NEW ZEALANDER RETURNS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1928, Page 1

NEW ZEALANDER RETURNS

CZECHO-SLOVAKS’ EXAMPLE. XEW ZEALAND’S OPPORTUNITY. Mr Albert Russell, director of James J. Xivon and Co.. Ltd., of Wellington, returned to Auckland by the Maunganui from Sydney, after a fifteen months’ tour abroad. "In America things are terrifically prosperous, and everybody seems to have money to burn,” said Mr Russell, in giving some impressions of bis tour. “ Canada is getting rid of lier war debts ill a truly remarkable manner. In most of the large towns the meals of visitors are taxed with a five and ten per cent charge in addition to the price of the meal but this money being devoted towards the upkeep of all hospitals. In England it is quite apparent that industrialists, both employers ana employees, are making a forward move by co-operating in an endeavour to reduce the cost of production and thus again secure the world’s markets. They are heartily sick of the effects of the last big strike.”

After visiting America and Great Britain, Mr Russell went to Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Czecho-Slovakia, France. Belgium, and Italy. Czechoslovakia. lie said, was a remarkable State lor its manufactures. It was turning out a tremendous amount of crockery and jewellery and was producing a soft blanket which was sold in large quantities to the United States.

“ I believe that if the New Zealand manufacturers of rugs and blankets cooperated in placing these woollen goods on the American market our mills would ho working 1M hours of the day,” added Mr Russell. “ Tho demand for rugs and blankets is enormous. For instance, olio large hotel in Chicago recently gave an order to CV.echo-Slova-kia for (5000 pairs of blankets. SCOTCH OPERA AT PRAGUE.

While at Prague Mr Russell went to an opera which was being played in the largest theatre of that city. “ I would not have missed it lor pounds,” lie said. “It bad a name as long as this (indicating the length by holding bis bands a foot apart) and interpreted the title meant ‘The While Lady.’ All the players on the stage were dressed in Scotch kilts, both men and women. On the ramp behind the players stood lour men in kilts, each with bagpipes. None could play them, and one had his upside down, the bag being across bis leit shoulder instead of under his arm. Ihe story concerned a mythical lady who appeared on the moors. A young lieutenant of the ‘ Scotch army ’ decided that lie would either ‘lay the ghost’ or get full particulars of same, so lie formed himself into a physic research society. He stayed in a haunted bouse until be found the lady. The end was in keeping with grand opera, lor when the lady’s ancestors discovered what was happening, so incensed were they that they killed both the lieutenant and Ids lady!” Still, Mr Russell thought that grand opera in Prague was very good.

epeakiug of Vicuna, the traveller remarked that Austria was the only one of the European countries winch was vindictive. Austria bad not forgotten the war. and. particularly in \ ienna, the residents wore greatly anti-British. MIL MUSSOLINI.”. Xow liu Mr Mussolini-ltay,” said .Mr. Russell. "Wluit struck me most in this interesting country was that there is on almost every corner of thp street in every town three kinds ol policemen the carabinieri, a civic policeman and a Fascisti policeman. Each one. bad a sword and a revolver very much in evidence. \\ bile I was in Italy Mussolini told everybody, the manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, that they must reduce the price of goods by 10 per cent. Ibis order was immediately obeyed. Mussolini is doing marvellous work, industrially, commercially and financially, and Italy is prospering.” Another country that was making

great strides was Germany. Mr Bussell noticed that almost every town of the Fatherland was undergoing a spring cleaning while he was there. Buildings were being cleaned and repainted and roads were being repaired. Mr. Russell, who is a well-known Rotarian. attended Rotary meetings in fourteen different, countries while he was abroad. Each took the same form and the same work was going on in each club and country. The same good fellowship in business, boys’ work, and other spheres was apparent.