IN SAN FRANCISCO.

Taranaki Central Press, 19 April 1937, Page 4

IN SAN FRANCISCO.

CITY OF PROSPERITY. Californian Resident Visits Stratford. A man of many occupations before ie became a Deputy Tax Collector in San Francisco, U.S.A., Mr Peijcy Lonergan, arrived in Statford on Saturday on a visit to relatives. He (anded at Auckland on Friday from the Matson liner Monterey. Although born in England, Mr Lonergan is a naturalised American citizen and served with the Ameri. can Corps in France in 1917. He has been in San Francisco since 1903, and wa s there during the great earthquake. "I have been a cowboy, dug ditches, ecraped boilers and, in fact, done most things that a fellow doeg going from pillar to post,” he said, in the course of an interview to-day. Mr Lonergan explained to the “Central Press” that his work in San Francisco involves the collection of real estate taxes which, in the main, are equivalent to what are known as rates in New Zealand. Under the municipal system there is also a personal property tax. An exemption of 100 dollars is allowed for use of personal effects, and the owner is assessed oh the balance of hit possessions. However, San Francisco as a major city it' one of the lowest in America as regards taxation, which, said Mr Lonergan, was a tribute to the economy of the administration. International Exhibition. In connection with the International Exhibition to be held at San Francisco in 1939. Mr Lonergan mentioned thalj there' had been a controversy regarding the site, and eventually the middle of the bay Was selected. Where shoals existed, reclamation work was undertaken. Now an island has been formed, and after the exhibition the site will be need as a landing ground for commercial aviation. In the course of his observations on the progress of the city, Mr Lonergan stated that the San Francisj ;o-Oakland bridge was producing considerable revenue, with the reeult -hat tolls had been lowered by 25 cen's, and there was a prospect o-f a further reduc.ion. The Gold n Gate bridge provided an, them outlet tor the city and would be an import mt aid to i* 8 tu'ure development. Prosperity in America. | M ntioning the wave of prosperity | n America, Mr Lonergan said that lit was mainly due to President Roosevelt’s administration policy. Thousands of people who never expected to work again were in employ ment, and the newspaper sin(. uouncements of dividends showed that commercial concerns were doing well. Before the P’.-esldetrt’s alley was put into effect people were •‘arving, banks were failing, and there was panic in the country. A spectacular incident witnessed Iby Mr Lon rgan on bls voyage to New Zealand was the transfer of t!F» cap.aing of the Monterey and Mariposa, by lifeboat, in mid-ocean. The illness of the commander of the Monterey, Captain E. R. Johanson, when the liner reached Honolu. lu earlier in the voyage was the indirect cause of the arrangement being made for the two ships to meet at sea. Arrangements tor the captains of the Monterey and the Mariposa to change commands, were made in advance by radio. The liners met in the evening about a day's steaming Io the north of Pago Pago and hoveto within a quarter of a mile of each other. So close were the two liners that the members of the crews could exchange shouted greetings across he intervening water. The sea was- calm, but the night was pitch dark and the light 8 of the liners, combined with the brilliance of the searchlights, presented a ight that would long be remembered by the traveller. There was further excitemfent among the passenger 8 when the PanAmerican Clipper circled the Monteley in order to obtain a radio direction. Teh days Mr Lonergan will spend in the North Island. Then he is homeward-bound, via London and New York.