CONDITIONS AT HOME.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5072, 7 January 1927, Page 2

CONDITIONS AT HOME.

MAYOR OF PETONE’S IMPRESSIONS OLD COUNTRY IN A BAD WAY. A public welcome was on Tuesday accorded the Mayor, of Pe.tone, Mr J. W. McEwan, who last week returned to New Zealand after an extended tour of Great Britain (states the “Dominion”). In returning thanks for the heartiness of the reception Mr McEwan stated that he had taken a seen interest in municipal work during his visit abroad, and he hoped at a later date to outline to the council what he had learned. ‘‘On the whole,” he said, “the Dominion has not much to many df the English cities even, being behind in such matters as reading. In many o'f the cities and larger towns of Yorkshire, and in parts of Glasgow, the streets, and even some of the footpaths, were still paved with cobblestones. I was present at a meeting of the Glasgow City Council, on which there are 113 members, aiid was surprised to see, in spite df the large membership, the large amount of business transacted. The members seemed very much alive, and, indeed, on occasions four members Were speaking at one time, and the chairman had considerable difficulty in keeping control. The formalism of the meetings of municipal bodies was very striking to visitors from these x n,e.we,r lands. lumbers did not take their seats in haphazard fashion, but the Mayor or Lord Mayor, preceded by the mace-bearer, was followed into the chamber by the aidermen and councillors.”

Mr McEwan said that the Old Country appeared to be in a bad way, more than half the industries being closed in most towns, while a large proportion of the others were on half-time. Bradford was one of the best towns visited in regard to keeping the wheels of industry moving, and there they were paying £3 a ton for imported coal. At Port Glasgow the builder of one of the few ships on the stocks said he, was waiting for the arrival of German steel. The strike was one c ’f the severest blows sustained by England for many a year, and it was a tragedy that in these days of the stress of German and American competition such a blow should have fallen on British industries.

The strides made by motor-bus enterprise impressed Mr McEwan. In London, he said, large double-decked buses, running on solid tyres, travelled along the Strand at 26 miles an hour. In Glasgow, however, the trams were more than holding their own. , Owing to efficient management and the establishment df the zone system the trams were made to pay in Spite of the fact that the fare for a twentymile trip was only 2d. Referring to electrical development Mr McEwan considered that in this matter New Zealand was well in the forefront, though in detail matteirs a good deal, could be learned. Wellington was well ahead of ports of similar size in regard to efficiency. Adelaide,, he thought, was one of the most inefficient he visited. The congestion l , at the Tilbury docks was enormous,, and the arrangements to cope with it did not appear to be the most efficient ■ possible. It took seven hour's for passengers to get clear of the boat om arrival. "Living is as dear in England as in' the Dominion,” added Mr McEwan, although by exercising economies, s’uchi as the use df margarine instead butter, living could be made cheaper.”' In regard to farming, the only thing England needed was, Now Zealand s sun. New Zealand produce was receiving a good hearing at Home and was receiving publicity.