AUSTRALIA VISITED

Northern Advocate, 21 April 1933, Page 4

AUSTRALIA VISITED

WIT ANO ARF.r A PAN -lAIPREPSED.-

,SPEED E V ERYWIIERE. ARCHITECTURAL AVONDERS. Two months in Australia have convinced Air C. H. Chissell, of Hunt Street, Whangarei, that in many ways New Zealand is asleep. In comparison, he says, our traffic services are like a slow-motion picture. Mr Chissell’s lifelong connection with the iron trade and fire brigade work enabled him to glean much information which is outside the scope of reference of the average tourist.

The world is a small ]dace, and Air and Mrs Chissell encountered a frien 1 directly (hey left Auckland. The wireless operator on the Alarama was Air Ernest Heather, of the Otaika family. In Sydney tliey were escorted to many of the show places by Captain Gray, who spent last Christmas in Whangarei as the guest of his .sister, Airs \V. J. Dawson. The Bridge. Air Chissell considers that the sight of the Sydney bridge was in itself sufficient recompense for the money expended in the tour. Today one sees the giant structure, not only as a magnificent triumph of engineering genius and as a symbol of progress, but also as a thing of utility and service. While the Whangarei visitors were in Sydney the first anniversary of the official opening was celebrated. In the first year 20,000,000 passengers crossed the bridge, the revenue amounting to £420,000. Afr Chissell' was told by an influential Government personage that the total cost was over £11,000,000. The whole bulk of the Whangarei Town Hall could easily be accommodated in any one of the four solid granite pillars which support the approaches to the bridge. Harbour Sight-seeing. A trip which Afr and Mrs Chissell enjoyed on several occasions was the Sydney harbour excursion. The comfortably equipped steamers covered 03 miles in the day, touching at every point of beauty and historical interest in the harbour, the attractions being fully described by loud speakers. The charge for a wonderful day was only 2/(5. Palaces and Beggars. The Sydney Commonwealth Bank, which cost £1,000,000, and the State Theatre, which was so elaborate that it made the best New Zealand entertainment house look rather insignificant wore amazing things of beauty, but their extravagant elaborateness seemed to represent a tremendous waste ofmoney,. On the other side of the medal was the Botany Bay monument, commemorating the arrival of Captain Cook there IG3 years ago This- was u disgrace to the State. Beggars pestered the travellers in every Sydney street, and men and women played musical instruments of which nothing could be heard in the roar of the traffic. The Alasonic Club, which stands ten storeys high and cost £250,000 to build, was another place which Afr I Chissell was privileged tn inspect. The general public may see the wonders of the Royal Arch Free Afasonry Egyptian Room, which is a marvel of ancient artistry.

At the Garden Island Government naval base the visitors were escorted by a detective and among other things saw torpedoes under repair. They were told that the firing of one of these missiles cost the State £ISOOO. Old Friends. While Mr and Mrs Chissell were in Sydney they were the guests of Mr and Mrs Herman Lange, who have the “Oriental Private Hotel’' at Cremorne. The bridge can be scon from the dining table and lounge. Mr Lange will be .remembered, as the conductor of comic operas and musical performances in Whangarei 20 years ago. Melbourne in a Hurry.

Most impressive of the sights of Melbourne to Mr Chissell was the Flinders iStreet railway station, said to be the busiest for its size in the world. There are .15 platforms for the electric underground service, and each week 759 S trains depart. The rush hour scene in the vicinity of the station is that >f 130,000 human beings pushing towards the one objective. All traffic in the wide streets has to be suspended from 5 p.m. to (> p.m. The underground trains travel at 52 miles' per hour an cl propelled by a .1(580 hp.h. engine attain this speed in 11 .seconds, the doors are never closed, and all an intending suicide would require to do would be to step outside. Cheap Communication.

Tram travelling was very cheap, and in Sydney the tourists travelled ton miles for 4d. The Xew Zealand railway service does not compare at all favourably with that of Australia, according to Mr Chissell. The 000-milc journey between Sydney and Melbourne cost only £2 bV return, and was accomplished in IS hours. The train travelled at a speed never below ">(.) miles per hour, and sometimes touched 73. Stopping places wore 80 miles apart. Huge Shops. The. Melbourne warehouses were a revelation to the visitors. The building of Grace Bros, to quote one of a do/on, had as big a street frontage as the whole of Cameron Street block from Hosking’s corner to the Settlers’ Hotel. The floor space is spoken of in terms of acres, not feet, and the stock carried is worth millions of pounds, Fire-Fighting. . Mr Chissell was very interested to visit the East Melbourne Fire Station, the clearing house for all brigade work in Victoria. The station workshops

covered as large an area as that of ,the Whangarel Engineering Company, and manufactured- every fire-fighting - requirement except chassis.

From this station 32 miles of rmlined canvas hose have been distributed throughout the State. Every Friday a demonstration of the uses of all firefighting appliances is given, and attended by school children brought in from a radius of 100 miles. The brigade has its own band, and firemen carry out physical drill to the strains of music. . Road to Recovery. Business men and others with whom Mr Chissell conversed were definitely of opinion that Australia had weathered the storm, and that the march of economic progress has already recommenced.