CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1930, Page 7

CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND

MR A. \V. WHEELER'S VIEWS

WELLINGTON, May 8

Looking fit and well after a business trip to tiie Old Con try extending over a little more than two years, Mr A. W. Wheeler, assistant-General Manager of the Union Steam Ship Company, returned to Wellington this morning by rhe Marama, from San Francisco. Mr Wheeler has brought back very optimistic impressions of affairs generally in that country. “Conditions there are improving rapidly.” he said. “The country seems to be recovering very quickly, and some of the industries are very prosperous. Of course there is still unemployment, but it being dealt with, and things are going on well.” Mr Wheeler was very reticent or s’ ipping matters, paticularly where they concerned the Union Company -n 1 be had nothing to report regarding the company’s plans in the immediate future. He remarked, however, that the sh ; nb” :i d : ng industry appears to be fairly active, and the matter of designs was causing exceptional interest f peaking of the state of shipping at Rome, he said that when lie left a depression was evident, but he consid ered the slump wa.s only temporary. “A fair amount of shipping was laid up.” h° said, “owing to the fact that ther' had been two good summers in Europe with an exceptionally mild winter in between . The wheat crops had consequently been unusually large, and there was so much wheat offering in England and oh the Continent that there fas onlv a small demand for Canadian and American wheat,” Questioned regarding the Wellington War Memorial carillon, Mr Wheeler was most enthusiastic. “It is one of the best advertisements New Zealand has ever bad in the Old Country,” In said. “Everyone in London is talking of it, and I have been in Hyde Park in the evenings, when there have been about 120,000 or 30,000 people listening to the bells. Everyone who has heard them lias been very much im pressed with the tone, and. the bell; could have no better testimonial than that they ha\‘e' made Londoij' wish foi a set of its own,” ;, “It is, wonderful what A name Nev Zealand has at Home,” remarked M Wheeler, in conclusion. “To be a New Zealander is ip possess a passport tc anywhere. It is difficult to . say ex actly : to what we owe sucli a reputation as they seem to think that everything yes, even apart from our footballers —is good, whether it is meat, butter honey, or. apples, . Whatever it is they seem to think at. Home that because it is New Zealand-grown it is good.' I know that Lord Birkenhead, speaking at a gathering somewhere, referred to New Zealand as ,‘the Darling of the Empire A. They seem to be as proud of us as if they were parents with a very fine child.”