EUROPE ALMOST RECOVERED FROM THE EFFECTS OF WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 3 January 1930, Page 2

EUROPE ALMOST RECOVERED FROM THE EFFECTS OF WAR.

Now Settling Down To Hard Work Declares Mr C. G. M’Kellar.

That the nations of Europe have almost recovered from the effects of the war was the impression gained by Mr C. G. M’Kellar, of Christchurch, who returned on Wednesday from an eight months’ tour of Britain and Europe. European countries generally, seem to be settling down to hard work, and there were few visible signs of poverty or UnemploymentSailing by the Rangitiki, Mr M’Kellar arrived in England in time for the tennis championships at Wimbledon, where arrangements were almost perfect. A system of loud speakers made it possible for spectators to hear every stroke, and also the announcements of the umpire. Mr M’Kellar also saw the R.A.F. display at Hendon, and describes it as one of the finest sights possible to witness. There was no moment without excitement. After spending a month in England, Mr M’Kellar went by car to Harwich and crossed to Holland. The Hague was first visited, and later Gravensage. the seaside resort of The Hague, where there were the most complicated arrangements for keeping bathers out of trouble. On high, wooden tripods, men were stationed to warn bathers to keep in certain areas. If a wave of the truncheon did not call the swimmer back, a whistle was blown. If this did not have the desired effect, a horn was sounded, and in the event of this failing to attract attention, a boat was sent out to warn the swimmer back. The arrangements struck Mr M’Kellar as being rather humorous, as there was a flat, calm sea, and there were so many people in the water that any sort of trouble was virtually impossible. WAR PROFITS. Leaving The Hague, Air M’Kellar went to Appledoorn, where the Queen was in residence in the Palace, and later passed on to the new city of Echede. “ It is a very nice city,” he said, “ and was probably built from the profits of neutral trading during the war. Holland, Denmark and Sweden all profited enormously by the Mr M’Kellar’s route then led him through Osnabruck to Hanover, Hamburg and Travemunde, a seaside resort on the Baltic. Bathing arrangements at Travemunde were very comfortable, each party having its own wicker shelter, in the centre of a sandwalled basin, where the bathers basked in the sun all day long. “ I don't know how they manage to undress there,” said Mr M’Kellar. “ They just seem to wear an overcoat, and by some minor adjustments drop off their clothes.” TO COPENHAGEN. Over the Canal with its many high bridges, Mr M’Kellar drove, then through Schleswig-Holstein to Den mark. From Denmark the car was ferried across from island to island, and eventually reached Copenhagen, a magnificent city. The shipping to be seen from Copenhagen was found most interesting. Sweden was only five miles away, and ships of all sorts and sizes could be seen passing along. After being ferried across to Sweden, Mr M’Kellar drove through Gothenburg, and on to Oslo, a beautiful city on a big harbour filled with motorboats and yachts. Oslo was reached during August, and in the warm weather people were bathing all round the harbour. From Oslo to Stockholm the road lay through forest for the most part, and by the side of many lakes. Quite unexpectedly, two big cities, Orebro and Carlstad, were passed. The approaches to Stockholm were beautiful, concrete roads, and the impression the visitor gained in that city was that there was a lot of money being made, and a lot spent. He considered that the buildings in Stockholm were equal to the best in any part of Europe, and said that it would be hard to find a finer collection of Government and municipal buildings than those he saw there. The prosperity gained in the war allowed the Swedes to build large portions of the city in eight-storey blocks, which were mostly business premises and flats. A RICH COUNTRY. The western side of Sweden Mr M’Kellar found to be flat, with large outcrops of granite everywhere, some of them as big as houses. The flat land was all used for grazing, and was

very rich. It surprised him to learn that in the country nearly all the houses were built of wood/ in marked contrast to the buildings of the cities, and the rural parts of the rest of Europe. Driving south to Trelleborg, Mr M’Kellar crossed to Sassnitz, on Rugen Island, oft the German coast. Along the coast, the road was taken past Swinemunde, to Stettin, and then to Berlin, which was reached in time for the celebration of the tenth year of the declaration of the German Republic. “ Judging by the behaviour of the crowds,” said Mr M’Kellar, “ there is not much chance of a return to the monarchy. All the military and naval people are monarchists, but it will take a civil war to get a king back.” Germany had developed the land to an extreme extent, and was going in for cropping on an enormous scale. An excellent season allowed the farmers to do very well, and there were few signs of unemployment. All the country seemed to be at work, and Mr M’Kellar was very interested to see parties of girls, sometimes numbering twenty, labouring in the fields with bare feet, doing heavy farm work. ‘‘They were big, strong girls,” he said, “ and seemed to be as happy as Larry.” FEW CARS. Mr M’Kellar saw few new cars in Berlin, and got the impression that the motor trade was not being developed very intensively. Flying, however, was very popular, and air mail services went to all parts. After leaving Berlin, Mr M’Kellar went through Dresden over the Erzgeberge range, and into Czecho-Slovakia and on to Prague. From Prague he went to Vienna, and on to Budapest, where Hungary was celebrating its tenth year as a republic. The whole city was lighted, and fireworks were being let off, but the impression gained was that there was not so much feeling about the republic, most of the merry, makers regarding the day as an opportunity for a good time. Pest struck Mr M’Kellar as being one of the finest and most interesting cities in Europe. An agricultural museum, once the home of Hunyadi-Janos, the general who freed Hungary from the Turks, interested intensely with its perfect models of famous sheep, cattle, and horses. A visit was made to Margarete Island, in the Danube, where there are springs hot enough to boil an egg, and where huge beer gardens and pleasure grounds occupy all the space not taken up by the elaborate -swimming bath. At St Gellert’s hotel in Buda, there were also' palatial baths fed from the HunyadiJanos hot springs, and at the restaur ants, alcoves, and terraces surrounding; the baths, hundreds of people gathered to bathe and eat all day long. Every quarter of an hour, machinery was started which caused waves in the baths big enough to form breakers, and when this happened, the people flocked from their alcoves to swim. THROUGH THE TYROL. Returning to Vienna, ATr M’Kellar entered the Tyrol from Salzberg and drove to Innsbruck over the Arleburg pass and down to Lake Constance. Then the road was taken through Zurich, Lausanne, Thun, Neuchatel, and on to Geneva. From Geneva Mr M’Kellar drove to Deauville, stopping for a few days in Paris. He then crossed to Southampton, and drove through Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset back to London, spending about two months near the city. ROAD-BUILDING ACTIVITY. # All through Europe Mr M’Kellar noticed a great deal of road building going on, all sorts of methods and material being used. There seemed to be no settled preference for either con crete or bitumen, roads being put down in both materials. Motoring through Europe was found to be a delightful method of seeing the country, and comparatively cheap. The ferry journeys across the water were remarkably reasonable, a journey lastiftg six hours costing only a few shillings. It was a very simple method of getting about, and enabled him to see many places that the railway would not give access to. ‘‘lt was difficult to see that there were any ill effects of the war on the nations which had to pay indemnities,” said Mr M’Kellar. “They all seemed to be working hard.”