AN INTERESTING TOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1924, Page 4

AN INTERESTING TOUR

SIR GEORGE. FENWICK’S I Al I’R ESSK i.vs. AUCKLAND, December Hi. Sir George ami Lady Fenwick returned by the Alnhono to-day after eleven months’ absence.

Sir George expressed the great pleasure and comfort, it gave Daily Fenwick and himself to be back again in the Dominion. He .said it was quite impossible in the newspaper space available to give even the barest outline of the many interesting places they had visited since leaving New Zealand in January last, and of the events that had nieiiiTcd and the interesting people they had met in America, Great Britain and other parts of the world. Sir George dwelt briclly on the delightful live weeks they spent in Southern Oilifoiuia. They were particularly charmed with the delightful surroundings of Pasadena, Santa Barbara and San Diego, all beautiful residential towns to the smith tof Los Angeles. In Los Angeles they found

a city of great business activities, with street traffic of vast extent, perhaps requiring greater care on the part of pedestrians than even its hustling sister citv, .San Francisco. To both of them Hie street traffic problem was most acute and causing the city authority of each great perplexity.

“San Francisco," said Kir George, is a very different city from the one 1 remember on the occasion of my last, visit twenty-seven years ago. Doth its .streets and its buildings are those of a great city, and as far as can be

judged by the casual visitor the business people are doing well. In Eos Angeles there were evidences of great progress, and this is being materially helped by the great strides the oil industry has made. The wells are situated at less than an hour’s run bv motor from the city. There are scores of towering structures all in a comparatively small area, at the heads of the wells, and their product has contributed much to the extension and activity of the port of I.os Angeles whose inhabitants talk of the day not far distant, they imagine, when it will quite rival the shipping trade of Sail Francisco. Probably the wish is father to the thought.’’

The trip through the great fruitgrowing districts to Lhe south of T.os Angeles Sir George described as full of interest, interest that was fully maintained in a few days’ residence in each of the beautiful towns formerly mentioned. and in the short run from San Diego to the Mexican holder, which they crossed into the town of. Tin Jun'mi. where they found very sordid conditions prevailing. A return was made to Pasadena: and there a visit was made to Mount Dowe and its famous almost perpendicular railway to the summit. From Pasadena the journov to New York was made hy way „r the Grand Canon of the Colorado, Chicago. Philadelphia and Washing-

ton. in each of which .places a stay of a few days was made. Everywhere, Sir George said, was the utmost hospitality shown to himself and his wife. In San Francisco. Chicago, Philadelphia and New-York the presidents and members of the Rotary Clubs of those cities vied with each other in their

hospitality, as also did the officials of the groat master printers' organisations of those cities. Many social functions wore attended, and many inotorl drives taken under the best conditions, and when the day of departure irom New York for Liverpool in the good old White .Star liner Celtic, came round the New Zealand visitors parted with regret from the many friends they had made. After a pleas-

ant passage across the Atlantic the Mersey was entered on April 11. and the same afternoon London was reached after a pleasant run through green fields and many of the well remembered towns and villages of England. “Of the hospitality of London to visitors from overseas in this memorable Exhibition year much lias been said and written. It is not possible to convey an adequate idea of it.” said Sir George. “During the whole time of our stay, or certainly until the middle of August, there was a constant succession of invitations to all kinds of public and private functions, among the most memorable being a garden party at Buckingham Palace, a very brilliant affair at which 8000 visitors were presented, and a similar and most enjoyable function at Hampton Court, given by the then Prime Minister, Mr Ramsay MacDonald.” Sir George and Lady Fenwick also .accepted several invitations to private homes in England and Scotland and in the week or so spent at each of these had delightful motor drives through some of the most charming parts of hath countries. Especially wore they delighted with the acquaintance they made with many of the interesting towns, villages, and country districts of Devonshire. Kent Sussex, Surrey. Lancashire, the English lakes and Perthshire and some of the highlands, Tweed-side and the Scottish lochs.

Sir George had the pleasure of renewing his ncqimiutanee.sliip with a number of prominent English newspaper men. whom he had met in former years, and of making the acquaintance of others. Many of these intend to be present at the third of the great Empire Press Union conferences, which is to lie held at Melbourne in September next year. It has been arranged by the council of that Union that the journey to Australia shall he made l>v way of Vancouver and New Zealand. At the former city the Canadian delegates will join, ilio party. Groat preparations are being made in Australia for the conference, at which it is expected the Governor-General will be present on the opening day. “Some idea may be formed of the expense attendant on these great conferences,” said Sir George, “when I mention that it is computed that the cost of next year’s gathering will be something like £40.000.” Of the political and economic positions of Great Britain during tlie time spent Mil England Sir George said it was quite .impossible to deal in an interview. It might, however, lie said in general terms that the great unrest and uncertainty of tile future that existed in financial, manufacturing and trading circles during the- regime of the Bnmsav MacDonald Government have since that Government’s downfall at the general election given place to a more hopeful spirit, although undoubtedly there are plenty of troubles ahead. The iiiicompronii.sing attitude of tile Into Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr Snowden, disclosed in lus Budget speech, to the interests of the Dominions, his cold almost heartless attitude in dealing with the sweeping away of the M'Kciina duties, v.'d h had den ■ much to help struggling industries, his uncompromising hostility to imperial prrfrrrnr •. bad done much to put him entirely cut of I'm oar with all who bail He true interests of the Empire at heart. The sweeping triumph of the Coiiservaiive Party at the polls, will the promise of .stable government for many years t-u come, was received with a sigh of relief and gratitude throughout England, as no doubt it was in oilier parts of the Empire.

Sir l.rii';'.' . ild lii.il llir i nvii'ji- from Ifngla ml In .\list iiilia in tln- I’, urn! <). CVnnprin y">i tni'liine steamer, Mull■roll.:. had lici'ii siai •.Vent fill one, although filial weather find lieon experienced. The breakdown of a section of the turbines in tlu v lU’d Sea was only repaired after four days ami nights of exhaust ill -_r work liv the engineering stair. 'Work was oarriod on in a temperature. ranging from I.'IO to 150 degrees. This was follow’d liy exasperating delays at Australian ports owing to llio niaritiino strike and valualilc cargoes for Perth. Adolaido. and Mcllionrno had to he <-arriod on to Sydney owing to the Mongolia being deelnred "Mank” by the I'lvlorali’d I'ninr.. Keen Ids Majesty’s mail had to !>%■> discharged hv the skin's stewards, T.ascars. etc. Notwithstanding all this, however, the voyage was a pleasant one. and liiially the Mahono made a delightful passage across ifrcim Sydney.