A MOTOR TOUR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2426, 15 February 1909, Page 6

A MOTOR TOUR.

POVERTY BAY TO SOUTHLAND. OBSERVATIONS OF A MEDICAL MAN. In these advanced days few things -are more enjoyable than a motor lour and the trip to Southland and back just concluded by Dr. J. Clive Collins lias proved, to use., the doctor’s own words, “a really charming and enjoyable- holiday.” Starting with his motor-car from Napier, he- drove through to Wanganui, passing through Hastings-, Palmerston North,.Marton, and Feilding on route. After a couple of days at Wanganui, he went through to Wellington, -and crossed over to Lyttelton. From there lie motored to Oil ristchurch, Ashburton, Tiinaru, Oamaru, and Dunedin, -spending a short time in each town. Then the doctor went to Gore, and thence to Cromwell, before commencing the return journey. The tour was rendered all the more enjoyable by reason of the fact that, apart from minor difficulties. which always occur, the only mishap met with was a broken steer-ing-rod, which happened at Glenavy, on the border between Otago -and South Canterbury. Dr. Collins was joined on the return journey at Christchurch by Mm. Collins, and several short trips into North Canterbury were made. From Wellington Dr. and Mrs. Collins travelled by train, the car being brought overland 'by Mr. Roland, who accompanied tho doctor throughout. “I am just congratulating myself,” said the doctor to a “Times” reporter on Saturday, ‘ ‘that I was not on the s.s. Penguin when she struck last night. My original intention had been to motor to Nelson, where I would-have caught the Penguin on Thursday, but- almost at the last minute, owing to the bad state of the roads, I changed my route.”

Dr. Collins had many interesting things to say about the South Island. Farmers were just gathering in the result of their year’s labor, and as the visitor travelled along the smooth Canterbury roads and noted field after field of corn falling before the reaper or standing in an array of stooks, like -an army of soldiers at attention, lie felt and understood the charm that underlies the rural life. Everything was looking in splendid order, -and the productiveness of the country and the prosperity of the people were shown, on every hand by the heavy crops and the handsome homesteads. Cultivation in the South Island had reached a high state and in the matter of scientific fanning and the application of modern methods to the requirements of the day, tho Southern farmer was a long way ahead of his North Island brother. The people, too, were of a different stain]), said tlie doctor. Their external circumstances and surroundings wore so vastly different in -almost every respect from northern people, and they take life much more seriously. Even their politics are more seriously considered. They utterly fail, however, to grasp the significance to tlie Dominion of the Maori question, particularly as regards land matters. They cannot see how the Maori cannot be settled on the name basis as a European. “One man with whom I was discussing the question,” said the doctor, “expressed the opinion that the problem could he -easily -solved by individualising the Maori, giving each his own portion of'land., and doing away with communism. When I explained that this was impossible, owing to the traditions of the race, he ‘pooh-poohed’ my remarks, and he quite failed to see that individualism means extinction of the race.” “Southern, people,” continued the doctor, “I found largely in favor of tlie leasehold. They •wouldn’t say much about it, but nevertheless it was rot difficult to see in which direction their sympathies lay. From conversations with a variety ol people, it appeared that there is a gradually growing jeeiing in the South against the Government. One prominent man, with a keen grasp of politics, to whom I spoke, said a. change of Government was well in view. Ho thought that the new Reform party would possibly come into power next, but that they would not last, and that finally there would be a coalescence between Opposition and Liberal against Labor and Socialism. The people were very frightened of Socialism, which represented to them a form of ‘yellow peril.’ It may be imaginary,” added the doctor, “but Socialism certainly appears to be influencing to a greater or Jess extent the political picture of the future.” Dr. Collins referred briefly to the no-license districts through which lie passed, and ho failed to find, he said, the marked improvement generally ascribed to those districts. “I never saw a case of drunkenness., or the slightest suspicion of it, yet careful inquiry convinced me that the moral and social conditions of the no-license-towns were not satisfactory, and that there was also ,a good deal of secret drinking.” “There is a general misconception in tho South Island regarding Gisborne, but it is, chiefly known as the town which -refuses to have drainage. I am convinced that tho people have made a huge mistake, and they are regarded by Southern folk as more or less insane. The want of drainage is an absolute disgrace, and is a decided menace to the' health of tho townspeople. The roads of the town, too, are shocking, and in no town that I visited was there a thoroughfare as had as Gladstone- Road. I believe, however, that Gisborne is going to be a- town second to none, and I was in no place the future prospects > of. which look better. From observations made and deductions drawn, I think that- the railway from Gisborne to Auckland would be infinitely more beneficial than tho proposed one to Napier. Dr. Collins had a chat with tho Hon. James Carroll -at Wellington on his return trip, and also saw the late Mr. Hone 'Heke, M.P., a few days before his death. The latter, the doctor states, was a- highly cultured Maori gentleman, speaking beautiful English, '-and' with a mind of thoughts. Mr.. Carroll appeared much distressed at his death.