PARIS OF THE EAST

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 71, 23 March 1923, Page 9

PARIS OF THE EAST

AUCKLAJVDER IN SHANGHAI. A C'ITV OF CONTRACTS. - Hie most cosmopolitan place imaginable: ,( , s known as the Paris of the '■-"st. an I that is ~o misnomer either." writes Mr. Harry Millard. of Auckland, from 5im,,.;;,,,!. whiu.cr ,„• went worshipping at the shrine of Kujj-hy i M !U1 ofiort to promote a Chinese Hughy team •<>r a four of Australasia, and remains or the moment praying for the chance to acquaint Ins countrymen in tile Antipodes will, a team of Chinese soccer players on tour. Proceeding to deal with the hastern Paris. ]~. write-- - -The night life here is wonderful. The eal.aretx and cafes are worthy of a place ten times its population. <>'~,• place in particular is ..specially worthy of mention the New Cnrlton. It is a cinema, cafe. (lining room, and cabaret combined One could compare, i, very favourably with lin< Troeadero in London. It is iiifM elaborate, and appears much too 'big for the population, hut ii is a veritable -o|,|mine. Then there are numerous others not quite so large, but the -mallest much bigger than Auckland's Dixieland. Some arc open until daylight; the first to close is at 2 a.m., others at 4 a.m.. and yet others do not close at all."

; i.ivixc k\!.;;v miniti-:. . J The licensing laws arc very lax. All ..through you may obtain anything from 'water to absinthe from the'bar run in .connection with the place. The whole ! place is overrun with Chinese servants, who do everything 'but think for you. The whole city is a scene of unbridled gaiety. Every hotel bus it* own orchestra (jazz) at meals, and its own ballroom. Dinner is not commenced until 7.:i0. and goes on until 10..'>(). when supper is introduced, and obtainable at any time thereafter. The whole population must vie with each other in living every minute of their time. The life is very obvious, and the onlooker sees most of the garni , . It appears to mc there are no half measures: you must either be .in it. or rise stay out altogether. One I may oibtain spirits and all liquors at all chemists. Cinemas and theatres don't I commence until !).3O p.m.. and an interI val at midnight is quite common.' , ! EXILED RUSSIANS'. < ■■There is quite a vast number of i Russians here, well-to-do imd otherwise, I but mostly otherwise. They drift down Ito this place in large numlicrs. One j may see at all times men in uniform. I down at heel, unkempt, uncared for. ! remnant of armies, destitute, fed by ! famine committees bore. The aftermath, j or rather the presence of the war. is very marked. Officers in uniforms which . were once ,gay, and called for r-'speel and the salute, looked upon with indifference, and sometimes with pity. . What an ending! No country, no home, no friends, no kith or kin!' It is very | sad. I sometimes get into conversationl with as many as I can mid<?r«tnud. 1 have spoken to many well learned, who held rank, and have asked them to give mc their opinion as to what the outcome is going to br. They can't jrivp an opinion. They are hope-less, dejected, and cannot foresee what will eventuate. One man plainly told mc that Russia was waiting to bo saved if some country more fortunate than herself cared to save her. « However, her destiny is in the lap of the gods, and time alone will . prove what her future will "be."