealth and,'the Dominion.' There seems to be a great deal of ignorance over there, not.only in regard to this country; hut ; in regard to our legislation. Indeed, the Australians' have little time for New Zealand or its affairs, and seem to regard it simply as a mere speck somewhere in tlie t'acific ocean. Of course lam now referring to the people whom I have met on the steamers, on the railways, in the hotels,, and on the strets, and the remarks do not apply to business men who may hare-business .connections with the dominion. But the feeling I speak of applies to all parts of the Commonwealth. It seems to me that the primary cause is the lack of news , about tho dominion in the Australian papers." / ~ '■■■('/. .- '■', '•;.. : ■ -'■' Mr Bell went on to say that the pre-: sent depression in New Zealand does •not excite, much sympathy with \rthe average person in the, Commonwealth. There seems to be a "serve-you-right" feeling in respect to ; the- present state of affairs here. Theidea was prevalent that New Zealand had gone in for "what might be termed "hot-house" leeislatfon. and that she wate now 'only reaping the fruits of what she had sown in that connection, r

The question for those who arc turning tljcir eyes towards Queensland to consider,..said Mr Bell, is whether at the end of twenty years they would have done hetier in a country which is so prolific on the one hand, and, oh the other .is so crncUv devastated hy droughts, floods and fires,, or in New Zealand, with its• enuablc climate and its more even conditions: