THROUGH ENGLISH EYES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 60, 3 December 1937, Page 17

THROUGH ENGLISH EYES

Our Own Correspoudent.)

Mr. Arthur Henderson and New Zealand NEED FOR POPULATION

(From

LONDON. Nov. 10, Although. pleased with New Zealand housing conditions in the cities, Mr Arthur Henderson, English. Labour M.P., who has just returned from a visit to the Dominion, cohsiders housing in some country areas is backward and will have to be given attention. He inspected a number of the new workers' homes being built by the Government and thought them excellent, but thought 25/- a week was too high a rent for a working man to pay. In England 10/- was a more usual amount, he said. "New Zealand will have to face up to the population question," he added. "There is room for more people. I realise there are economie difflculties and that it is not merely a question of transportation, but the problem must be tackled. In the case of °the agricultural industry, it seems little use sending people out without adequate flnancial backing, but I think something could be done to develop secondary industries further." M'r Henderson said he was iinpressed with New Zealand newspapers. Every town. no matter how small, seemed. to have'its own paper, and most of them wero of quite a high standard. He thought the hotels were excellent and the food coxnpared with that obtainable anywhcre. The people, too, impressed him very uxuch, and he was pleateed to hear tfxo high standard of English spoken by all classes, especiaUy in tho cities. He greatly adnxii'cd the Labour Goyemment's achiovoments, especially as regards the 40-hour week. and the fxxing of prices for dairy produce. In transport, too, notable advances were being made. The Government 's social and economie oxperinieuts were being watcjied with great interest, and if .they were a successp they would have an influence on other countries. The Government had shown great courage and statesmanship in the atti,tude it had adopted towards international questions. The responsibility for the present ineffectiveness of the League of Nations could certainly not be laid at New Zealand 's door-