“A Favored Country.”

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1922, Page 4

“A Favored Country.”

BISHOP BRODIE’S IMPRESSIONS. NEW ZEALANDERS AND THEIR ' LAND. i i

CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 20. j “Let me say tins—you know 1 am j a New Zeal.indcr—T have been in a j good many countries, great and glori- j ous countries, but of this little conntry wo have every reason to be justly proud,” said Dr M. J. Brodie, Roman Catholic. Bishop of Christchurch, in the course of Jiis reply to a welcome on bis return last night. “There may b countries more populous, more extensive, (lie continued) blit I think that when that great statesman the late Rt Hon R. J. Seddbii said New Zealand was God’s own country lie expressed what every traveller from New Zealand must feel when he visits other parts and comes homo to this favoured country. I feel I c.-in co-operate with my Catholic lel-low-citizens and members of the religious and with all my fellow citizens to try to do, ill a grislier ifiebsur’e than in Hie past, all I call for the advancement and. promotion of the best interests of this, country,” . , THE BISHOP’S OBSERVATIONS. Interviewed yesterday Bishop Brodie sriiii the primary object (if his visit to Europe was to priv bis “Ad liminn,’ vjsit to Rome, a duty imposed on all Catholic bishops of the world. “My audience with the .Holy Father,”, lie said, “was the. most interesting, Pius XT showing Him lie was wonderfully conversant with the progress of the faith in various parts of the world, and he listened with close attention to niy account of the progress of tlie Diocese of Christchurch, one of the dioceses most remote from the eon tie of Christendom. During mv stayin Rome I was privileged to take part in the Eucharistic Congress, attended by delegates from every part of the world. Tile Grand procession was declared to be tlie greatest religious demonstration in the history of Rome. Three hundred and twenty Bishops look part and the processionists numbered 70,000. while the streets were thronged with reverent onlookers to the number of -100,000. THE TIIGI-i COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE. "Leaving Rome,” T proceeded to London, where t had the pleasure of visiting the New Zealand Government office. Besides presenting mv compliments to Sir .Tames Allen, I was able to see the utility of New Zealand’s London office. It might naturally bo concluded that with such experienced officers as Mr Donne and Mr Crowe our Dominion London office would be conducted on niost etlU-icnt lines, and the New Zealand visitor is at once impressed with the efficiency, alertness and courtesy of the whole staff and tin’ feeling that it is the desir.* ol ail in make the New Zealander realise that lie is not a stranger ill tlie great capital of the Empire. In niy inspection of exhibits of New Zealand products and manufactures 1 was able to ascertain the views of visitors to Loudon. One exhibit was of New Zealand grown apples; when seen hy a visitor from Tasmania, a well-known applecoiiiitry, the comment of this gen Meman was to the effect that our You Zealand exhibit far surpassed the dis plav of any other part of (lie Empire’s dominions. “Some weeks later tlie main window v,us equipped with an array of rugs of New Zealand manufacture and a unanimous opinion expressed that the quality and excellence of the rugs were of tlie highest order. On the occasion of my last visit to London, the window display was a facsimile of the war memorials being erected in various parts of tli battlefields, together with charts setting forth the Dominion’s coiitributinn in men and money fo the Great AVar: so large were the crowds studying tiiis exhibit that often the foot traffic of the Strand was quite blocked. “One of the niost pleasing features of tin- equipment of the New Zealand office in London is Hie complete file of New Zealand journals, and it was a source of pleasure to see tinlatest available numbers of the Christchurch papers. If-is not an undue appreciation of New Zealand which draws from the New Zealand visitor to London an enthusiastic eiidorscmenl of the late Lord Xortheliffo’s view that our journals compare most favourably with the world’s great dailies. I - rum London I paid visits to Ireland and Scotland to ascertain the relations of the Government to schools conducted bv various religious dciiominutii.ns. In England. Scotia nil and Ireland religious schools wore assisted by the Government or public authority, the most generous allowance being made by the educational authorities of Scotland. OPPORTUNITIES FOR SETTLERS. “My return journey was through United Site tes ami Camilla. Owing to disturbed industrial conditions affect ing railway transit mv visit was necessarily curtailed. I was able to spend some days at New A .irk, Buffalo, ipronto and Vancouver. M v visit to lor--onto was during the Exhibition, which

gave an excellent display of Canada’s great resources. At the same time an extensive movement was being launched to encourage immigration; the Imperial Government was co-oper-ating with the Canadian Government in the establishment of a most thorough scheme to promote a forward movement in encouraging new settlers to conic to Canada. While 1 do not 1 wish to pose as an authority on Canada, 1 was able to make inquiries which would justify the statement that ■our Dominion of New Zealand can oiler to intending settlers conditions far surpassing those offered by any other territory of the British Empire. TOWN-PLANNING. “A journey round the world including visits to cities like Pome, Paris. I London, Now York. Edinburgh, Gins j -row. Toronto and Vancouver suggests to tire traveller the necessity of 'he adoption of some definite town-plan-ning scheme in our young Dominion. New Zealand is a young country and can benefit by the experience of aide; countries: oiir Dominion is possessed of cities whose residential areas arc unique, the dwellings suggesting > home-life which is threatened with desiruction in many of the great cities of the world. A town-planning system could he evolved to come into effect, say in five years time. A Now Zealander abroad is almost terrified by uir conditions to be met with in very large centres of population, conditions which constitute a menace to the health and moral well-being of the people. An erroneous idea seems to prevail that town-planning is a fad of a few enthusiasts, hut an observant traveller will return to New Zealand convinced that it is a subject of vast importance and worthy of tile closest study by our legislators, our journalists and of our religious teachers of our great voung country. THE BATTLEFIELDS. “Mv visit to France included a four of the battlefields in the section where the New Zealand troops were most engaged. The area, presents a scene of desolation and destruction. The question of ‘reparation’ assumes a practical ; importance when considered on th<. battlefield. It has to lie remembered j that, of 201 towns 21-1 have been 'iim- ; pl ’tel v destroyed and razed to ihe ' ground, and the .‘IOOO military cometerj ies convey some idea, of the desfrooj tion of life! T concluded mv visit to : I lie .battlefields by visiting the city of j Amicus. When ( introduced myself to the Bishop of that city ho replied. ‘A New ‘Zealander is welcome here. The ( ner.plo of France and especially of these parts can never forgot, the glorious work of the hoys of Australia and New Zealand dtrring the Great War.’ “Speaking of the battlefields T am reminded of the great care being taken of the various military cemeteries. Men were at work in most, of the areas and everything bespoke reverent and attentive rare. The plain wooden cross was still remaining to indicate the resting-place of our hoys, tmt in many places the permanent marble slab I as been erected and the uniformity of design of the simple monument gives a g neral perspective of neatness and symmetry to the well-kept cemeteries. The Imperial War Graves Association with headquarters in London mat: 's easy the sad journey to graves bv providing full information as to locate n of the various graves ami on arrival in France the voluntary workers of St Bernard’s Hostels enable the journey to he accomplished with a minimum of discomfort and also at a minimum expense.”