SAN FRANCISCO LIFE

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1920, Page 4

SAN FRANCISCO LIFE

HIGH COST OF LIVING,

A Dunedin gentleman at present in San Francisco, writing under date of April 17th., gives some interesting sidelights on conditions there. In the course of his letter lie says:— _ *

In Canada it was fairly easy to get drink, .but in San Franejse6.it is much more difficult. You can get a pint of whisky,by paying a doctor three dollars for a prescription and two and a half dollars for the whisky—that is, 23s for a pint. The cabarets keif}) open practically all night, bus tbqfdjrncing finishes at 1 a.m. I guess littliJiNew Zealand would have its see some of the sigWajf jutjlpverytliing is much quieter un|jerJc' prohibition. Prohibition does ndt.feeiß.Hhbfy' to last, but 1 don’t get whisky back oi> the liolders will probabty ./bT allowed to keep beer or light tbpjr homes. There is no doubt that .the driifc; habit has got a tremondop’s bold of the people. Thousands are, drjj|king methylated spirits (wood Alcohol).- Anotherdrink is made out of Jamaica ginger. This contains about 90 per cent, alcohol which is not noticed unless abstracted by some process the people are getting hold of.

The Cost of Living is the limit. To go to an hotel or a cafe for a meal will cost you at least 7s 6d. One slice of roast beef is 3s Id, and of course all vegetables are extra. A friend of mine took four of us out to dinner and. it cost him just on £5 -for an ordinary dinner, and, of course, no wine. Tipping here is a curse. • You tip at least 10 per cent for every meal, and if you don’t tip the word goes round and , you don’t, get much attention. r I wept last bight to a show called “Ladies First,” which Was‘very good. You should hear the jazz bands ; they would make the biggest clodhopper in the world dance* like a fairy. Picture shows are palatial. One I went .to see. seats 15,000, has an orchestra of 50 and a tremendous organ. The keyboard and organist are hidden below the stage, and then a button is pressed and the whole show gradually rises until it is level with the-stage, the organist played all the time. At night the streets are a blaze of electric lights and signs in all directions. There is not much scope here for clerks and ’ such people, hut unskilled labour is getting fabulous wages. A man working a steam shovej below our window is getting 15 dol, or over £3 per day . , . < -