“WONDERFUL TRIP”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 March 1939, Page 5

“WONDERFUL TRIP”

MR I. I. MCGREGOR RETURNS HOME IMPRESSIONS OF EXTENDED , TOUR. LONDON DURING THE CRISIS. “We had a wonderful trip, but we were glad to get back home to some real New Zealand sunshine,” observed Mr I. I. McGregor, formerly Postmaster al Masterton, who, with Mrs McGregor, returned recently from a 12 months’ trip to Gi ? eat Britain, and the Continent.

The outward trip included calls at Pitcairn Island, Balboa and Jamaica, where glorious tropical gardens were to be seen. The attention travellers received on the Southampton to London boat train was exceptionally good, and the same applied to the porters at Waterloo Station. Like all overseas visitors Mr McGregor was greatly impressed by the huge volume of traffic in the principal London thoroughfares, and he said that it was amazing how skillfully the huge buses were , driven through the ’crowded streets. It was noticeable that the bus and othei’ motor drivers never tried “to beat” the traffic lights. The policeman on point duty in London were an institution of their own and their tact and courtesy was remarkable. Nothing was a trouble to them, and many times a day they would be seen holding up four lines of traffic while they gave street directions to- strangers.

Mr McGregor had an interesting visit to Germany, where he found the people quiet and courteous. It was noticeable that few young able-bodied men were to be seen working in the fields, where there were mostly old men and women and children. There were no apparent signs of any persecution of Jews, or other internal troubles. Tourists, contrary to general belief, were allowed to take photographs without interference. At the German frontier guards treated the visitors with every respect. On no account, however, were they allowed to take English newspapers into Germany with them. The German people all seemed to get plenty to eat and drink, and business was good. Describing hs visits to other Continental countries, Mr McGregor said he was in love with Holland. The Dutch people were very industrious, and were more like New Zealanders more restrained and less exciteable than other Continental people. The Continental roads were marvellous. There were four lines of traffic and special provision for bicycles, of which there were thousands in Holland London morning newspapers were available' in Amsterdam at 10 a.m.. and in Brussels at 11 a.m. While in London Mr McGregor visited the Chelsea Flower Show, which was a wonderful display. He also had a m’ost interesting day at the Derby where he was intrigued by the huge crowd, thousands of which never saw • the actual race run, and left the course without even knowing the result. An enjoyable ten days were spent in Paris and equally enjoyable visits to Ireland and Scotland. Mr McGregor was in London during the September prisis, and he said that as the tension became more acute the people became more and more senous. They all appeared to fully realise the gravity of the situation when trenches were dug in the parks and sandbags were piled six feet high on hotel roofs. Blankets and sheets were provided for anti-gas attacks protection again for emergencies in case of gas attacks. M McGregor, through the good offices of a London policeman, had an excellent view of Mr Chamberlain’s return to Downing Street after his trip to Munich. Mr Chamberlain was given an enthusiastic reception.