EXPERIENCES IN SYDNEY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 477, 4 June 1890, Page 3

EXPERIENCES IN SYDNEY.

LETTER FROM AN AUCKLAND MERCHANT. Writing to a friend in Auckland, a local businessman says:—“My impressions of Sydney since arrival have been profound ; its magnitude, its public buildings, enormous shops and warehouses, and its wonderful harbour and parks, all have been more than I have expected, reminding me in many respects more of London than any place I have seen. George-sbreeb, Pitt, King, and several other streets, are almost impassable on account of the foot and vehicular traffic, The Hotel Metropole, or more correctly speaking, Coriee Palace, is simply gorgeously gob up. Seven storeys high, and lit throughout with electricity, velvet pile carpets on all the landings, bathrooms, tiled sides and floors, and liveried servants are to be seen on all hands. Of course, a lift i 3 in constant use, nob only here, bub in every building and store of any importance. Numbers of public buildings, newspaper offices, and big shops, are all thus lit up, indeed all round one feels that in New Zealand we are far behind in many, and most matters. Unlike ours, the trams are in themselves a novel surprise, steam being the motive power, and sometimes you see two, three, and even four carriages attached to an engine with 200 or more passengers. Accidents of course are frequent, and because they belong to Government, they seem to peg away regardless how they interfere with life and limb of man and beast,

'‘As I go about the streets I meet numbers of faces familiar to me as Aucklanders. At one time, to those to whom I have spoken, the inquiry as to how they like living in Sydney, the reply has invariably been: ‘Give me Auckland with one meal a day, in preference to life in Sydney, living at express speed,’ Hundreds are out of employment. It seems absolute cruelty for you who can reach the public ear, to lot anyone come here at present. I was present at a meeting of unemployed the other morning, and to hear the tale of suffering and to see the pinched starved looks on the faces of strong able men, is a eight I sha’n’t forget. This meeting resulted in accommodation being provided in a shed at Fort Macquarie, and a loaf and a quarter of a pound of cheese as a daily ration to the 150 men who were glad to get bare shelter from the pouring rain and cold. I noticed at 2 o’clock a.m. the other morning in Hyde Park, several were crouched on a seat, while others seek the shelter of gateways, and the steps of public buildings, and on the Circular Quay. This is no exaggerated statement, bub absolute fact; and I. am told things are even worse in Melbourno. With us in Auckland, a man out of employment may clear out to the gumfields and exist, but hero he ipqst stfok in Sydney, or starve, flo cqyntry districts likely to afford him employment, except by doing a long i ourney of many miles. Another and most important feature is : that notwithstanding the fact of New South Wales being free trade, I have again and again proved to my own satisfaction, that things are generally speaking as cheap with us as here. House rent is very high, and houses everywhere crowded together in solid terraces, familiar to us who have lived in old county towns. “ I have been shown over the dens of Sydney as seen by nighb—of course under escort. Generally Bpeaking the Chinamen are a fearfully demoralising element here. My experience of a night among Chinese gambling and opium dens was something never to be forgotten.

“ I cannot advise onr Auckland people to come over here to better themselves. Unless you have plenty of cash to spend you are nowhere.”