A COLONIAL IN ENGLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 9, 4 February 1909, Page 3

A COLONIAL IN ENGLAND.

Tlic impressions of a real breil-in-New Zealand colonial, who recently went llomo to England through the countries of tlie old civilisation, are interesting. At the Uible Society meeting last 'night, Air. W. li. Skinner told an interesting story of his recent travels, giving hrielly the impressions gained in liis journey to tlie Old Land through Co Inniho, the Suez Canal, and the Mediterranean. Speaking of London, Mr. Skinner said that three things impressed him and Mrs. Skinner. Firstly, there was the immensity of its trallie. It was remarkable, especially to a man fvuin the colonies, to set' how the few members of the police force stationed at the busy street corners regulated tlie ever-moving truffle, one stoppage of which was enough to all'eet the stream of trallie for half a mile. Secondly, they were struck by the number of its beautifully kept parks. He had become ste'eped with the idea that tho. poor little youngsters in London grew up without having seen a single Made of grass or tree. Hut it was all humbug. Hesides the. parks, there were tlie numerous closed graveyards, all nicely 'kept and seated, with portions set apart for the frolics of the children. Thirdly, they noticed with regret the extent of intemperance and drunkenness in certain parts of the great metropolis, particularly in the east and central districts. This was especially noticeable on Sunday nights, when they had seen in one slum gin-shops-every second building seemed to be one—ablaze with light, filled w'th as madwomen and children as men. Wom'en. respectably-dressed people, walked in and out of hotels and drinking-bars ijuite as an ordinary habit. Kural England was made the subject of some comment. find Mr. Skinner Spoke of the old-fashioned methods adopted by the farmers there. There ■was the finest farm land in the world, and an absolutely inexhaustible market right at the door, yet we in New Zea. land, 14,000 miles away, were able U pay more for land and enter into competition against them in their own market®. The present-day farmers there seemed (piite content, to follow the methods adopted by their forltears. J-Je expressed great admiration of the Knglisli spring, and said its wealth of colours could not even be imagined by the New Zealander.