POVERTY IN ENGLAND.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1781, 20 June 1913, Page 5

POVERTY IN ENGLAND.

A CLERGYMAN'S IMPRESSIONS. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, June 19< The Rev. H. Mason, vicar of Otaliuhu, returned to Auckland, on Tuesday, after seven months' absence on a trip to the Old Country. On'his way to England, Mr. Mason visited Honolulu, and was successful in locating bountiful supplies of good water for the sugar planters and ranchers. Mr. Mason stated that what impressed him most in tlie Homeland was the continued poverty-stricken condition of largo masses of the people. There appeared to be quite as much abjcct poverty in England now as thero was when lis left it for Now Zealand nineteen years ago. "I was also much impressed," said Mr. Mason, "by the extreme political bitterness generally prevailing. The Government's measures seem to havo engendered personal bitterness, which is very marked." The vicar next spoko of tho large number of people, the best blood and muscle of tho country, who wero leaving Britain for the United States and the colonics. "While this continuous stream of emigration is going on," ho said, "large numbers of aliens are admitted to the country, notwithstanding tlio Aliens' Act, which is practically u dead letter. Very many of the aliens uie Jews. In one parish in the East of London (lie vicar informed mo that five out of every six of the inhabitants were alions. The extreme Radicals are opposed to the placing of any proper restrictions on alien immigration."

Alluding to the women's suffrage mover ment, Mr. Mason said that the disoider and violence wero to some extent t'luo to the ineptitude of the Govemuiont. If the women voters oil tho municipal rolls had been placed on the Parliamentary rolls, a grcut deal of the ill-feeling would have been allayed. Many of tlio suffragettes were mentally unbalanced, and should bo sent to a sanatorium rather than to prison.

"All reform in. Britain is extremely slow," said Mr. Mason, "and this is especially noticeable in regard to tho liquor traffic, and tho abuses that aro peimitted. l'he whole matter is treated with an indifference which is surprising. A case which is said to bo not uncommon came under my own observation, A publican had taken a house next door to his licensed premises, and kept a' woman there to look after children, while their mothers sat in tho public-houso drinking. This was in order to evade the recent legislation which forbids mothers to tako their children into public-house bars. Such a thing would not be tolerated in New Zealand." On his journey Home, Mr. Mason went through Canada, and was shown what was being done in Ontario in regard lo prison reform. The prisoners were put to farm work, and worked long and hard. They did not wear prison clothes, and were treated as free-men. There was no need whatever for handcuffs or cells. The only man in Canada who refused to take a tip from him was one of these prisoners, who drove him in a Bleigli to the station.