A New Zealander in Sydney Town

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1032, 24 July 1930, Page 16

A New Zealander in Sydney Town

THE SUN’S Sydney Correspondent SYDNEY, July 17. The Passing of a Statesman For several days the New Zealand ensign hung, limply, above busy Martin Place. It denoted the passing of a statesman, a man who, though not New Zealand-born, was unrivalled in his love for the fair land of his adoption. Sir Joseph Ward had many friends in Sydney who read with sincere regret of his passing. By no means least was that band of New Zealand newspapermen, members of which are to be found on every newspaper in this city. The death of the former Prime Minister denoted to them the closing of one of the most interesting chapters in the political history of our country. To the majority of us it recalled numerous happy meetings with the Liberal leader, recollections of his courtesy and consideration, and understanding on his part of the many difficulties that bestrew the path of the newspaperman. The Australian Press paid high tribute to Sir Joseph’s Empire service. Any lack of interest evident on the occasion of his recent retirement was amply compensated. Long Newcastle

Another figure that loomed large on the horizon of his country was removed by death during the week. The passing in London of Dr. Long, Bishop of Newcastle (and former Bishop of Bathurst), is an irreparable loss to the Anglican Church in Australia. The bulk of the work in connection with the Constitution of the Australian Church was Bishop Long's. A great educationalist, a noted scholar, an administrator of proved ability, and a born leader of men, his place will indeed be hard to fill. Dr. Long’s election to the See of Newcastle a year or so ago came about in rather a curious way. When the then Dean (Dr. Crotty) found that he might receive an adverse vote in Synod for the bishopric, he marshalled his forces in such a manner that Dr. Long was elected in his stead. This, of course, rendered Bathurst’s vacant, where Dr. Long was eventually succeeded by Dr. Crotty. Strangely enough Bishop Crotty was at the death-bed of his old friend in London. Now, there is a suggestion that he should succeed him at Newcastle. At one time the late Dr. Long was indicated as successor to the late Archbishop of Melbourne. It is certain that if he had lived he would have advanced to high office in the Australian Church. Mr. Theodore in Queensland

Though there was no doubting the fighting quality of Mr. Theodore’s defence in the Federal House, following the Royal Commission’s report on the Mungana leases, it is generally agreed that it did his case little good, and quite possibly a good deal of harm. To refer to Mr. Justice Campbell as “a hired assassin” was absurd. The integrity of the former New South Wales judge is, of course, beyond reproach. Had he preserved his poise with a little more dignity the former Federal Treasurer would have received more sympathy. At the same time the suspense occasioned by the

attitude of the Queensland Government, which has not yet decided whether or not it will prosecute him, must be intolerable to a man of Mr. Theodore’s temperament. He left for Brisbane, the scene of his earlier triumphs, this week. There he will endeavour to force the hand of the Moore Ministry. Mr. Theodore was accompanied by his wife, who is seldom or never away from his side. For the woman who has stood beside him in the hour of victory, and now in the bitterness of humiliation, there surely must be a great deal of sympathy. For whatever might be the findings of a Royal Commission in regard to Mr. Theodore’s public life, there was never any doubt as to the affection in his home circle. Mr. and Mrs. Theodore have a very beautiful home at Kirribilli, one of the most accessible of the Sydney suburbs. Several of his boys are at Riverview College, one of the best-known Roman Catholic educational establishments in the Commonwealth. Not a few New Zealand Roman Catholics of wealth have been educated at St. Ignatius. The Community Theatre

One-act plays by Louis Esson, Furnley Maurice, Vance - Palmer and William Moore will be produced at Carrie Tannant’s Community Playhouse in August. “Moonlight,” William Moore’s work, was produced in Melbourne some years ago. A drama written by Dora Wilcox, his wife, will probably be presented at this quaint little theatre (which is really the basement of a Darlinghurst church) later in the year. I hear that “Aroha,” her Maori play, will probably be selected. Show by Hans Heysen

Hans Heysen it was who first revealed to unseeing city-dwellers like myself the real beauty of the Australian gum-trees. The little show now on exhibition at the Grosvenor Galleries in George Street is full of that beauty—soaring gums, thrusting irresistably upward like the lines of the

nave of some gigantic Gothic cathedral. Hans Heysen even shows one what a variety of colour there is in the bark of a gum. After visiting a Heysen show one could never be dull in the Australian bush. The South Australian painter has a feeling for warmth, for sunlight, for an intensity of heat, which fedr other painters in this country can emulate. Among the pictures in the collection, which, though comparatively small, is of wonderful quality, is “Souvinir de Malma.son,” a still-life owned by Wilhelm Backhaus, the pianist. Architect Knight’s Bankruptcy Sir Charles Rosenthal, who returned to Sydney from the war a major-gen-eral. appeared in the Bankruptcy Court this week for examination. In private life Sir Charles (who was also knighted for his war services) is an architect. He attributed his failure to the depressed condition of the building trade. Fees, this last year, he said, had not approximated more than £250. A New Evening Journal Dame Rumour is busy these days with the names of well-known Sydney men likely to be associated with the proposed new evening newspaper. Sir James Murdoch has been suggested as a possible chairman of directors of the new company. If sufficient capital can be obtained at the present time for such a purpose—and that is extremely problematical—it is said that the paper will whole-heartedly support the National Party’s cause. The reason for such a suggestion is probably due to the fact that the Associated Newspapers (the “Sun” combine) has been particularly kind to the Australian Party of Mr. W. M. Hughes. —ERIC RAMSDEN.