A TRIP ABROAD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8988, 25 November 1907, Page 6

A TRIP ABROAD.

ENGLAND THROUGH COLONIAL EYES. GENERAL PROSPERITY AT HOME.

Mr C. E. Daniell, who returned to Masterton, last week, from a nine month's tour of England and the Continent, gave some interesting impressions of his trip to a Wairarapa Age reporter in an interview on Friday. "What was the first striking thing you noticed in England?" asked the .interviewer. "Well," was the reply, 'lnvade this remark at Home, and I say it •again, that the first and most important thing I noticed was the great improvement in the men ot all classes. The average man of today is of a fn ■ stamp. He is generally well-educated and the spirit of aspiration pervades him. This, mind you was most noticeable among the industrial classes, and made me feel proud of my nation while still remaining grateful that I was a colonial." Continuing, the speaker said that the spirit of conservatism was still very strong among the wealthaccumulating people, and there still seemed to be, in many cases, a big barrier between the employer and employee. The manufacturing trades in all branches seemed to be thriving and doing profitable work, and the men appeared to be faring better than when he was last in England. Another thing, the condition of livhy* was much improved, though, to his mind, the agricultural classes seemed to be the worst housed and paid of the whole community. Of course thnre were congested areas in the big cities but the worker on the land did not get as just a return for his labour as his brother in the city. Th re were still a good many unemployed to be seen, hut they appeared to be the men that preferred to walk the streets, rather than the actual labourers. There were idlers at both ends of the social ladder, but, on the other hand, there were men at each extremity that were doing good work for the community.

EDUCATION IN BRITAIN. Education, said Mr Daniell, was developing a fine moral tone in spite of what the seciarians said. He had visited a number of schools of.all grades, and he was struck with the splendid equipment for the teaching of all classes. Education generally was much on the same lines as in New Zealand. Primary education was free and compulsory, and its provisions were valued. The evening classes in technical education were very successful, and in the large centres were carried on in splendidly equipped buildings. English youths now recognise the value of education, and the opportunity to learn is taken advantage of. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. The of Great Britain, Mr Daniell went on to say, were interesting in the eyes of a colonial, and everywhere business seemed to be brisk. Shipbuilding on the Clyde and the Tees and at Belfast was booming, while the cotton mills in Lancashire were working at high pressure. Everywhere the buzz of machinery was in the air. LONDON AND ITS TRAFFIC. "You spent some time in London, I suppose?" "Yes, I must say that the city has wonderfully improved since I first left it. The street traffic, which is the marvel of all visitors, was the best organised of any city I visited. The control that the police have over the traffic in the most congested areas, simply by slight movements of their arms, is remarkable. Motor 'buses are coming into favour a good deal, but the old horse 'bus still holds its own, and if you want to see London traffic properly you must ride on the top o* a horse 'bus. The underground railways, or the 'tuppenny tubes,' as they are called, have proved a great success, but the competition among the various companies controlling them is pretty severe, and makes it hard for the individual company to do a profitable business. Electric trams are coming largely into favour in the outskirts of London, and the feature about these is that in most cases the current wires are under-ground. Comparing the electric tram system of the cities of New Zealand with some of those in England, I _ think, generally speaking, the colonial system is just as good, but of course the conditions existing in the two countries are very different. In the matter of efficiency and cheapness, however, there is not much difference." RAILWAYS. The noticeable feature about the railways of England, Mr Daniell proceeded to say, was the wonderful intersection of systems. There were plenty of trains on all lines, the travelling was speedy and comfortable, and the trains ran fairly punctual. Here again, there was great competition among the companies for the carrying business. The standard of fares was much the same as in New Zealand, but on special occasions, such as holidays and week ends, the fares were greatly reduced. The speaker instanced one such trip he took in Ireland. The journey was 65 miles each way, and the fare 2s 6d third-class return, tbe time occupied being two hours each way. TELEGRAPHS AND TELEPHONES. Telegraph and telephone arrangements were much on the same lines as in New Zealand, said the speaker, in answer to a question. He could not see that New Zealand was very much behind England in these matters. Sixpenny telegrams were in vogue, and the telegraph offices in the country were open until 8 p.m. and in the cities all night. The tele phones were often managed by companies, but the Government were gradually acquiring them. He noticed a good system of street telephones, where anyone wishing to speak simply dropped twopence into a box on the telephone and rdng up the exchange. If the. desired connection could not be made, the two pennies were returned from the box .automatically. Another thing the traveller noticed, and considered a good arrangement, was that the telegraph and telephone lines all over the country were undergound.

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE

"Is there a great demand for New Zealand produce at Home?" queried the pressman. "Well," was the reply, "in the west and south-west of England the people are very favourable to New Zealand butter. In the north, however, they are prejudiced in favour of their own and Danish butter, the argument being that New Zealand is too far away, and the butter cannot possibly be fresh when landed in England. They won't listen to anyone saying that it is fresh. Where New Zealand butter is sold, it is retailed alongside tiie English product and at the same price." The sneaker saw no instances of "faked""butter, and went on to say that the New Zealand Government brand was respected. The colonial grading and packing system was admired and if the merchants saw New Zealand butter graded first-class they knew it was the genuine article they were getting. Mr Daniell said He lost no opportunity, to explain the co-operative system existing in the dominion, and the conditions under which the butter was produced. Much meat was now consumed by : English workers, continued the \ speaker, and the New Zealand product received its fair share of patronage. He noticed, however, that where New Zealand mutton was retailed in shops, there was nothing to s'.iow that it had come from this dominion. Sometimes it was merely marked "Zealand." In meat, as well as in butter, he noticed the prejudice against the article coming from such a long distance away as New Zealand. That prejudice would take some time to overcome, but once such a change came about, he thought the colonial product would be in much heavier demand. NEW ZEALAND TOO FAR OFF. "Is there much talk about New Zealand at Home?" "No; ic is all Canada, but there is no doubt that the New Zealand footballers have done much to advertise their country. Englishmen respect the colonies, but the great distance is the trouble, and, besides, Canada is advertising herself tremendously and thereby attracting large numbers uf immigrants. The great advantage that that country has over New Zealand is its proximity to Great Britain, and therefore it is better known. Many Canadians go to England, for holiday purposes in winter as well as summer.

IN THE "EMERALD ISLE." "Yes, I went to Belfast, but 1 could not find the riots that were so much talked about. I was there at the time of the trouble, but to my mind all the reports of the tt:ikes were exaggerated. The whole trouble was stirred up by political parties to gain their own ends. Belfast is quite a busy and up-to-date city, and far ahead of Dublin. I went to the Dublin exhibition, and -wa3 very pleased with the whole affair. Here the colonies were well represented. I might mention, incidentally, that while at the Exhibition I had the pleasure of seeing the King. My impression of him is that he is a plain, common-sense man of the type that would make any Briton feel proud of his Sovereign. I saw one or two of his little acts that have made him respected by all classes." OTHER LANDS. Mr Daniell also journeyed through France, Switzerland and Italy. He noticed that the rural districts in France were well cultivated, as also was Italy, where there seemed to be little else bufvires growing. Switzerland he found very interesting and much like southern New Zealand, but he could not help noticing how visitors were made to pay dearly for everything. These countries seemed to him to be the recreation ground of Englishmen, who were to be found in almost every hotel at all times.