ENVOYS OF EMPIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 227, 25 September 1928, Page 8

ENVOYS OF EMPIRE.

NEW ZEALANDERS IN CANADA.

'AEY DELEGATES.

ACCORDED WARM RECEPTION.

(From Onr Own Correspondent)

VANCOUVER, September 5.

A flattering reception was accorded the party of legislators from New Zealand who participated in the Empire Parliamentary Congress at Montreal.

The first detachment of the legislators from all parts of the British Empire to arrive in the financial metropolis of Canada proved to be the deputation from New Zealand, who travelled over the Canadian Pacific Railway frjm Vancouver without a stop-over, the party from "down under" being composed of Hon. W. Nosworthy, Postmaster-General, who headed, the party; and Hon. J. B. Gow, member of the Legislative Council; Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P.; and Mr. T. W. Rhodes, M.P.

When the party arrived in Montreal they were besieged by a number of newspaper men, and Mr. Xosworthy, being a member of the New Zealand Government, was referred to by his confreres as chief spokesman when the inquisitive scribes sought the usual interviews. Mr. Nosworthy said he was greatly impressed by the bigness of .Canada. "Fancy spending five nights in a train—and still finding that there is a long distance to travel before one reaches the Atlantic,* , he said. "In New Zealand 500 miles is about the limit of any journey. The comfort of the sleeping cars was a revelation to us all. We passed through a veritable ocean of golden grain as we crossed the prairies. For hundreds of miles we sped through a gigantic wheat field—such as never has existed in any other country. We do appreciate the abundant hospitality that has been showered upon us ever since our arrival in this Dominion." When asked if he had any message to deliver from the people of New Zealand to their Canadian cousins, Mr. Nosworthy smiled whimsically and said: "Yes, but I am not going to deliver it now. I shall have to do that later when I join the main body of the Parliamentary party. If I tell you everything this morning, my remarks will be stale when I am officially called upon to make them. I dislike warmed-over addresses to the public." Interested in Farming. Hon. Mr. Gow was particularly interested in the scope and diversity of the farming operations as he viewed them from the. window of the observation car while crossing Canada. ''The manner in which this country meets the • ( eniand for increased labour for the harvest is remarkable," was his comment. "No similar problem is encountered in anv other country. In New Zealand we have practically only two seasons—spring and summer. Our cattle run outside all the year round. We do not have to provide sheds for our milch cows. But as we crossed the prairies covered with golden wheat we found it hard to believe that within three months all that rich country will be winter-bound, blanketed with snow." Social legislation in New Zealand was discussed by Mr. Jordan. "We not onlv pension our blind, but- the Government gives them a 25 per cent bonus on their earnings. This encourages thrift and industry," he said. 'We have an old age pension scheme which applies to women over 60 and men over (» years of ape who have been in New Zealand 2o years. They receive a pension a trifle over four dollars a week." Mr. Jordan stated that until 1927 there had been a policy of assisted immigration from the British Isles in effect, which had brought in 10.000 settlers! but this had been suspended until such time as surplus unemployed could be absorbed. 'We have our"unemployment problem to solve in New Zealand" he admitted. ' Delegates to flic Canadian meeting of the Empire Parliamentary AssociaTon arrived in large number* at Quebec and were greeted by the Federal and Provincial Cabinets, in preparations for the meetings at Montreal. Toronto, Winnipeg. Vancouver and other centres upon matters affecting Empire trade, transportation, harbour facilities and other problems of common interest to the delegates who hailed from the Motherland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Newfoundland, Rhodesia, Malta and India. Party Inquisitive. When the large delegation of the European party reached Quebec the army of newspaper men discovered it extremely difficult to interview the visitors, who plied the reporters with hundreds of questions, and the scribes were almost nonplussed in their search for copy." Repeated attempts were made to draw those from Britain relative to the sending of unemployed British miner* to assist in the harvesting of Canada's grain crop, but the visitors were mum on the subject, simply saving thev were in Canada to look thoroughlyinto'labour conditions m the Dominion. "Until I have satisfied my curiosity I intend keepin g absolutely mum on that V,uJs M°?: J ° hnSt ° n ' in^L* 1 )? prinei P al SO ™I function ushering m the reception of the Empire delegates tounng Canada, former BoeV chieftains, former Irish rebels. de«cendand S r°h f renoh -' Cana *an former enemies and rebels sat side by side with BritishZn* ,«"*«T*' th , C COionics an(l Pinions, toasted each other, toasted the Empire, bared old wounds, onlv to an tor the occasion, as man after man J arose, spoke of 1,5s corner o f the Brit -n Commonwealth of Nations told o" iU th » Web of fellowship beXrs of 7W B ° er - Co,t ' ™«nand others of the great Empire. Hon r; «n e uo ,of Sou,h Mr ™< '«»™£ it all up m four words: "Alles Sal Re* KomMNatal Dlltch for « A]J „,„ £*