HIGH-COST LIVING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 35, 30 May 1947, Page 3

HIGH-COST LIVING

PANAMA REPUBLIC TOURISTS’ IMPRESSIONS For European residents and for tourists, the cost of goods in the Republic of Panama is something to give pause to anyone bent on a buying splurge. Prices in the shops are on a high level, according to the observations of Mr and Mrs James Innes, of Gisborne, when they passed through the Panama Canal during' their trip to the United Kingdom. The shopping area of Panama City is bright and well-lighted, with very attractive shops, Mr Innes wrote. The buildings are mostly of Spanish design, and are well suited to the climate. Great crowds were in the streets of the city when the Akaroa—by which ship Mr and Mrs Innes travelled to England—berthed at Panama, and the passengers found that a holiday celebration was on hand. Giant crackers helped to promote the spirit of revelry. The shops were filled with high-

class goods of fine workmanship.

with emphasis on tropical clothing requirements. Heavy woollen goods were not displayed, being unsuitable to the republic’s climate. Very small dresses for children cost eight dollars, and men’s tropical suits of good quality about £lO to £l2 sterling.. Taxi fares sustained the high general level of prices. In the range of colours displayed by the mixed population of. Panama the visitors were impressed with the predominance of negro blood. Spanish people are the aristocrats of the republic, but they show themselves

little in the streets. Numbers of pretty young girls of mixed blood were seen, and constituted one of

I the attractive features of the city. They were also struck by the ab- | sence of live stock, for even in the adjacent country there were no sheep, cattle or horse to be seen. I Dogs were likewise invisible, and I the one cat seen by Mr and Mrs Innes appeared to be in poor health. | The people of the city were all well-dressed and prosperous-looking, but many of them lived in houses of primitive, types and with poor amenities. Passing through the canal was an experience of keen interest for the Gisborne passengers, who were impressed principally by the beauty of the lakes which form the reservoirs operating the canal locks, and also form lengthy portions of the canal route. The rich tropical growth,, coming right down to the water-line along the margins of the lakes, reminded the tourists of many similar scenes in New Zealand. Mr Innes comments that whereas they had heard much in advance of the engineering wonders of the canal, they had heard no word of the beauty of the route across the isthmus.