CONTRAST IN SOCIAL LIFE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 29, 3 August 1939, Page 18

CONTRAST IN SOCIAL LIFE

It is interesting •to recall the social life in Sydney in 1791 as compared with this year, when the Duke of Kent with his Duchess will, come to Australia as the first Royal GovernorGeneral of our Commonwealth, states "The Sydney Morning Herald."

In 1791 Mrs. John Macarthur did not have a single woman to associate with except the clergyman's wife, with whom she had nothing in common..

. Her pleasures consisted in studying the strange animal, bird, insect and flower life, and learning from Captain Dawes and Captain Tench a little astronomy and botany.

Later when Mrs. Parker, wife of the commander of the Gargon, and the wife of one bf the Agents of Transport, arrived in the small colony they frequently made up parties and went boating-,to various -.inlets of. the. Hai>, bour, taking refreshments with them, and dining out under the gum trees overlooking some 'beautiful stretch of Port Jackson.

How different is the scene one hundred and forty-eight years later. To-day there are hundreds of accomplished Australian women for the "Duchess to associate with, and a varied and unique assortment of pleasures in store for them, from kangaroo hunting to dancing. '.'.'.'