THINKS NEW ZEALAND IS "SIMPLY SMASHING"

Chronicle (Levin), 31 December 1947, Page 4

THINKS NEW ZEALAND IS "SIMPLY SMASHING"

British Immigr'aiit Gives Her ImbressiortS i

"I think this couptry is simply sniashihg," commented an Eiiglisii iirimigfaht, Mrs. A. Earns, When interviewed by a "Ghronicle" represeritative ye'st^rday. [ Mrs. Earns, who is employed ih a Levin shop, arrived here only a foHriight ago. She came to New &eaiand on lifer own initiative, flyin§ from Englarid by the Constellation aircraft. ' : "New. Zealand. is everything that England is, but it is just that much bdtter in every way than my ' home coiintry," she said. . Possessed of a delightful personality; Mrs. Earns evidentiy believes in the old adage", "service with a sriiile." She attends to her ciistomerS in a bright and pleasing manndr, and her typically English voice is a most pleasant surprise to them. Before coming to this country shp livfed. at Harrow, some 15 milesffdm London. During the war her husband sefved as a captain in the, Army, arid when he was discharged they deeided to come to New Zealand iri order to give their children a better opportunity in life. Mrs. Earns is quifce satlsfied that if the rest of the country holds so good a climate, such beautiful scenery and the same carefree, happy people as can be fou'rid ih. Levin, thfen it will prove to be a paradise. Her husband will join her; in st short time and they wiil start their new life in this town. Quick to pick up typical New Zealand expressions, she thinks Levin is "corker." However, at times during the interview she broke' into the English "smashing" and "really lo'vely." The comparison betwee'h the ainount of food consumed by each person in this CdUntry aiid , England was one of heij main Subjects of comment. "New Zealand housewives do not know how lucky they afe. You are all living like kings.

You dori't kridw i8rhat shdrtages or.fatioriittg rrieah. fri two- flkyS - yoU edt a fiill wdek'S Suppljr df biltfeer for the average English personj You Can at least get the basic .foGdS} such as eggs, btitter, cheesd, bac6n; bread, inilk ahd .riieat;" - She _ femarked. !'AU these good thingsj fdw'of. whieh. ard rationed hdre, ard very short in the pld Cbiriitfy." . Mrs, Earns thinks that thd amount of food allbwed the people in England is "terrible." Tlie people were slowly starving, and the trduble one had to gd td to get food was a shariie. "I waS alwa^rs hiingry. We had flsh thtee tiriies a week> boiled of course, and now I arii heartily siek of it," she said. In New. Zealand there was plenty of everything that made the world a better piace. "dakes/ Bfekd arid buns were not rationed, so she consideTed that there was no need tq-^ use the large amount of butter andr j stigar allOwe'd here for baking if d " housewife wanted to keep it- for other- purposes. Told ih Ehgland by the riewspapers that a New Zealarid housewife had to queue up fpr things iii the same manner as the English people, Mrs. Earns was delighted at the way in whieh She can now waik into a shop arid iriake her purch-. ases with the iriiniiriuffi amount 6fwaiting. "Queues. Phooey! You just don't know what they are. Life -iri England was just a matte.r of one queue after anothef." •. The New Zealand people sh'e firids rhost courteous and kind. Everyone seemed to go o.ut of their way to make friends with her. "Yoii seem to be a most carefree and happy people. People seem,to want dne to like their country. They arb very prbud of .it. As for your de-' lightf ul little town, I thirik thd . people here are some of the' hicest I have- known. I think this .placfe is grand." , . . V She had not had d chance' td form any opinidn about the.Gd.vefnment, but the social security scheme seemed "pretty good"vtd , her. ' * \