MR J. S. BARTON ABROAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22986, 15 September 1936, Page 10

MR J. S. BARTON ABROAD

VISIT TO ISLAND OF BALI PROSPERITY RESTORED IN AUSTRALIA (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, Sept. 14. “An excellent place for the student of economics to begin,” was the description applied to the famous island of Bali by Mr J. S. Barton, chairman of the Bondholders Incorporation Commission, who returned by the Niagara after a two months’ holiday visit to the Dutch East Indies andyAustralia. Bali is a most interesting place to visit on account of its primitive social organisation,” he said. Mr Barton stated that Java was like New nn overseas dominion developed with capital from the nome country and dependent upon the sale of its produce to the home country. He had met many of the Dutch officials and the vice-president of the East Indies Council, and was told that the country had felt the depression severely and was still having difficulties. In the words of one official, Our special problem is that we have 80,000,000 people to feed. Referring to conditions in Australia, Mr Barton said that both in Brisbane and Sydney people were talking of a genuine retuin to prosperity. He had had several talks with responsible and well-informed business men and believed it was justifiable to say that Australia was returning to prosperity. People were showing great faith in the country. Although Mr Barton was out of touch with New Zealand affaus while in the Dutch East Indies, he had an interesting experience while on a small steamer travelling between the islands of Bali and Somabaya. There was a Dutch broad cast coming from the wireless set in the saloon, but suddenly it broke off into English, and Mr Barton heard a fairly clear description ot Mr Nash’s Budget speech in New Zealand.