MACCABE ON HIS TRAVELS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3697, 21 May 1883, Page 4

MACCABE ON HIS TRAVELS.

Mr F. Maccabc, the celebrated mimic and ventriloquist, Avrites to the New Zealand Herald as follows:—Since I took my fareAvell of the gemd people of Auckland, I haA-e made tho experiment of travelling on the West Coast. I find that it is the custom of the colonies to ask all travellers Avhat they think of the colony. Tins question israthor monotonous, and somewhat troublesome; becauso when you have not made up your mind about a thing it is troublesome to be asked Avhat you think about it. I am not quite sure that I have made up my mind finally about New Zealand, but I have some impressions which, perhaps, I may modify, or intensify, on reflection ; but such as they are, I give you, Avcll knowing that Avhether I urn mildly right or mildly Avrong, there will be plenty of your people to condemn them. The people of New Zealand seem to me to bo determined to lay an embargo ou the minds of all travellers by asking them (in a manner which convoys the answer they expect), " What they think of the colony h" As a rule, travellers answer approvingly. .1 f the travellers are Englishmen they are immediately -assailed Avith abuse of the climate of England, and praise of the climate of New Zealand. The abuse and prniso are alike absurd. The climates of both countries have their characteristics. That of England is avoll known ; and that it is not very bad is proved by the fact that no Englishman praises it. Quls , tvetisv .f' arcttae. No Englishman attacks a visitor with the assertion that the climate is admirable, but every colonial seizes the visitor and flings the question at him in a tone that means, "you must approve." Noav, I have been in Ncav Zealand since November, and I have not seen anything to justify me in saying , that it has a good climate. Of course, all depends upon what you consider is "good climate." If constancy in cold, in Avet, in fog, and in steady sunshine is good climate, then England has a good climate : but if a mixture of winter and summer in a haphazard way, if an hour of Avarinth and an hour of cold, varied by wind and wet hi the course of nearly every day, is goad climate, then New Zealand has a very good climate. My impression of New Zealand is, that it is a very splendid country, possessing many disadvantages, and that for delicate people it is especially calculated to end their troubles, but it is a very hue country for the- sitrcleors. I have just arrived in Auckland from my trip on the West Coast, of which I can safely assert tho chances of being " stuck " are nearly in a progressive sense certain, and the chances of being " stuck " in a pecuniary sense are quite certain. Tho travelling , by the U.S.S. Co. is undoubtedly comfortable, and tho arrangements admirable. The new .steamer Waihora is certainly a splendid vessel. Not a race-horse, but good and fitciidygoiiig in which you feel that neither wind nor water can hurt. It is not only a good ship, but stupidly splendid. Splendour thrusts comfort away. Top hamper is too prevalent. A place called the social saloon, which lias too instruments of torture, in tho shape of an organ and piano, takes up a good deal of room and darkens the saloon. In the present journey this social hall was monopolised by a family of children who made the day hideous with demon noises, and I discovered that there is no authority on board to stop a nuisance. The number of oaths quietly indulged in during my passage from Christchurch to Auckland, by the passengers in tho Waihora, because of the howling, screaming', and pretended vomiting of the dtinon family, would make a good sized Simibiy-Bchool hymn book. I .sail for America on Tuesday next. Enthusiastic colonists Lave therefore time to abuse mo for these heterodox opinions, which are certainly my impressions, lioavever false they my bo.