LIFE IN ICELAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1943, Page 2

LIFE IN ICELAND

IMPRESSIONS OF VISITING AMERICAN OFFICER CLIMATE LIKE MASTERTON’S. HOT SPRINGS AND GEYSERS. A topical and interesting talk on Ice land was given by Colonel C. E. Fox, of the United States Marine Corps at yesterday’s meeting of the Masterton Rotary Club. Colonel Fox was formerly stationed in Iceland. He said Iceland was a rectangular shaped island covering 40,500 square miles, 200 miles east of the southern tip of Greenland and 500 miles northwest from the northern tip of Scotland. Contrary to general belief the island was not a land of ice and snow as the Gulf Stream raised the temperature to a considerable degree. In the sector ■ that he was in the climate was similar to that of New Zealand, being particularly like the Masterton climate. The island was a prohibition area but the islanders had their own brew called “black death.” There was always . plenty of fog, caused through the vzarmth from the Gulf Stream meeting the cold air from the north. The coastline was rugged with mountain ranges and deep fiords. The sun never set in the summer and there was practically no sun in the winter. In December the sun rose at 10.30 a.m. and set at 2.30 p.m. The troops became confused with the time as they did not know whether it was a.m. or p.m. The island was a mass of lava rock and early in its history the entire island was stripped of its vegetation and nearly all , its people. There were no trees on the [ island. The mountains were steep and ; precipitous but the valleys were fertile and grew grass. Turnips and a variety of small potato were grown, and sheep were pastured on the island. The chief industry, however, was fishing. The island had a democratic form of government and the people claimed that they were the first to have that form of government. The men were hardworking and reliable and like the women were blondes. The girls were attractive looking until they opened their mouths. They either had rows of black teeth or no teeth on account of their diet. USE OF HOT SPRINGS.

Colonel Fox said that Iceland had areas similar to Rotohia —hot springs and geysers—and experienced earthquakes. The hot springs were utilised by the people for hothouses in which were grown tomatoes, grapes and flowers. Before the British occupied Iceland and the Americans took over from the British, German engineers were working on a plan to pipe hot water from the springs eight miles to a city. In eight miles the water lost two degrees in temperature. There was no coal or oil on -the island. The capital city when he was there had a population of 20,000 people. Towns were located all over the island and ringed the coast. The towns consisted of a small store and a building which served as a school, church and dance hall. The buildings were usually built, at cross-roads and served the surrounding country. At the dances, which commenced at 10 p.m., only Icelanders were present. Bottles of “black death” were consumed and the dances always finished in the same manner, the women carrying the men home. The women wore bright costumes. The capital city was quite modern. Electric light was installed and the buildings were all built qf reinforced concrete. Although the furniture was modern and comfortable in the homes, in the theatres and even in the stores an odour of mutton fat pervaded every nook and cranny. The buildings were badly ventilated and tubercolosis was very prevalent. Efforts were being made to have this disease stamped out. Education was compulsory, and in music and literature the Icelanders preferred the classics. Colonel Fox said he had seen a library worth thousands of pounds. The books were leather bound and were well cared for. The Icelanders were not pro-Nazi, continued Colonel Fox. The British chased out the German influence. The average Icelander was simply pro-Ice-landic. That was due to the island being free from contact with other people as it was off the trade route. The aim of nearly every young Icelander was to get a passage to England or America.