IMPRESSIONS OF U.S.A.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 276, 21 November 1928, Page 8

IMPRESSIONS OF U.S.A.

CALIFORNIA’S FINE ROADS ADDRESS TO ROTARY CLUB Many interesting features in connection with his recent visit to the United States were touched upon by Air J. T. Worry in tne course of an address at the Wanganui Notary Club ’s luncheon yesterday. The gathering was presided over by the vice-president, Air F. Treloar. Amongst the visitors were Air T. B e ►Strong, Director of Education and Air W, J. Polson, the new member tor Stratford, who was welcomed by PastPresident L. Cohen anu congratulated upon his election to Parliament, Air Werry prefaced his remarks about the United States by referring to Karotonga, where the steamer called in en route to San Francisco. Ka otonga, he said, possessed a beautiful climate, and it was a pity this Government did not know what it had got in it. The land was owned by the natives and only a third of it was utilised. It the Government could see that the land was looked after properly it would mean thousands of pounds to the island. From Ka.otonga, the steamer went to Tahiti, where there was no government at all and the place reeked with disease. With regard to his visit to America, said the speak this was confined to California, through which State he and his family journeyed 8300 miles by motor car. Previously it was the east coast of the United States which was more thickly settled, but now the west coast was coming ino its own, ayd, of the States in this part, California was, without doubt, the best. He referred to the efficient organisation of the Automobile Association there, which attended to all necessary business in the event of an accident. Most of the roads were constructed in concrete. The tax on petrol was 3d a gallon and the authorities had so much money that they did not know what to do with it and for that reason roads were built. The work was contracted for and it was astonishing to see how quickly a road could be laid down.

Numbers of students attending uniA ersities in America worked at various jobs, such as shining shoes, in order to earn enough money tG pay the fees for their education. It did not matter where one went, these students were ( found filling menial poistions. He asked how many in New Zealand would shine shoes in order to go to university. A feature of California was the fact that it seldom rained there, and the water supply for the growing of the crops had to be obtained by irrigationIt was proposed to use the Mississippi for irrigation, and for electrical purposes, by going to the head of the river and utilising the water, which, in the rainy season, caused the disastrous floods. Besides this project, the building of the Panama Canal would appear insignificant. Regarding the advertising of New Zealand to tourists Air Werry hoped that with a new Government the matter of providing information in California to prospective visitors to New' Zealand would be gone into. When the speaker was over there some three or four years ago he found that some people knew about the Dominion, an> some did not. Since Notary had been organised New Zealand had been better advertise. He was quite satisfied that, if the people of California knew' how to get to New Zealand thousands of pounds would come into the country. In New Zealand it was not realised what Notary really stood for. They were too lukewarm and did not see that by putting their shoulders to the wheel they would help Notary to help their own country. Air Werry was accorded a vote of jhanks for his address.