New Zealanders Abroad.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 249, 18 November 1903, Page 4

New Zealanders Abroad.

A party of three Taranaki gentle, men-, including Mr W. H. Foreman, of Hawera, recently returned from a trip to the Old Country, France, the United States, and Canada, extending over a period of six months. In 1 conversation with a representative of the Hawera Star, Mr Foreman saiid be regarded Port Jackson (Sydney) as being the most picturesque ■harbour he had visited in Ms travels.

During the stay in London, Mr Foreman visited the Islington slaughter-yards, and describes the methods followed as being "miles bo- 1 'hind New Zealand." Antiquated ideas of slaughtering and ■dressing cattle still prevail, and a lot of stock is sold and killed for human consumption while suffering from all manner of diseases.

"And how do English folk' regard New Zealand produce?"—lt seemed ] to me that the consumer neither knew nor cared whence the produce came ; the only ones who appeared to concern themselves were the dealers. In one instance I saw a butcher's shop advertising the sale of ''Canterbury lamb," and upon getting into conversation with the proprietor found that he had not tile slightest idea as to where Canterbury was. He only knew that the lamb did not come from Canterbury in Kent. That, of course, may have been an isolated case."

But, speaking generally, is New Zealand produce becoming better

known ? " I think it. is. What is required, however, to ensure its be- i coming more favourably known is to land it at Home in a more attractive condition. At present it can'-' not be compared with the freshkilled carcases hanging up alongside it in the shops."

"And the preferential traide question, I suppose it was not being- actively canvassed when you were in England ?"—"No, the agitation was just commencing. People at Home told me, however, that the action of this colony in sending contingents to the Transvaal was a better ad yortiseuient for New Zealand and did more to bind us to the Motherland than preferential traide could ever do." "And the temperance question—did

you hear as much of prohibition at Home as you do here?"—"l never heard it mentioned. Beer drinking is very common, and in som» parts of London, amongst respectable classes of women, too, it is quite a common thing to see them drinking at the bar."

''What struck you most in Lon-

don ?"—"I think the marvellous manner in which '£li£ police manage the crowds. It was wojidprful." "And in Paris ?"—"The frivolity, the merry-making, the apparent absence of employment," "And in the United States?" —"Tfie rush, bustle, and noise in the big cities. What with trains and trams, overhead and underground, and vehicles of all descriptions, constantly going, there was absolutely no interval of rgst," "I suppose you saw gome pf Amer-

ica's big concerns "Yes. Among many other things I visited the Union Stock Yards, in Chicago. I have a note 'here of the stock received at these yards last August. There were 293,00 i cattle, 22,642 calves, 537,924 pigs, 427,209 sheep, and 6526 horses. In the slaughtering works 2250 cattle are killed and dressed before dinner, sheep are despatched and prepared for the shops at the rate of 500 an hour, r.i. i pi'gis are oftpn in the scalding pyc, 'before they are dead. The workmen

are all specialists, some do nothing but cut throats, others nothing but cut off the heads, and so on."

With other tourists, Mr Foreman agi ec-d that, despite all that is professed about the American railway system, it is not so good as the English. The system is too eumbrous in many respects. A ticket that the passenger is called upon to preserve is about a yard in length, and has on it the colour of the traveller's eyes, a description of his beard and moustache, whether he is lean or fat, and so on. Again, there is no end of expense. After >ujing jour ticket the conductors have to be "tipped" and extra dolhuV(J t0 paid for sleeping compartments, cars, etc., etc , you tlw scenery •>"_ Jen, 1 saw few things better than we have m x \ e w Zealand. If +he And how is New Zealand regardWell it ° U 7' f d ° ° f thc i>aci «c?" «!■->*• , ; 18 ooked u PhJi as a great socialistic country. l read a f paper criticism in which it was al m ff^ew K Z«i| he ,| Patel 'i! al Gove '' l »««i~t oi JNew Zealand washes the faces of its subjects when they rise in ' the morning, tucks the blankets round them when they retire at night, and even proposes to grant State aid to its representative football team." »