NEW ZEALAND’S FUTURE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4677, 21 March 1924, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND’S FUTURE

THE PRESENT POPULATION.

JIOC'M FOR FIVE times moke.

‘•1 consider the country has not been touched yet. As far as 1 can judge, there is room for easily from live to ten times the present population, with an assurance of plenty for everyone.”

Such was the complimentary verdict passed upon New Zealand by Dr. M. W. Franklin, of New York, when asked by a Wellington Dominion reporter for his impressions of the country. Dr. Franklin is an electrical engineer, a chemical engineer, and a doctor of science. ‘COUNTRY WITH A FUTURE. “New Zealand,” said Dr. Franklin, "impresses one as being very evenly, though still sparsely, settled. Although I have had rainy weather during most of my stay here there .s abundant evidence on all hands that the weather must be very favourable for. agriculture. The appearance of the mountains I have seen and the rivers I have crossed, in conjunction with the climatic conditions, make me th'nk New Zealand has a future as a manufacturing nation. There seems to he every opportunity for developing water power, because of. the distribution of hills and rivers, and because the climate is ideal for manufacturing. The greatest development or manufacturing that I can see in the near future is the roads. The countiy, being long and narrow, is ideal for the modern transport system, which seems to be tending towards a great trunk line of railways down the length ofi the land, with transverse surfape roads for motorlorry feeding of the railways. This is the modern trend in America, where new railway lines are not being built at all, but the motor lorry trucking facilities are being increased, very rapidly. “I think the people of New Zealand,” proceeded Dr. Franklin, “are the highest general average of any people I have visited. I have met some of the keenest and best type of merchants here that I have ever had the pleasure of being associated with PICTURESQUE 1 CITIES.

Jhc American visitor went on to say that he- thought Wellington and Dunedin were the most picturesque«situated cities that he has seen anywhere. It seemed remarkable that they had been able to do so much with Wellington, owing to the steep hills. “The whole coastline of the South Island reminds me of California,” proceeded Dr. Franklin, “with respect to climate as well as configuration of the country. Wellington is reminiscent oi Honolulu and Hong-Kong, but there’s more of the picturesque side to Wellington than to either of the two cities referred to. The shops in Wellington are much better than one Las a right to expect in cities of its size.” Dr. Franklin has spent six months in Australia and is spending a month in New. Zealand. “Were it not for an urgent call to Java, Singapore, and Manila, I should like to stay a great deal longer,” he declared. "The business outlook in New Zealand is very attractive, and I hope to return some time in the near future.” Dr. Franklin is a member of ths advisory staff of the great American corporation General Motors, and is in charge of the car service and maintenance, and is also chairman of the Service Managers’ Committee. He stated that he is out here at the request of Mr D. F. Ladin, who is General Motors’ export manager for New Zealand. Mr Ladin is making a special effort to assist all of his representatives in organising and developing their car maintenance on a modern .scientific basis similar to the American practice.

Dr. Franklin, who is an electrical engineer, a chemical engineer, and a doctor of science, has come to New Zealand at Mr Ladin’s request to render such assistance as he can to his agents and representatives. He will visit, with Mr Ladin, the agents in the principal towns of the North Island.