MR JOHN FOSTER FRASER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9696, 29 October 1909, Page 2

MR JOHN FOSTER FRASER.

"AMERICA UP-TO-DATE."

The Town Hall was again well filled last night, when Mr J. Foster Fraser, author and traveller, delivered his final lecture in Masterton, the subject being "America Up-to-date." It is safe to say that the address was a revelation to the majority of chose present. After referring in a humorous vein to the average Arn.ricau's proneness to exaggeration and his wonderful belief iv his owu couutry— "the finest ou earth"—the lecturer at once plunged iuto his subject, aud gave some intensely interesting in formation concerning the great United States. America is essentially a youug man's land—to fiud the old meu one has to enter the cemeteries. At forty, in many case 3 eveu at thirty-live, the average man's day is past. Oue finds everywhere men in the early tweuties occupying responsible positions aud drawing huge salaries. Labour-saving machinery is taking the place of skilled labour, thus causing in mauy parts au acute unemployed problem. Au interesting feature—mentioned mauy times by the lecturer—is_that in the big industries men focus their atteutiou aud all their energies on their owu particular littlo bit ot* the work iv hand, with tho result that one machine iv the course of its coustruction has to pass through mauy pairs of bauds, each worker being au expert regarding' his own particular portion, but utterly iguoraut concoruiug tho other parts. "Money making," said Mr Fraser, appears to be the aim of the hustling American. The men work hard at making money; the women work hard at spending it. The Uuited States is a laud of contrasts. There aro undoubtedly mauy thiugs to admire, but tliero are many other things, notably the exploitation of child labour, which are au abomination. Iv a country wliere oue hears so much conceruitig equality, it is rather strange, to say the least, to uotice the way in which tho negroes are treated. Tliey are looked upon as a class apart.

The principal, characteristics of the larger cities were dealt with—New York aud its wouderful sky-scraper buildings; Chicago aud its cauniug industry; Pittsburg (described by one writer as "Hell with the lid off"), the American Sheffield ; Washington, Boston aud Niagara.

Tha lecturer closed his exceedingly interesting address by saying a few words particularly to the young meu present. He stated that he had noticed, when travelling in the States, that the general conversation of the passengers was about mouey-rnaking. In England, and also perhaps in New Zealand, the principal topic was sport—cricket or football. "The American ideal may not be a high ono," said Mr Fraser, "but let the British young mau devote halt* as much time and attention to business and money-making as he does to football or cricket, and I am not afraid of the result."

The lecture was illustrated, as on

the previous overling, by many artistic lantern slides, taken from photographs, which added greatly to the oujoymeut of those present. Tiie humorous anecdotes related caused considerable merriment, and the address, as a whole, must rank as oue ot the fiuest aud most entertaining yet given in Masterton. Mr Foster Fraser's books are now likely to have au oven greater vogue, at least locally, thau formerly, for the gifted writer has made many friends aud admirers during his short stay in

our midst