Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-22
A TALK ON NEW ZEALAND.
Mr.. Thomas Allen Tells Of the Condition Of
Affairs I'm That Country.


More thaa twenty-five years ago Mr. Thomas
Allen went to New Zealand from England. Yes
terday evening Mr.. Allen left Washington, after
having been here as a delegate to the Methodist
ecumenicai conference. and after touring
through a portion of the west and southwest
will return to his island home by steamer from
San Francisco. In addition to being devout
Methodist Mr.. Allen is a member of the Auck-
land chamber Of commerce and incidentally, is
an enthusiastic admirer Of Washington and it's
inhabitants.
1--WE New Zealanders." said Mr.. Allen to a
STAR reporter, ARE strongly in favor of the
protective idea and sympathize with it when
used by other countries but We fail utterly to
understand why the United States should re-
fuse to grant free entrance to raw wool for
manufacturing purposes. It is a problem
which puzzles everybody in our region includ-
ing the American consul and other authorities
on fiscal matters. When we desire to assist in
the establishment of local industries we always
admit the material needed free OF duty. or
course we are interested in wool; wool and
mutton are our principal exports The num-
Der of sheep is steadily increasing and today
we have Is, O00, 900 sheep in the colony. Wheat.
fax, gold and kauri gum are also exported in
large quantities
What do we do with our mutton? Freeze it
and ship ii TO England fast as vessels can
load and move out. Two three steamers q
month carry away nothing but mutton and
more vessls are urgently needed The voyage
to England takes forty days or Whereabouts.
Just now weare fighting with the English
butchers because they ticket our mutton as the
best Scotch or Welsh mutton. We want people
TO know that 1t comes from New Zealand.
The gold product is by no means inconsid-
cradle. but the poor and the unemployed get
more financial satisfaction out OF the kauri gum
fields. This gum, which is used in the manu-
facture of yarnishes. Is found in the Auckland
district A gum hunter starts out with a spear
and shovel. With the spear he prods the soil,
and if he strikes a piece of gum he shovels
away the dirt and reaches his prize, which is in
Jumps of varying size. 1T is worth from 300
to $500 ton, and is nearly all shipped to New
York.
Our wheat yield is large. For the past ten
years 1t has averaged twenty-six bushels to the
acre The climate is very fine. We have no
snow IL Auckland and very few srosts. Peaches
lemons and oranges grow In the open air.
Most of our people-aud there are GOO, 900 of
them-come from Great Britain and Ireland
There are n few Americans, and throughout
aud German. Two or three settlements of
Scandinavians have done remarkably well, and
so has one colony which. originally from the
highlands of Scotland. came latterly from Nova
Scotia.
''Methodism is very strong in New Zealand.
We nave ItilSlOus III OHe part VI VIC
colony which was settled by the Archbishop of
Canterbury and his associates MethOdism has
made wonderful gains. We have no saloons
open on Sunday and the only trains that run
on the Sabbath are those that keep the port in
communication with the city.
Politically L think we have the freest consti-
tuition III the world. Our only official tie with
England Is the governor, who is appointed by
the crown. We have triennial parliament,
the lower house being elected by the people,
the upper house nominated by the governor.
Our franchise is broad. and we have the ballot
system which the United States is adopting.
There are no set parties in New Zealand; moth
ing like your democrats and republicans.
Sometimes We are divided on a question of
progress or retrenchment, but as a rule the
only thing to distinguish those VINO differ some
what in opinion are the titles ms and outs
The greatness OF your country has i'm
pressed me much, but especially am pleased
with Washington and its people. My stay here
has been most pleasant and SO, 1 believe, has
been that Of every other delegate"