OVERCROWDED EUROPE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 January 1920, Page 7

OVERCROWDED EUROPE.

IMPRESSIONS OF A NEW ZEALANDER. "After my late experiences, on land and sea, if anyone asked my advice about visiting Europe now, or in the near future, I should give him the same reply as that given by Punch many years ago, to-those about to marry, don't!" so stated Mr, Harold Beauchamp. Mr Beauchamp, who has just returned from a trip to Europe, continued: "Steamers, railways, hotels, pensions, and accommodation houses in England, and on the Con-

tinent, are all uncomfortably crowded, everything is more expensive than it has been within the memory of man; food, generally, is sparse in quantity, and indifferent in quality; tips have reached the outside limit, and services, even if you are prepared to pay well for them, are grudgingly given. True, some people in France think that in converting the pound sterling into francs at the rate of JtG, or even a fraction more to the pound, they are making money, but they are quickly disillusioned when paying current rates ruling for commodities, or for board and lodging. "For example, a bottle of Scotch or Canadian rye whisky, of first-class quality, costs, respectively, in a reputable hotel in Mentone, 60 francs and 80 francs. This, at the present rate of exchange, represents, say, 35s and 46s 8d per bottle Personally, I did not buy at those prices, but contented myself by drinking the wine of the country, moderate in price and excellent in quality. "In most parts of Europe acute discomfort and distress is oeing caused by the unprecedented scarcity of coal and wood—both articles having reached famine prices. In some of the palatial hotels I visited on the French and Italian Riviera, it was most distressing to see people —many of the invalid class—crowding round a fireplace wherein two or three small pieces of wood—no coal, please note —were reserved for a whole evening. Coal, when obtainable, was selling on the Riviera from £l~> to £l7 per ton. and very poor quality at that."