AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1928, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Australian Press Association.) WALKING CHAMPIONSHIP. SYDNEY, July 22. '[’lie 20-Mile Walking Championship of N.S.AY. was won by G. Smith in three hours twenty-three minutes twenty-three seconds. YOUNG GOLF CHAMPION. ADELAIDE, July 23. Rymill, aged nineteen, won the State Golf Championship, delating L. Winter. one up. It was a memorable game and there was a great crowd present. HEALTH OERTIFTCA TES. PR (ASPECT I] VE BRIDEGR OOM. ■SYDNEY, July 12Sydney gives Dr Arthur, Minister for Health, credit for at least one thing. He lias imagination and vision, which are not the attributes of most politicians. Perhaps some day he will witness, the consummation of at least a few of his beautiful ideals, although he is possibly beginning to realise that it is one tiling to propound them and finite another to give them practical form, especially in a Government which has a deficit of more than £1,000,000. His latest idea is, in view of the prevalence of .certain diseases that of health certificates for bridegrooms. That idea lias tho merit ift. least of having already been tested ill the stern crucible of public opinion, and found sadly wanting because of its impracticability. One newspaper suggests that a rigorous marriage law which compelled a young man or an old man for that matter to produce a clean hill of health before going to the altar would simply drive him and his prospective wife" into another State or across to New Zealand, where he could plunge into the matrimonial sea under less inquisitorial conditions.

SYDNEY’S GROWTH. SYDNEY, July 12. • The country will find additional ammunition in its constant unr on what it regards the parasitic city, in the Statistician’s estimate that if the present rate of increase ho maintained the population of the metropolitan area of Sydney will be doubled in twentyfour years. whereas, on a similar basis, fifty-three years will elapse before that position is reached by tlie rest of the State. Any attempt by the country stop the drift to a city like Sydney, with its bright light's and countless attractions, is pretty much like the futile attempt of Dame Partington to sweep hack the ocean with a broom. During tlie current year new buildings represent the tidy sum of nearly £15,300,000 in the metropolis. The growing popularity of flats is indicated by the fact that', while in 1926-27, new structures of that kind totalled only 20/, they numbered 037 during the current year. Heading the list of suburbs winch show the biggest increase of buildings, as uas the ease for the two previous years are the middle-class areas of Canterbury and Bankstown, and Randwick, which is a pot-pourri of aristocrats, neararistocrats, those with social hopes and ambitions, racehorse owners, traineis, and jockeys, and the plebeians who work with their coats .off* for then daily crust. >