A New Zealander In Sydney Town

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 645, 23 April 1929, Page 9

A New Zealander In Sydney Town

(From Our Own Correspondent?) SYDNEY. April 1* The Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Bruce, was 4G this week. For six years and two mouths he has occupied his important post. He will have to retain it for another 15 months if he is to defeat the record of Mr. \V. M. Hughes. Although Mr. Bruce became Prime Minister at the comparatively early age of 39. there was one more youthful holder of the office. Mr. J. C. Watson, the lirst Labour Prime Minister, entered office at 37. Mr. Bruce, however, has one claim to fame. He is the only Australian to hold the coveted Companionship of Honour Knighthoods, or baronetcies, are not altogether popular iu Australia these days, even with Natioualist leaders. A Companionship of Honour is certainl} preferable. Poor Ned Kelly It was thoroughly disgraceful of those Melbourne ghouls who discovered the bones of poor old Ned Kell} on the former gaol site. The chief culprits, who took all manner of bones from his unhallowed tomb, were, 1 hear, pupils of the Workingmen’s Col lege near by. One lad subsequently boasted that he had knocked most of the teeth out of the skull before it was appropriated by another youth. The skull was subsequently recovered by the contractor. Now the lads are reported to be on the look-out for the mortal remains of Deeming, the hearthstone murderer, who was buried not far from Ned Kelly. It seems a pity to my mind that they could not have been left in peace. After all. these men paid the penalty for their mis doings. New N.S.W. Minister

Prior to his hasty departure, for England this week with Mrs. Bavin and Shirley, their the Premier appointed Mr. R. W. D. Weaver, the member for Neutral Bay. to the Cabinet vacancy. Mr. Weaver has for some time been associated with Miss Preston Stanley, former M.L.A., in conducting an estate agency business. He is an exceedingly capable debater, fearless and aggressive to a degree, and is invariably a thorn in the side of the Labour Opposition. The new Minister of Mines should be a tower of strength to the Ministry, which is not particularly renowned for its debating strength. Mr. Bavin is far too touchy ever to be a great Parliamentarian. Besides, the Parliamentary tradition has been at a decidedly low ebb in this State for a good many years past. Anna the Adorable

Eyes of amber, clear cut, definite features, golden tinged skin of magnolia, gleaming white teeth in silhouette against scarlet lipstick. . . But, of course, you all know her! There is only one Pavlova. Anna the Adorable. To my mind, not strictly beautiful something deeper than that. Something, maybe, of the East, combined w ith all the entrancing art of the West.

However, to come down to earth— I assure you that it does take a little time to tumble off the end of the moonbeam upon which the divine Pavlova places one—the famous danseuse is here, with all her paraphernalia, not to mention M. Dandre, her distin-guished-looking husband, who is by no means content to be merely Mr. Pavlova, and the canaries. . . . Pavlova’s Sydney Home

Hundreds sat thrilled to watch this supreme artist at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night. Few knew, though, of her Sydney home, a neat little “cottage” nestling on the foreshores of Vaucluse, to which Pavlova escaped after her successful premiere. There, with the adoring husband, competent lady’s maid, housemaid, butler, chef and chauffeur, she spends her peaceful hours admiring the glorious harbour view. I might mention that Pavlova’s idea of a cottage coincides with Melba’s. Pavlova’s canaries are her chief interest —that is, next to dancing. Even the great Anna has her weakness. She feeds them, whistles to them, watches their every movement as they dance around their cage, which was their home on the trip down from the East. New Naval A.D.C.

Sydney feminine hearts have been all of a-liutter since Lieut. H. G. de Chair, of his Majesty’s Navy, arrived by the Makura to assume the arduous duties of A.D.C. to his naval father. Sir Dudley. Since their return from the Dominion all the Vice-Regal family have been indefatigable publicity seekers for New Zealand. The lieutenant is still talking about the 4111 b mako shark that he landed after an hour and a-half’s stern fighting at the Bay of Islands. “Young Woodley’’

In less artistic hands “Young Woodley,” the English schoolboy drama, now being played at the Criterion, Sydney’s so-called “intimate” theatre, might be really unpleasant. The production has caused a good deal of comment. The theme, of course, is the love of an immature young fool of a schoolboy for his housemaster's wife. “Young Woodley,” notwithstanding, draws attention to a phase of adolescence which we all know has been manifested in every big public school. Whether it is really necessary to commercialise it in the theatre is another matter. To my mind the Van Druteii play, and I pray I am no prude, is more suitable for the repertory theatre: but there, one must realise, it would be out of the question to obtain the material for its presentation. A somewhat incongruous note was the little fag. His Australian accent was in marked contrast to the impeccable English of the English public schoolboys. Not that one can object to the Australian language in Australia. After all, it is entirely the affair of the Australians, who certainly do show a little more individuality than many New Zealanders with their slavish imita tion of everything English. But it was wrong, quite wrong, and out of plar<>. Frank Royde’s characterisation as thschoolmaster. sarcastic, domineering was one of the finest I have ever seon on the Australian stage. Without the | slightest desire in the w orld to per 1 petrate a pun. I can only say it j truly masterful. ERIC RAMSDEN.