SHANDON LADIES' CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 99, 24 October 1938, Page 16

SHANDON LADIES' CLUB

The L.G.U. played at Shandon over the weekend was won by Mrs. W. 'Ryan, with 78 net.

COST OF LIVING

IT HITS THE SYDNEY ZOO

I The high cost of living is becoming a serious problem. It has reached the zoo, where the camel eats its own bed if there is nothing else handy, and when the elephant takes a bath the Water Board complains about the shortage of water, says the Sydney correspondent of the Melbourne "Age." Now that horses are getting scarcer and scarcer .and travel to the country to die, the lions are on a sparse diet and are feeling the pinch of poverty owing to the high price of meat, which has to be provided, even when the butchers are on strike. Possibly the animals have been put ; on a limited diet, and for this reason they are not showing that terrible manner which even animals in an enclosure can assume in order to show off their qualities. And because the animals are getting quite poverty-stricken the public have been staying away, ten thousand each year refusing to click sixpences on the turnstiles. In 1934 680,720 paid for admission, and during the financial, or statistical, year, that has just closed 656,000, which means that 56,000 declined to go to the Zoo last year and there was a falling off in the 6d admisisons of £1400 in a few years. "It's the high cost of feeding the animals," says the Zoo authorities. "But we'll settle that. We'll put another 3d on the price of admission, and we'll get another £8000 and put the animals on fare that will make them so wild that their roarings will be heard afar off. Some people say that they would sooner stay away rather than pay 9d to see a few hungry animals. But the Zoo Trust know their public. The first fine holiday will see them all there throwing peanuts to the monkeys. The trust would do well to examine the 'cause of the falling off in. attendance. It will be found that since 1934 hiking has taken the foremost place in openiair attractions, and they might plan a hiking tour in their own grounds. Walking tours in the Zoo, where prizes could be offered for the quickest hike !in four. six. eight hours would bring ithe bush '---rrters back to the.fold.