A New Zealander in Sydney Town

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1049, 13 August 1930, Page 8

A New Zealander in Sydney Town

THE BUS'S Sydney Correspondent SYDNEY* August 7. Sydney Harbour Bridge Sydney siders had their first real glimpse of the famous bridge this week. Not that they had not previously viewed it from every possible angle for months past. This was the first occasion, however, that a public inspection was permitted. The gigantic structure dominates the city. One views it from the most unexpected places. To my surprise the other day I found that the gigantic arms reaching heavenward were visible from La Perouse. More than 19,000 persons took advantage of the invitation of Messrs. Dorman, Long and Company, Limited, to visit the works. The maj ority, naturally, were souvenir-hunt-ers. It was estimated that about 300 tons of steel shavings and other material of no particular value were removed by the visitors. The contractors insisted upon a small charge for admission, with the result that different city charities benefited to the extent of £BSO. At Work on Last Panel The inspection was a revelation. Standing close up to the mighty members of the arch was vastly different from viewing them from a distance. It was only when one saw the huge centre-hanger, 192 feet long, lying in the shops ready for use at the appointed time, that one realised the magnitude of the engineers’ task. Within a very short time now the northern and southern spans will have met. For that important occasion the designer, Mr. Ralph Freeman, has arrived from England. Such good progress has been made with the bridge, as a matter of fact, that he had to hurry his departure from London. All Sydney is now awaiting the completion of tils task, which, after all, is one of the great engineering feats of the century. Dulcie Deamer's Hula Xew Zealanders have been so accustomed to hearing of Dulcie Deamer as a prodigy that it comes as rather a surprise to find her the mother of six children and on the perilous side of 40. The New Zealand writer, however, is remarkably youthful, vivacious and good to look upon, and is possessed of a joie de vivre which is not very conspicuous in many of her countrymen—and countrywomen. I watched Dulcie Deamer the other night at a Playbox cabaret. She danced a hula. I have never k jown a European woman manage the sinuous movements that came so naturally to Dulcie. But then, as she subsequently explained, she had been taught by a real Hawaiian. It was the real hula hula—not the rather insipid wriggling and waggling that so often passes for it. Whatever Dulcie Deamer interests herself in she does very thoroughly. The cabaret was a decided success. In addition to Dulcie’s dance (which was really the bright spot of a particularly bright evening), Mel Ward appeared in several sketches with Duncan MacDougall, and amused us with one of his eccentric dances. Before Mel becamed really enamoured of Crustacea, he was a professional dancer. On this occasion, though, he remembered that the floor was solid, and did not land on his head with rather disastrous consequences as he once did. Mel Ward incidentally leaves by the Ventura at the week-end for the museums of the United States and Europe, where he will be able to study crabs to his heart’s content. Allan Wilkie As Bligh A chance meeting with Mr. Allan Wilkie, the actor, in a city cafe recently, informed me as to the reason why he decided to try his luck with an Australian play. “We will have to get them in somehow,” declared Mr. Wilkie. The erstwhile devotee of the Bard, referred, of course, to the pu | : c —these days, one might well add, a most capricious body from the entertainment point of view. Nevertheless. the success of Doris Egertou Jones’ “Governor Bligh” is assured. The drama attracted a splendid opening audience. Patronage has been excellent ever since. It was Miss Jones (Mrs. Callaghan), who collaborated with the late Emelie Polini in “The Flaw.” It is now safe to say that Miss Jones did the bulk of the work. If she has done nothing else in “Governor Bligh,” she has certainly rattled a few family skeletons in the cupboards of some of the oldest families in this State. Governor Bligh has not until now, been presented in what many consider to be his true light. Rather have we fondly imagined him to have been an intolerant old martinet, resentful of advice or criticism. In this drama, however, the Governor, though blustering and boisterous, is essentially human, and in fighting the rum-selling military nabobs (who subsequently arrested him), in the interests of the stricken colonists, Bligh certainly has one’s sympathies. Seated behind me the other evening was the direct descendant of one of the principals in the historic arrest of the Governor who was cashiered for the part he took in the imprisonment of Bligh. The production, naturally, has aroused the keenest interest in Sydney. Illness of the Chief Justice Presumably the Prime Minister (Mr. Scullin) has postponed the question of an Australian Governor-Gen-eral until he confers with the other Dominions’ representatives at the Imperial Conference. It is more than likely, as a matter of hard fact, that he is too busy to think of it as he is so much occupied these days with Sir Otto Xiemeyer, the financial authority from the Bank of England. Yet the matter is certainly not shelved. The recent illness of the Chief Justice, Sir Isaac Isaacs, at Brisbane, revived interest in the matter. The Chief Justice is an old man—well in his middle 70's. His health though until recently has been surprisingly good. Nevertheless, his medical adviser decided in view of the long journey from the north, that Sir Isaac should rest for a few days before he resumed his seat on the High Court Bench.. . . ... Mr. Bruce Returning from Europe It is expected that the former Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce, accompanied by his wife, will leave England for Australia about, September 27. Mr. Bruce has not been idle since his departure from these shores, although he has enjoyed his first real holiday for years. He has carefully studied the problems of other countries, particularly Britain, Prance and Germany, and hopes to bring back a mass of information that will be useful later on. Mr. Bruce and his wife found time to see the Test matches and recently accompanied the Australian cricketers on their visit to Walbeclt Abbey, one of the palatial homes of the Duke of Portland. Whether he .will recontest

his old seat at Flinders is problematical. The new member. Mr. Holloway, has consolidated his position in the Victorian electorate. It might now be rather difficult to dislodge him. To risk another defeat would be more than the dignity of the ex-Prime Minister could stand. It is more likely that a "safe” party seat will be found lor Mr. Bruce elsewhere. Off to New Zealand Mr. W. P. Barnett, a popular member of the Xew Zealand Government Tourist Office staff, left Sydney yesterday by the Tahiti on a brief visit to Wellington. —ERIC RAMSDEN.