Who’s Who on the Niagara

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 941, 7 April 1930, Page 10

Who’s Who on the Niagara

With passengers and f rom Australia, the Royal Mail finer gara arrived from Sydney at* si o'clock this morning and berthed shortly before nine o'clock. eo<) . trip across * was experienced. On board there were 6S first class pas- | sengers, 40 second class and 43 third Returning to London via Hollywood where he intends makiug two* talkie -shorts,” is Mr. Frederic Bentlev. will be better known to Aucklanders as “Hurd Boiled Herman” of “Rose Marie” fame. In London he intends filling vaudeville engagements contracted for before he left. The comedian has just finished an Australian tour with the “Show Boat” companv. After a visit of six months to Canada. Major Russell, formerly of the Field Artillery in England, will return for a stay in New Zealand and Australia. He then returns to England. Tremendous success ■with revivals of plays in Australia was reported by Mr. Beaumont Smith, managing director of Williamson Films (New Zealand), Limited, and controller of the Regent Theatre circuit in the Domin ion. Marie Bremner has beeu playing in “The Belle of New York.” which has achieved remarkable success. Gladys Moncrieff is in “The Maid of the Mountains.” “They will be in New Zealand at the end of the year,” said Mr. Smith New theatres under the Regent circuit. he said, are to be built at Palmerston North and Masterton, and a reconstruction will be made at Marton. In‘Australia. Mr. Smith found that there had been a stoppage of the competition between film organisations in the construction of large theatres. This could be accounted for by the depression in the amusement business, as a parallel to the slump in most commercial affairs. Mr. D. Robertson, of Auckland, attended the Rotary Conference in Sydney. He commented on the absence of signs of business depression in Australia on an outward show. But, at a Cham her of Commerce dinner, he was told the same story of difficult times by all manner of business men. Timber and brick suppliers reported a reduction of 4S per cent, in their output and large department stores showed declines in the returns. Australia had an annual interest bill of £35,000,000 for money borrowed abroad and the drop in the season’s wool left a deficit of £50,000.000. How seriously the position was regarded was perfectly evident in the 10 per cent, cut made by the Federal Government in public salaries, in the embargo on luxuries from overseas, and in the 50 per cent, supertax on other imports. The process of adjustment would undoubtedly be long and trying. To make Maori records is the mission of Mr. W. A. Donner, managing director for Australia for the Columbia Gramophone Company. Mr. Donner has brought with him a complete electrical recording plant and also accompanying him is Mr. R. Southey, recording engineer, and Mr. G. Dash. Within a few days the musical director will leave for* Rotorua, where they will establish their studio. Conditions in the steel trade at Sheffield are much better, according to Mr. J. A. Me Willi am, technical representative for Messrs. Thomas Firth and Sons, Ltd.. Sheffield. He said that England was now doing a big ex port business in airplane engines and the Sheffield steel works were now concentrating largely on the steel required for this work. Mr. McWilliam also reported that the shipbuilding firms on the Clyde had increased their operations during the past few months. Although the unemployment figures had increased, he thought conditions generally were better. Mr. C. J. M. Hunter, of Cambridge, Waikato, is a young New Zealand engineer who has secured an important position abroad. Mr. Hunter obtained his B.E. degree at Canterbury College, after which he was on the engineering staff engaged on the construction of the Huia dam. Following the completion of that work Mr. Hunter went to England arid recently obtained a position with the Government. hydro-electrical department in Colombo, Ceylon. Although only 2*> years of age, he has been appointed deput-chief engineer of the largest works being undertaken there. During his visit to New Zealand Mr. Hunter w T ill inspect the main hydro-electric works in the country and prepare a report on them for his Government. Mr. Hunter is to be married next wee* to Miss Jean Robertson, daughter ot Mr. James Robertson, of Remuera. *** . . . Dr. Ralph Noble, psychiatrist ot Sydney University, will represent the Commonwealth Government at the first international congress on mental hygiene at Washington on May 5, to which 26 countries will send delegates. Official invitations have been conveyed by the United States Government., which is keenly alive to the immense importance of the subject to be discussed. Great Britain and the Dominion will be represented. Tne New Zealand Government has not ye< announced its acceptance of the invitation. The recent annual conference iof the British Medical Association in Christchurch strongly advised this should be done. Dr. Noble said, in reference to “half-way houses” for persons with mental disorders, that there wen* psychiatric clinics in New South Wale* 1 | and Victoria. Every patient seeking ! admiration had to be sufficiently well personally to sign the admission formThe clinics separated the insane from ; those who could realise their illues?- | Ordinary hospitals had wards for mild I cases of mental trouble.