ROUND THE WORLD TRIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2935, 12 September 1925, Page 4

ROUND THE WORLD TRIP.

Thu following is a further instalment of a series of articles to he written by the editor of this paper during his world tour: — We left Paris on the 21st at 10 a.m. for Calais. The train journey was interesting', despite the heat, and we passed through country familiar to “our boys" during the war. Except for the cemeteries and old ruins, the whole countryside is under cultivation and the golden grain is relieved with poppies. It reminded me of “Plunder s 1 ield. Very few English people were travelling. Our fellow passengers were principally American tourists and people of other nationalities. We became heartily sick of the A met ican twang, dollars and cents! However wo managed to gel along fairly well in conversation with some Continental travellers and obtained some view points on International affairs which were somewhat surprising. The general opinion was that (termany was not done with Prance and that nothing was surer than a. fresh outbreak between these two nations within the next quarter of a century. Another point —whatever the papers may say to the contrary—Prance docs not feel too kindly towards Eng land. Let us hope that England will not be drawn into any future squabbles between these two conn tries. 1 am far more favourably impressed with the Italian people limn Ihe Ereneh. Still I must not comment in International polities—we can trust old England to do the right- thing at the right time. Still it. cannot be denied that great unrest is apparent. At Dover we bad no difficulty in getting llirough the •■customs and other formalities and secured comfortable seats on the London bound train The heat was ferritic, almost as bad as the Red Sea. It was grand to be back in old England and the world’s metropolis. A taxi soon transported us from the Victoria station to our quarters in Rnnell Square. At night we experienced a violent thunderstorm. llow the thunder reverberates and echoes between the walls of the buildings—— it is terrifying. The heat; here is very trying atjrresenl. By the way our old friend .John Belt- and his wife and daughter of Palmerston North are fellow boarders with us. Mr. Belt’s health is improving and he has gone on a motoring - four to Scotland. With his many friends in the Manawatu, I sincerely hope that he will return to New Zealand fully restored to health. Strange to say we have met very few New Zealanders in London so far. The London branch of the Bank of New Zealand vies with the High Commissioner’s office in extending hospitality to New Zealanders and it smacks of home to visit either place. I am to foregather with Mr. Drew (late of the Manawatu Daily Times and brother of our genial “King” Drew of Sanson). AYe had the pleasure of meeting the brother of Mr Riddle of “Sunnyside” Foxton. He is managing director of the big textile manufacturing (inn of Hyland & Son. Wo spent a very interesting time in his company, and wandering t him ugh tile various departments of this big wholesale house in the heart of the metropolis. He is looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to a visit to New Zealand within the next two years.

Oh, the traffic of London! ft is wonderfully regulated by the finest, police in the world. Jt is marvellous how the drivers manipulate lheir vehicles with only inches to spare. Talking of police, the comparison between the London Metropolitan police and those of the Continental is very marked. In fact the comparison is odious. Tritely the London police are incomparable. At present London drapery and

clothing linns are holding their end of season sales and the shops are crowded with purchasers and the reduction in prices from a few months ago is very marked. The window displays are works of art. We noticed a great difference between the window displays of Lon‘don and the Continental cities. In the latter, the big establishments only display one or two garments or feminine head-gear with no prices. In the former it is an exhibition, with the goods marked in plain figures. Living is much cheaper on the Continent than in London as is also means of locomotion. AVe have not yet visited Wembley.