MR. HOLMAN'S TRIP.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1986, 17 February 1914, Page 7

MR. HOLMAN'S TRIP.

> THROUGH NORTH ISLAND. IMPRESS 10MS OF THE COUNTRY. "I don't wish to peso as an authority after r o.nly a few days in Now Zealand.,'' remarked Mr. W. A. Holman, Prime Minister of New South. Wales, last night, and, having said that, ho went on to givo his- impressions of the North Island, It is true that Sir. Holman has been but a few brief hours wHhin our gates, but in these moments ho has, of course, formed some impressions, and it so hap- ! pens that those impressions are very interesting, Mr. Holman does net exactly spend his holiday idling. Tho book of verso beneath the bough looks very, picturesque in Omar, but ono cannot imagine- Mr.' Holmftn filling the role of the Eastern rhymester. Ho, came hero for rest; ho is rapidly relieving our statistic mines of much of' their essential information. ' Ono finds that he'already knows more about New Zealand than many Now Zealand-era do, and that while lie holds thut - little store down i with one hand, tho othor hand is reaching out for fresh knowledge. Ho c*iiie ■ hero prepossessed in favour of the land ■of his holiday, and ho stays to find his dream true. He has looked on New Zealand as a land where quiet and rest are obtainable-, and ha Wis of friends whose ideal is to end their days ■ in Maoriland.

"You sce.Ti to have everything here," She says, "everything you want." He sampled the wonders of Rotorua-. and lit upon the blackberries which abound at Wairoa and other outposts of t-ho thermal centre, and now he wants to know why wo don't grow "berries" in great quantities in this- island. Climate- and soil both strike hitn.a? tentirely suitable, and lie thinks the idea, of growing tho various kinds of valuable berry well worth entertaining. Wellington and Auckland he- looks upon with' tho eye .of hope, Ho cannot -see how Auckland can go wrong with its position on tho rwta between Australia and America and with tho country which it has supporting it. Wellington strikes him as the political een-< tre-, and the probable industrial city of ttMDQrrow. Ho finds tho steadilygrowing Capital City a hotter _fi.riish.eil> more compact place- than tho big northern port, and though lie has not seen much of our suburbs he has seen enough to obaervo that ho lias no doubt that wo a-Ms growing big in those regions-. One of the few important things that Mr. Hobnail has not learned of Auckland is that it is "Tho. Queen City"'; ho just calls it Auckland. He has, of course, been iip pressed by tho evidences of rapid growth there, and attributes to the mushoom element much, of tho straggling appearance of that town which meets tho eye. Auckland is not as compact or as well balanced as Wellington, he points out, but one sees : everywhere signs of recent dovelop- : inc-n't. The new buildings half up, old i premises coining down to make way for modern -structures—all tel] tlie Premier from across the Tasmao tho nature of AneMiwd's development. With the scenery of t-ho Wsuiganui River Mr. Hojman was ohnrmed. Ho docs not soar into flights of language about it, but lio leaves- no doubt that ho means that ho has rarely, if ever, seen anything so delightful. He started down the river at Taioiiariinni, and loft the water at Pimriki to strike overland for the Slain Trunk railway. Tho beautiful scenery coming down stream was, lie thought, wonderful. In. the run across from the river to tho railway ho passed through some of the most rrfarU mis of landscapes. M"d saw_ the "New Zealand bush in all its pristine beauty. Later, he says, lio found himself ejaculating "Vandals 1 vandals!" for his. pro-* press ran him through country where Nature's mantle liail been well .hewn into by the utilitarian axe. It was, perhaps, merely the disappointment of the tourist, for Mr. Holmari realises that the settler must often cfti'vo hi-s home in tho heart of the -forest. Rogaitlinn: snots nearer Wellington, Mr. floiman holds a jiio-h opinion of some of the towns and villages along the _ lino, ai-icl not many miles out of the city. _ The little place's from 20 to 50 or so miles out from the port would satisfy him to reside in, and he does not see whv anyone should wish for anythiiiE bettor than these- places appear to offer. j