CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 May 1922, Page 4

CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN.

UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM. SCOTTISH RELIGIOUS REVIVAL. Some interesting impressions regarding his visit to Britain were given by the Rev. R. L. Walker, formerly of St James’s Presbyterian Church, who returned to Auckland by the Ruahine after an absence of 15 months. Unemployment was still very common in the large cities. Great processions of unemployed paraded the streets of both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and it was prti" able to see able-bodied men lining up for the weekly doles given under the “Tnpjjfi ance Against Uhemplovonent” sch en Much had been expected of the i Conference, and until the trade o f Europe was restored to a better balance little hope could be held out of easing the situation. The stabilising of the exchange was another factor requrred to set things right.

Referring to the recent religious revival in Scotland, Mr. Walker said that, while much that had appeared in print was greatly exaggerated, there was not the slightest doubt the revival had acted for good on the religious life of the community. This was specially noticeable in Edinburgh. He instanced the fact that the parish ministers af Scotland, who in the old days had fought shy of religious revivals, had been the leaders at most of the great meetings. One large gathering, held in the Alhambra Theatre in Leith, a building accommodating 2060, had been crowded to the doors, the overflow holding a service in the parish church opposite. “Scotland.” said Mr. Walker, “is still the -land of churchgoing.”