SAN FRANCISCO LIFE.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 4018, 7 June 1920, Page 3

SAN FRANCISCO LIFE.

HIGH COST OF LIVING

A Dunedin gentleman at present in San Francisco; writing under date April 17, gives some interesting sidelights on conditions -there. In the course of his letter he says:— "In Canada it was* fairly easy to get drink, but in San Francisco it is much more difficult. You can get a pint of whisky by paying a doctor three dollars ior the whisky—that is, 23a for a pint. The cabarets keep , open practically «11 night, but the dancing finishes at 1 a.m. I guess little New Zealand would have their eyes opened could they see conic of the eights, ,but everything is much quieter uncfer Prohibition. Prohibition does not eeem likely to last, but I don't think they will ever get wJ(|sky back or the gaiopns. Householders will ' probably be able to keep bee* or light .wines in their homes. There is no doubt that the drug habit has got a tremendous hold of the people. Thousands are drinking methylated spirits (wood alcohol).' Another drink is made out of Jamaica ginger. This contains about 90 per cent, alcohol, whioh is not noticed unless abstracted by some process the people are getting hold of. cost of living is the limit. To go to an hotel or a cafe for a meal will cost you at least 7s 6d. One slice of roast beef is 3s Id, an 3of course all vegetables are extra. A friend of mine took four of us out to dinner and it cost him just on £5 for an ordinary dinner,. andj, of course, no wine. Tipping here is a curse. You tip at least 10 per cent, for every, meal, and if you don't tip the word goes round, and you jflon't get much attention. "I went last night td a show called 'Ladies First, , which was very good. You should bear theijazz bands. They would make the biggest clodhopper in the worldi dance like a fairy. Picture i shows are palatial. One I went to see seats 15,000, has an orchestra of 50, and a tremendous organ". The keyboard and organist are hidden below the stage, and then a button is pressed, and the whole .show gradually rises Until it is level with the stage, the organist playing all the time. At night the -streets are a blaze of electrio lights and signs in all directions. is not much scope here for. clerks and such people, but unskilled labour'is getting fabulous wages. A ' man working a steam shovel below our window is getting 15dol. or over £3 per day, There is a railway strike on ijtist now, and they want from sdol to Sdol increase per day."