OPTIMISTIC NOTE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 341, 30 September 1932, Page 6

OPTIMISTIC NOTE

ROTORUA LADY SPEAKS OF VISIT TO SYDNEY THINGS LOOKING BRIGHTER "What struck me most," said Mrs. Norman Keane, of Devon Street, Rotorua, who has just returned from a visit to Sydney, to a "Morning Post" representativa, "was the wonderful spirit of optimism which was evident in Sydney. The people seem to be most relieved at the defeat of the Lang Government ana to feel that better times are ahead." "Things must have been very shaky there for a while," continued Mrs. Keane, "nearly evaVy young man was a member of the New Guard and they told me that time and time again things were right on the verge of an outbreak and that often they had been called up to meetings and only by a very close shave had trouble been averted." "Things are certainly pretty busy in Sydney," said Mrs. Keane, "and I noticed that the drapers shops, (of course all of them had saies on) were quite busy, busier than in Auckland in fact, and priees weer very reasonable. For instance quite nice silk frocks could be bought for two guineas and the prices of other things were similar. However it was in the building trade that things se uned to be slackest. There was absolutely none going on at all and builders and contractors were glad to take any job at all, no matter how small, to keep going. Professional men, too, felt the depression and I knew of an architect who was making a little by manufacturing artistic rugs out of dilferent coloured felts to keep going. Others had retired to the country and one professional man was fishing for the market. "Anpther thing that struck me in Sydney was the numbers of .street stalls with piles of gorgeous golden oranges and the most wonderful vegetables. They looked lovely and I hear that they are going to be much lessened by new legislation which is to drive most of them olf the streets. "The theaties were faii'ly full and of course musical comedies had full houses but when Dame Sybil Thorndike appeared she had, .quly a fair audience. Picture houses were just struggling along. Professional people had been hit the worst thought Mrs. Keane, but on all sides there was a cheery optimism, people being ready to make the best of things despite the heavy taxation and reduced incomes. As far as she could see Sydney was looking ahead.