THE MELBOURNE CENTENARY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21320, 13 November 1934, Page 11

THE MELBOURNE CENTENARY

NEW ZEALAND VISITORS RETURN ENTHUSIASM EXPRESSED ITIIE MESS Special Service.l WELLINGTON, November 12. One of the gayest scenes possible in the intercolonial tourist traflb >vas presented by the Monowai when, her decks vividly sunlit, she lied up at her Wellington berth this ifternoon with 331 passengers on board, more than 100 of whom represented part of the New Zealand ontingent returning from the Melbourne Centenary festivities. The passengers were enthusiastic over he way Melbourne had welcomed ihem. The one general complaint made was over the weather. In five weeks up to the time the Monowai '.eft, it was stated, there were barely ;even completely fine days. On Melbourne Cup day there was very icavy rain.

"Very lively," was the description o[ one man when he was asked how • he city was reacting to its birthday. The population it had had in the last lew weeks had been just about as much as it could hold. At many of tiie hotels people who had not booked in for the air race week and later for the cup week were turned out.

Much Money Spent "Financially everything has been booming," he said. "A lot of money is being spent. Everything has suddenly become pretty dear, though. For instance a taxi in Sydney costs 6d a mile and in Melbourne it is Is 6d a mile; but the people don't seem to be afraid of paying." "Melbourne seemed to be half full of New. Zealanders," said another passenger. "In many instances they met and went about together in crowds." By another some comment was made on the Melbourne Cup, and he quoted fancy figures to show how high individual betting ran. At the Victoria Sporting Club, that is, Melbourne's equivalent of Tattersalls, from the day before the race, bets were laid totalling up to £400,000. No cheques were allowed, and all bets had to be met with hard cash. The highest bet he saw made there was on the night before the race. It was £SOOO to £IOOO. On the race day he heard a bookmaker quote a bet of £llOO to £BOO that had just been made.

A Great Success The celebrations were a great success—they were wonderfully well arranged, and revealed a great deal of organising capacity on the part of the Melbourne people, commented Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P., Mayor of Cbristchurcb, when interviewed. Mr Sullivan was one of the official guests of the Centenary Council. "The illuminations and decorations were very successful. In fact, I would not be surprised if they constituted the greatest electrical display in the world's history," he continued. "Both by the council and by the National and Empire Centenary Association, which also made myself and other visiting members of Parliament its guests, we were given every possible courtesy. I "think also that every visitor will agree with me that nothing was left undone by the city in its consideration for all the visitors from New Zealand."