The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-13
NEW ZEALAND IS
 THE PARADISE OF THE ROCKINGHAM
Mrs. F. M. Wilson Addresses Members of Mary Silliman
 Chapter, ID. A. R.

1 New Zealand is the paradise of the workingman. There are no poor in 1 New zealand,'' said Mrs. F. M. Will l son, wife of Dr. Wilson, speaking Mon day afternoon before the members of the Mary Silliman chapter, D. A. R., at their regular monthly meeting in Odd Fellows hall upon that South Sea is- land so little known to Americans. Dr. and Mrs. Wilson spent some time last year in New Zealand.
 The island, according to Mrs. Will son, has a mountain grandeur equal to the Alps, fjords as beautiful as those Of Norway, great hot and cold lakes, and magnificent geysers and glaciers. 1t IS, in fact, very mountainous, there being only one spot, of about 50 miles in length called by the natives, "the plain," which is level.
 The country is sparcely settled, farm houses being generally about 20 miles apart. Mrs. Wilson spoke particular ly of the size of the flowers there. She said that she found dandelions grow ing as high as her shoulder and of great expanse of flower. They were so large that she wouldn't believe they were dandelions until she examined them. Rambler roses, and Easter lil- ies, too, she said were huge, while the morning glory has assumed such a size in New Zealand as to be almost startling.
 This great growth seems also to have been applied to fish, Mrs. Wilson said that trout there weigh 20 pounds or more. They are not such good eat ing, however, as American trout, as they are coarser. The lakes become so filled with these trout that some times the government has to clear them out
 The upper island, according to Mrs. Wilson, is>much more interesting than the lower. It has many natural won ders. She told of sailing for two days down a wild and picturesque stream filled with huge rocks.
 Oftimes, she said, the boat would crash over a rock until it seemed that it must go to pieces. But the boats are constructed especially for this riv- CT and have thick copper bottoms for sliding over the rocks. There is one place where, with a prodigious roar heard a great distance. steam is emit 
 Mrs. Wilson, will throw great tin can into this stream of steam and it will be hurled back again with a great force as often and as quickly as he can throw it in.
 A peculiar thing about the New Zea- flanders, said Mrs. Wilson, is that fact that although most of them have been born on the island, they always refer to England as home" and always speak going home." They are ex- treme1y hospitable and are remark ably enthusiastic about the war. Re- turning Ion the boat which brought Dr. and Mrs. Wilson to New Zealand was the last survivor of a contin- gent of 56 men sent to help Eng land at the beginning of the war. AL most all of Wellington turned out to welcome him.
 Following Mrs. Wilson's talk. Mrs. S.. M. Garlick historian of the society read an interesting account of the old bells about this section, speaking par Fairfield.
 5Alois Havrilla, baritone accompanied by Miss Mary l.. Peck, sang Border Ballad" and "Invictus," in a very ar tistic way.
 Gaily decorated Christmas trees and attractive hand executed place cards decorated the tea tables, for which the hostess was Mrs. H. B. Wadhams, assisted by Mrs. A. V Hartley, Mrs. R. J. Mackenzie, Mrs. Orville Rector, Mrs. Robert l.. Zink, Miss Lillian Burr and Miss Mabel Pickett.