RETURN TO WAIKATO.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5082, 31 January 1927, Page 1

RETURN TO WAIKATO.

AFTER FORTY YEARS IN AMERICA SAN FRANCISCO OF TO-DAY. After an absence of ovCir 40 years Mi' G. E. Mitchell, of San Francisco, has returned to the Waikato, where he was born in 1866 and his father, participated in the Maori wars. Mr Mitchell is an old resident of Auckland, and this is his first visit since 1884. He is now a member of the staff of the San Francisco Call newspaper. On his return Mr Mitchell naturally sees a wonderful change in Avery place he has visited. He is on his way to Thames, where he to renew acquaintances made before he left there in 1878. Mr Mitchell served his apprenticeship with the printing firm of Atkin and McCullough, of Auckland, and is well known to numbers of members of the old "inky fraternity” thQre. INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION. San Francisco, with its wonderful growth since 1906, enjoyed an enviable record in industrial expansion, remarked Mr Mitchell to a Waikato Times representative last week, and travellers from abroad enthused over the rapid progress made by the city and the manner in which it had come to the forefront. The industrial movement there was now on .the eve of great development on account of the amiable relations existing between labour and capital. This system promises to> continue for an indefinite period, as both labour and capital have realised the value of cooperative work, and are satisfied to proceed on peaceful lines. ORIENTAL QUARTERS.

Chinatown, the Oriental .quarter of San Farncisco, and known all over the world, was one of the bright spots of the city. Previous to the. great fire the Oriental section was not a pleasant quarter to travel through, but now everything had changed. The. buildings were splendid, the appointments wonderful, and the streets beautiful, making the quarter one of the best Oriental show places outside of Asia.

The restaurants in Chinatown still maintained their high prestige, and the famous “chop-suey” was as popular as ever with travellers who sought a delicate dish. The Chinese were law-abiding and immaculately clean. The old-time Oriental feuds, or hibinder quarrels, w r hile not completely destroyed, have, been greatly minimised, owing to the vigilance of the police in conjunction with the “Chinese Six Companies,” an influential organisation of Chinese merchants working for the welfare of their countrymen. Crime in San Francisco was not nearly so rampant as many would suppose. THE PRESS SERVICE. There were two great morning papers in the. city, the Examiner and the Chronicle, and they worked in conjunction with the three large evening newspapers, the Call, Bulletin,letin, and Daily News, which were looked upon as great assets to the Pocific Slope of America. The papers were of great magnitude, printing 'from 30 to 44 pages daily, while the morning papers published from 96 to 124 pages on Sundays. The pictorial sectiion was featured,’as it had been 'found that readers preferred that method of giving news. The organisation o¥ the news side of the papers was wonderful.

Although there was a sharp distinction between the types of journalism in America and New Zealand, the ne,ws columns ot the New Zealand papers were to be commended, the ne.ws-gathering being well organised, stated Mr Mitchell.