IN BRITAIN NOW.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1922, Page 12

IN BRITAIN NOW.

FORTUNATE NEW ZEALAND. A WANGANUI MAN’S EXPERIENCES. Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Gilbertson, of Wanganui, have returned from a round-the-world trip —Panama Canal, Britain and Suez. Speaking to a reporter, Mr. Gilbertson said he and his wife were very glad indeed to be home. If a trip abroad did nothing else it made a fellow more contented than ever with New Zealand. Mr. Gilbertson saw a lot of England and Scotland. Scotland, he says, is in a sadder state than is England. Compared with the conditions in the Old Land, we in New Zealand have no conception of what poverty is, and we do not know what taxation is, said Mr. Gilbertson. He gave an instance of the experience of one family. There were four or five children. The father had got on to the unemployed list, but the eldest boy was still working. They were only a working class family, but -they had to pay income tax —over there they seem to have to pay income tax on a wage of £2 10s a week—and they had got behind with their payments. The responsibility came on. to the boy. The family quite expected he would have to contribute something every week, hut when the boy came home on pay day they found his whole wage had been appropriated by the Income Tax Department. The family hardly had a match in the house. These people had also sub-let two rooffis to another family, hut they could pay no rent, could not he evicted, and were still there when Mr. Gilbertson left. The unemployment was very bad. and even many of those who were at work were only on half time. Mr. Gilbertson also got in touch with miners and saw the way they lived. Tie recounted how a wife said to her husband: “John. I’ve got a fine meal for you to-night.” The meal consisted of potatoes and cabbage, with bread and jam. A New Zealand working man would “hit the ropf” if that were offered to him. said Mr. Gilbertson. Meat, especially mutton, was a scarce article of diet in Scotland, and what there was was very dear. The cheapest meal he saw was Is 4d a pound. Mrs. Gilbertson bought six chops one day for 2s 6d, or 5d each. Mr. Gilbertson said ho saw New Zealand meat for sale in Scotland. The fact that also struck the visitor that the absence of meat from the menu did not seem to do much harm to the children. for they looked bonny. Mr. Gilbertson thinks New Zealanders should he the happiest people on this earth.