A New Zealander I in Sydney Town

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 845, 13 December 1929, Page 11

A New Zealander I in Sydney Town

(From our Syd'ici/ Correspondent J SYDNEY, December 5. The New Zealand Christmas "bush"! Who but an Australian could refer to those magnificent pohutukawas, at the moment a mass of crimson glory in the Botanic Gardens, as the New Zealand Christmas “bush"? When the Australian talks about Christmas “bush.” he has in mind the flowering shrub that bedecks the barrows in Martin Place duriug Christmas. lie has never seen the pohutukawa in its native haunt, covering some headland, a crimson challenge, in the Auckland Gulf. New Zealand trees do well in S><l- - On more than one occasion I have come across the beloved, though unfortunately named, cabbage tree, in public gardens. I have in mind a group of these graceful trees near St. Andrew’s Cathedral. The chances are that they must inevitably disappear as the excavations for the subway extend. Still, to a New Zealander, they always bring thoughts of home. Mr. Sculfin’s Debut Every journalist present at their luncheon to the new Prime Minister this week was more thru favourably impressed with Mr. Scullin. A newspaperman himself, it was pleasing that his first Sydney appearance in his new office should be as the guest of his confreres at the Journalists' Institute. The obvious sincerity of the Prime Minister was most apparent. As a speaker he is concise. He does not strain for effect. Rather he is more conversational in delivery. Mr. Scullin does not indulge in the oratorical efforts of so many members of his party. His retiring, even modest demeanour, was in contrast to Mr. Theodore, one of the finest speakers in the Commonwealth. Mr. Scullin appealed to the newspaper men to give his Government a fair trial. The Prime Minister did not ask for favours, merely a patient hearing. Mr. Theodore and New Zealand Mr. Theodore made reference to the fact that Australian stocks were always quoted at a lower figure on the London Stock Exchange than those of New Zealand. The Federal Treasurer quite frankly saw no reason for that. The future prospects of New Zealand, Mr. Theodore declared, Trere no greater than those of Australia. The present security of Australia was. to say the least, no less than that of the Dominion. There are several important reasons why New Zealand is more highly thought of by the British speculator, but Mr. Theodore quite forgot to mention them. Perhars even a little of the credit might be attributed to Mr. Theodore. When as sociated with the political destiny of Queensland he did much to destroy the confidence of British investors in Australia. But the story of the unhappy State enterprises, some of which have been disposed of at great loss, was evidently not in the mind of .’he Treasurer when he spoke of New Zealand’s prosperity. Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Depart While Sydney was greeting the Prime Minister site hardly knew, the former Prime Minister she knew so well was quietly slipping away from Melbourne, accompanied by his wife, on a world tour. Mr. Bruce anticipates being away at least six or eight months. Already he is looking a different man. Together with the t ares of" state, the ex-Prime Minister has thrown off at least a dozen years. He is travelling to Europe via Suez. To Honour St. Benedict For the first time in Australia representatives of the Crown of Italy and the Holy See will appear on the same public platform. To St. Benedict the credit will be entirely due. The Cavaliere Mario Carosi will be the principal speaker at a function which .the Dante Alighieri Society is to hold in the Town Hall on December 18. Supporting the Italian ConsulGeneral will be the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly. This is the direct result of the recent treaty between the Italian Government and the Vatican. Empire Theatre to Reopen The Empire Theatre, which has been closed since the last night of “Whoopee,” on July 3, is opening at the end of the week with talkies. This theatre has been singularly unfortunate. By competing with the principal city talkie houses at lower prices, it is possible that the Empire will change its luck. It is certainly time it did. Last of Vaudeville J. C. Williamson's has announced that it will have nothing more to do with vaudeville. An exceptionally fine baud of performers at the Palace, headed by Ann Penn, that clever little English impersonator, failed to draw the crowds that it should have done. It was with a feeling of something akin to sadness that I saw the curtain fall on the final matinee. Kay Lavelle, plump and sprightly, the first “mistress of ceremonies” I had seen, certainly did her best to put the audience on the best of terms with the performers. Not that that was really necessary. The shou- was excellent. One of the outstanding artists on this bill was the coloured singer, Walter Richardson, originally imported for | “Show Boat.” Again and again, he j was recalled. Ann Penn, who is to I be seen shortly in musical comedy, j cleverly impersonated Ella Shields, i Will Evans, Sophie Tucker. Am i Suter, and a host of other amusing j folk. Dale Collins Returning Dale Collins, the young Australian ! writer who has won much success abroad, is returning from the East on j the City of Delhi, now steaming down ! the coast from Java. Art Collection for New Zealand I Arrivals by the magnificent new Orontes today, from Melbourne, were Mr. and Mrs. F. M Lirray Fuller, of Wellington. They will spend a week in Sydney before crossing to New Zealand with their representative coli lection of the work of contemporary British painters. —ERIC RAMSDEN. | A free park for his customers’ cars i is provided by a draper in Kingston, j Surrev.