ON THE CONTINENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2352, 19 November 1908, Page 3

ON THE CONTINENT.

A WELLINGTON MERCHANT’S

OBSERVATIONS.

BRUSSELS FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE.

Mr F. H. Brodrick, of Wellington, who lias just returned to Wellington from a* six months’ business trip to England, Scotland, and some of the principal manufacturing cities of the European Continent, spent many pleasant and profitable days in Brussels, a city which is not often visited by travellers from New Zealand. In conversation with a “Dominion” reporter, Mr Broderick said that tho Belgian capital was now rapidly becoming one of the largest centres of manufacture in Europe, especially for fashionable goods. This progress lie attributes largely to the lightness of the taxation as compared with that which burdens the factories of Paris. Belgium, boing protected by -all the Powers, keeps no navy, and only a small standing army, and therefore the State does not need to impose Customs duties that would hamper tho national industries. A TEMPERATE PEOPLE. One of the most striking features of the social ilife of Brussels as observed by Mr Brodrick was the popularity of the cafes. Most of these arc open to the streets and boulevards, so that one takes one’s refreshment practically out of doors. They are licensed to sell all kinds of liquor, but the universal drinks, are light lager beer and light wines. Whisky is not stocked in eleven cafes out of twelve, simply because there is no demand for it. The wines arc very cheap, as compared -with tho prices charged- .in this country, -and notwithstanding the presence of a large manufacturing population there is practically no -drunkenness to he seen in the streets. The cafes are open day and night, and yet Mr Bro--drick did not- see or hear of any disorderly scenes such as would be looked for if the like conditions obtained in any British-speaking country. He considered that the general good behavior was due to the lightness of tho customary drinks.

ATTRACTIONS FOR THE SIGIiT-

tSEER

Mt Brodrick found -Brussels -a singularly -attractive city, -with its great ancient church of St. Gudule, its magnificent Gothic Hotel de Valle, its imposing Bourse, its Botanical Gardens, and the spacious market square, which impressed him as the finest thing of its kind that he saw anywhere -in his travels. Outside the city, the park —really a forest extended as far as historic Waterloo, and one could drive along its leafy Avays through ever-varying scenes for a Avholo summer afternoon. For avc t days there Avere the Wiertz Gallery, where the GoA r ernment had placed .-a magnificent collection of the works of the great painter Wiertz, and the museum, Avith its fifty-foot skeleton of the perhaps fortunately extinct iguanodon.

BELGIAN FACTORIES.

Turning to industrial matters, Mr Brodrick told the reporter -about the immense strides made by the Brussels manufacturers in turning out the finest class of goods in all ladies’ requirements. He stated that in-this department Brussels avis now challenging the long, undisputed supremacy of Paris. American buyers w'ere now making Brussels one of their, chief places of call. The factories Avere run on the mo-st up-to-date lines, and no expense was spared in securing the latest and most- efficient machinery. The discipline an L cleanliness AA r ere exemplary, and the employees, who were chiefly women and girls, and earned Av-ages which. Avould seem very loav to their sisters in Britain or the colonies, appeared to bo very happy -and contented. Mr Brodrick found that the 'Brussels manufacturers Avere ready and even pleased to adapt their products to the requirements of customers from any part of the world. Indeed, they- welcomed new designs when placed before them by buyers, and declared that such orders assisted them in carrying- their trade into other countries. He regretted that British manufacturers avere stiff losing a great deal of trade for wanf of the same adaptability, .’ \