NO CHAMPAGNE NOW

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 104, 27 January 1931, Page 16

NO CHAMPAGNE NOW

Sydney’s Dinner Tables

“Champagne is seldom seen on a din-, nor table in Sydney in these days,” said Mr. J. C. Hardley. of Auckland, who returned to that city, by the Maunganui. “Things are very hard over there and the visitor is particularly struck with the slackness in the hotel trade. Places which in normal times have 150 guests are lucky now to have 25,” he said. Mr. Hardley. who was accompanied by his wife, spent several weeks on holiday in Sydney. , . Another thing that greatly increases the visitor to Sydney, according to Mr. Hardley, is the number of men—men who have,obviously known better times ——who are now about the streets practically begging for food. Asked if he thought the present depression showed any signs of lifting, Mr. Hardley said that opinions differed. Many peo T ' I '' believed that bottom had been reached, but a manager of a bank had told him that the depression would yet become worse. The Australian public as a whole was firmly convinced that things would right themscives eventually. “The aerial mail service, from Sydney to other parts of Australia is wonderfully well organised,” remarked Mr. Hardley. “Every morning, on the tick of eight o’clock, you hear the buzz of the mail plane leaving for Brisbane. The punctuality of the services is so good that people living near the aerodome can set their clocks and watches by the time of the arrival and departure ot the planes.”