ORDERLY BRITISH CHARACTER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 111, 27 May 1937, Page 9

ORDERLY BRITISH CHARACTER

Former New Zealander Finds Much in it to Admire MR. J. M. DENTON'S VIEWS Eevisiting New Zealand after an absence in England of over SO - years, Mr. J. M. Denton, proprietor of the world-renowned steel and cutlery concern, Christopher Johnsou and Co., Sheffield, England, is on a holiday visit to Hastings and is staying with his brother, Mr. L. A. Denton. Born and educated in New Zealand, Mr. J. M. Denton may lay claim to heing one of the many New Zealanders who have gained distinction ahroad. He is a great admirer of the British people, finding in them a sense of ordeTliness and a willkngness to fulfil thetr social obligations voluntarily. From the business viewpoint, Mr. Denton reports .that there is a steady expansion of British industry and a rapid advancement in industrial methods. Mr. Denton left New Zealand in 1§04, foreaking Eis 400-acre bush farin to try out his luck in the Old Country. He now controls one of the most important business concerns in Sheffield, a city with a population of 550,000 si.tuated in the County of Yorkshire near the border of Derbyshire. The town itself, ' he eays, is not a particularly attractive one, but it is the centre of some pf the iinest and most beautiful countryside in England. One of the features of the Old Country, he informed a Herald-Tribune representative, was" the blending of tha city and rural life. 4 "The British people have developed a wonderful public spirit, ' ' he said. "As an indication of this may be taken the financing of the hospitals, for it showa how tiiey meet a need without the imposition of compulsion. Many of the larger hospitals are maintained almost entirely by gifts, public subscriptions and endowments. " A good number of years ago," he added, "the membere of several laTge industrial concerns introduced the idea of contributing the sum, of one penny in the £ of their weekly wageS ta the various hospitals. It was given voluntarily and willingly by the workers. Weekly Contributions. "In recent years this system, or custom, has been extended, and now the voiuntary weekly contributiona' from. omployees is a recognised and reliable source of revenue to the hospitals.''* Many of the larger municipalities, he pointed out, had established hospitals to meet the needs of their own immediate communities, and these, of course, were largely maintained from rates; but in Sheffield, for example, there wero two hospitals that were maintained on the voluntary-subscription scheme. In other directions, too, a fine public spirit was revealed in the giving to the public of large tracts of lands. Lately just over 1000 acres had been given to the town of Sheffield, and in other parts of the country there had been many beautiful and valuable gifts of lands to the nation. Various assoeiations such as the National Trust had been set up for the purpose of acquiring and developing areas for the nation, and were carrying out a truly wonderful work quite voluntarily. Industrial Improvement. Mr. Denton also said that, though many firms and industrial concerns had made large profits during the War, practically the whole of these profits had been used for puitxng up modern factories and buildings and for increasing trade. In this way not only had more people been found permanent employment, but the conditions under which they worked had been greatly improved. Indeed, in a big number of instances really remarkable changes had been made possible in this directiony and they had been reflected generally in the welfare and development not only of the indystries concerned but of the life of the people. Mr. Denton could not speak too highly of the general conduct and characteristics of the English people during periods of trouble. This was very much dn evidence during the great transport strike, he said, when everyone and everybody did his and her best to pull together and keep the life of the business and country going as best as could be done under abnormal conditions. ' ' During my residence in England I have formed a very high opinion of the British people. And trea.l|ly^ what other nation could have produced a man of the type of Mr. Stanley Baldwinf" £e asked.