GLOOMY PICTURE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 54, 27 November 1929, Page 10

GLOOMY PICTURE

AUSTRALIA FEELING PINCH OF BAD TIMES IMPRESSIONS OF A NEW ZEALANDER Dominion Special Service. Auckland, November 2(1 Further reports of industrial depression in Australia are brought back to New Zealand by Mr. G. W. Hutchison, a well-known Auckland accountant and member of the City Council, who returned from a business visit to Sydney by the Ullmaroa to-day. All the States, except, perhaps, Western Australia, were feeling the pinch of bad times, Mr. Hutchison said. The position was so serious that one large Melbourne firm was even advertising a “depression sale.” “Business in Sydney is in a very bad way,” said Mr. Hutchison. “There has been a bad season for production, and at present the Commonwealth Is working on a bank overdraft in London of £20,000,000, at six per cent. There appears to be no solution of the financial difficulty.”

Traffic Control in Sydney. Traffic control in Sydney seemed to become more difficult every day, Mr Hutchison continued. It had been found that a comprehensive scheme of street widening was imperative, and this was costing literally millions. The opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge would provide the city with .another traffic problem, as it would mean the concentration of continuous streams of traffic on two spots. “In Auckland we should lose no opportunity of catering for future traffic developments,” Mr. Hutchison said. “Plenty of road space is essential, and we should provide' it now. If we wait much longer the cost of widening streets will become enormous. City property values cannot be expected to stand still. • “While I was in Australia I made an unsuccessful attempt to get into touch with the Commonwealth Government on the question of deposits required from visitors to Australia and New Zealand on cars brought with them for their private use. The system is manifestly wrong, and though the National Roads and Motor Association of New South Wales is eager to have it dropped, I think that an active campaign must be made from this side.

For Crippled Children.

“The Sydney Rotary Club is just embarking on a great work,” said Mr. Hutchison. “It has arranged to have every crippled child in Sydney examined by leading surgeons, and when the examinations are completed efforts will be made to raise £15,000, so that every case can receive individual attention. A citizens' campaign is to be launched, directed by Sir Henry Braddon, who’ incidentally still retains his affection for New Zealand.”

Mr. Hutchison went to Sydney primarily to attend the biennial conference of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Secretaries. He has previously been president of the New Zealand division of the Institute, but on this occasion he was elected president of the entire organisation.