HOME AGAIN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 28 October 1912, Page 8

HOME AGAIN.

SOME ENGLISH IMPRESSIONS. | THE COMELY LAND. (By S. V. Biacher.j WINCANTON, Somerset, Sept. 4. Softly curved hills, diversely patterned with dark hedges and green, whiteybrown and dull golden fields, all dreaming under a pale haze, from a porthoTo of the liner that had brought us balr-wav around the world, was our first sight of England. Was it Dorsetshire or Hampshire? We disputed the point with fellow-passengers, but all we really carea to know was that this was Englanddifferent from all other countries, and if not fairer, yet somehow dearer. Inscrutably too—known and yet unknown, familiar to both of us from childhood, vet vast within her narrow seas, mysterious even in her mapped acres? and inspected streets. Up to the day of our departure, twelve years ago, we had he-mi only beginning to know her. We wero aware that during our absence she —and wo also —had changed. Would England still b© home to us? What sort of an understanding could be come to between this new England ami our altered selves? Our trip to what is still called the Old Country was a voyage of discovery. But, assuredly, she welcomed us. Looking from the windows of the express that took us from Southampton to London, we saw, in tho dim twilight, tho shapes of hills, treevS, and hedgerows that seemed gentler, richer, friendlier than any we had known beyond the seas. Many of tho houses, with their weathered walls of brick or stone, wero inexpressibly homelike, and ■ even tho cheap and vulgar ones seemed well-intentioned. THE PLEASANTNESS OF LONDON. Sinco the.first evening of our return, tho general impression of comeliness and friendliness has spread and deepened. Even London is almost a. pleasant place. Wo were prepared to find that the electrification of the underground had given tho traveller comfort and enjoyment instead of torture, but it was with a pleased surprise that when we looked out of tho windows in those spaces where tho line is open to t lvo sky, wo found that their odd angles had been filled with bright little flower beds. Then, ! too. the-streets are cleaner and less noisy sinco tho coming of the motor-bus ami fcnxi. I do not know whether the people have become more courteous or whether we notico it more. Nothing, certainly! coiiid have been plea^anter in its way than the quiet interposition of tho stranger at tho vegetarian Testaanmt, who volunteered a direction to the Ringsway Theatre, and asked, as though to help an oversea Briton was a special pleasure, "From Australia?" And when two street urchins chirruped round me Ito get a "cigarette picture," and a largo ■policeman told them to move on, his manner was that of a kind uaiont afraid that his little boys are rather troublesome to a visitor. ■ These- friendly ways are, of course, not new, but what is new. and yet seems to go quite naturally with them, is a I greater freedom in some of the little thines of life. The disappearance of tho top-hat and frock coat from London streets is notorious. But that is not all. Tn tho short journey by taxi from London Bridgo Station to Liverpool Street, wo counted seventy men and bnyn who wero not wearing hats of any kind. Uniformity in the matter of clothing is passing away. Even "city men" dress almost as they please and I look 'comparatively comfortable. Wo saw many fashionable women, without hats, on the parade at Brighton. Some people attribute tho new liberty to the influence? of tho late King Edward, and | somo to the hot summer of 1911. Down here, in Somerset,- where folk never did -d*o9s "up to tho nines." as they say, on week-days, a similar change, though not- -so striking, is noticeable. The few I hatless ones, of both sexes, are not stared at. as once they would have been. | Tho church-going blnek is -not of such | rigid obligation as of old. Even the layj reader, when wo went to our parish, church, had n, tweed suit under his surplice. THE LITTLE TOWN AND THE PICTURE POSTCARD. '■"" Tho streets of this little ancient town seem cleaner and neater than ever. Most of the doors and window-frames are newly painted. House-fronts that used to be covered with stucco, now show their good honest Cheriton stone. Pink, whits, and yellow flowers are abloom in boxes on many of the window-ledges, they hang in baskets from inn-signs they sprout from tubs over the portico of a shop. There is even a gay little roofgarden overlooking tho Market Place. Wincanton was always picturesque, lying upon its hillside, with its brown roofs and crooked streets, but of late years it has added thoso brightening touches that betray a new self-conscious-ness. Evidently, it has been discovered. •Fow travellers, I suppose, havo made, liko Mr. Tickner Edwardes, an unpremeditated stay of thirty-six hours in this place, but many must have felt, something of that ancient, quiet, and simple charm to which ho has testified m ''Lift-Luck on Southern Roads." Tho picture post-card and tho motorcar aro tho most readily assignable causes of Wineanton's awrikeninpfto its own attractiveness. And. of course, what ifi true of ono little town is trui> of thousands of others. The picture postcard is everywhere. No house in town or country is secure- from illustration. Thus, there is an incentive to mak<» things as picturesquo as possible. Just as a woman grows more comely by repeatedly looking her best in her mirror, co, T suppose, a town Incomes, according to its capacities, tidier, or hanrli sonier, or quainter, or more beautiful, through seeing itself fo often in picture post-cards. THE MOTOR-CAR PEOPLE—\>?I> THE OTHERS. Somo of tho post-cards aro bought oy tho residents, but more, 1 suppose !)V tho motorists. It is also hii "olv for thoso that tho floral decorations' are accomplished. A IVw of their \ } Ur tnrring ears pnsfi through tho town" overv (lay, for it, lies on ono of thn main roods From London to Exeter. The two prin- | ripnl hotels vie with each other in e*'t'>r- | ing for them, but the shopkeepers d«. | not think tho now traffic " has arfdr-d ! much to the trade of tho to<vn Th* '• population (about 2000) ha? rrtiir!(though whether from this cnusr* or .->Wf> oUior 1 do not kno,v) increased n. littlT bo car has undoubtedly dour .something to check tho much-lamented donopuL'^ | JiV?" °f tno ™"ntryside. { Vi ,. ls " t ,,hi n i Milborno Port (which, of cour=o U not !|» norf, at all. hub just anoihor littlo mll land. .Somersetshire town) that six -o:i----j t!<vn C n's residences hod been built of i "l''£? r?r ent -voars "ithiii n. fcv.- miles ;n L tho lo'vn Kail. Tho neighbourhood ; •vn<-. pk>ns.nnt and m'<xm>nsivc\ and thoro ; r.-as jrood h'rntinjr. whilo tho (Vsinncn .rom ovorywhero did not matter iruch tp poonlo v.ith a nr. T do not Vin,l tnafc bio crm havo fwoilt ih» . T) l^«;iin.' <>r a country walk. Tlmy kopp* to thrmam roorTs which, tho truo wall--«>r !iv rJwavß siud;<•<■! to avoid. Tho cyHist pch tho nu ] of maps newly pruvuUu] \-rr tho purpose. i« now cyploitin" tlii-Pi-os«.-vo af T.c. n!vT hooin- that tho nTotori^t will not- vent.iro to follow },;, n him I.'ioir narrow placos and aroun.l tholr sn?.rn elbows. Tlio motor trnfTip hn.s Ip*T to a great improvement in tho road <\irfrnr> 9 ~~ nn d

everybody benefits a little from that, but in tho interstices of this net of pleasuretraffic, and even within the hourly smell of its petrol, tho old life of the coun-try-side changes but slowly. The squire and the parson may have move- society, 'hut the farmer and his labourer go on pretty much as before—for the present. Revolutionary changes are promised—or threatened' But revolutionary changes wero threatened or promised a generation ago —and still the farmer complains that farming doesn't pay, and still tho labourer gets low wages, and in spite of his wife's miracles of thrift, she and her children aro ill-nourished, and the workhouse looms ahead. GENTLE SPEECH. But, although they aro the theme just now of so many clamant voices of politician, philanthropist -and agitator, tho so' peasants have not lost their own gent In but friendly manners. Sweet indeed it was, after our twelve long years of absence ( 1 might hf.vo 'Written "exile," if it. had been anywhere lout in New Zealand), to hear English spoken with tho softened syllables and quiet, easeful tones that are heard only m tho West. To write or say "Zummerzpl" does not convey th.c most distant hint of tho charm that pervaded tho talk of tho young labourer whom I met in tho Bank Holiday excursion train. Perhaps, from the New Zealand point of view, his manner was too respectful, certainly, thero was no trace of the solftvssertive, almost defiant air which is noticeable in all new countries. To me it seemed to reveal a native* gentleness \and refinement. It led me to desire that the economic betterment of our peasantry may be achieved without wholly vulgarising them. And I say this, not from the tourist or picture nost-card point of view, but as ofte who knows that manners aro the efflux of tho sou*!. The Roman Catholics of Gore intend to proceed immediately with tho erection of a new church on their property in Ardwick fstreet (says tho "Mat-aura Ensign"). Plans have been prepared for an exceedingly handsome and commodious structure, capable of seating 1000 people. The cost of tho church i« estimated at/ between £8000 and £90/(0, and it was intended to erect the building by day labour under the charge of a foreman of works. America. h?.q invented a. new snort— automobile polo. The first game was recently T>7,iyed in Kansas on the Wichata Plain, under tho official patronage of tho Governor of Kansas, who acted as referee. Thn teams wore of four cars a- side, each car carrying a chauffeur and v- player armed with an ordinary riolo stick. Tn tho report tlio distance between the goal posts is given as 100 metres, though this seems entirely inadequate for manoeuvring fast j motor cars. In view of accidents, there wan a plentiful supply of doefcprs or. thn field. Thero was a large .attendance, fmd tho play was extremely eventful, if onv may judsro by tho results. The winning team scored seven goals, smashed two motor cars, and had throe of Ihrir members severely wounded. The losing sido scored five goals, one smashed motor car, and two wounded. Five out »>f eight participants were severely wounded, and three out of eight cars worn ruined. Hit Honor the Chief Justice (Sir j Robert Stout) heard an unusual apolicaJ tion in tho Supreme Court at Wcllingj ton on Saturday morning, when the I City Council, asked for a writ of attach- • incut against Joseph James Moore, consequent on ji breach by defendant of a building by-law. The 'application was made concerning a house built by defendant, which was described as "ahsoj lut? patchwork." The- City Council has j :nsi«tod on certain alterations, and de- ■ fendant insisted tint tho alterations had j been made. His Honor said defendant i mu?-t provo that to the satisfaction of I tbn City Council. 'Mooro remarked that 'it looked as if they wanted to drive l liim from tbo country. "That is nonj -ony," raid the judge! "Tho City Coun- ! f-il i- on!v performing its duty in see j ing that jerry buildings do not e.n un lin tbo city, and if it does not do'that iit is not doing its d ity. If you do j not comply, Mr. Mooro. you must <;o jto craol. and if tho a Iterations aro not ; mado you mint <=t«y there." Counsel j for nlfiintiff intimated that the Council j wou'd _ hr» satisfied if defendant oom- ! :.•]:;»;l_ with tho r-n'.'c]f)r-i\i inn'-. Moore was | iiinnij-itivp. n<; to the ir>rnm ]w mi"ht | bnvn to f-ppiul in frnoT. "You will have in rro to vrml tUI tl-f> buildino' is rrmovt'd." answered Hif: Honor. "T will have i'< put mv Ib'»i!?s in order, then. Think vmi," paid dofend-nnt. and be left the C;>uVi: tn consider bis position. i