HEIFETZ LOVES AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3864, 3 April 1928, Page 37

HEIFETZ LOVES AUSTRALIA.

GRANDEST COUNTRY SEEN. FIVE-GUINEA BRANDY. NEW YORK, March 16. After a world tour of two years and a-half Jascha Heifetz has returned to New York. He is convinced .that Australia is the grandest" country he has been in. His sincerity was proved -because he made the remark not knowing that an Australian correspondent ■ was present. The violinist was particularly impressed by the love and knowledge of music of the Australians and the distances they would travel to hear concerts. Australians, he said, more than most, demand the best programmes. Heifetz everywhere in Australia and New Zealand found the greatest hospitality, kindness, and appreciation. He recalled gratefully the fact that in Perth the transcontinental train was held up for three hours to enable his audience to catch it. ■ He recalled less gratefully' that the train was crowded, and necessitated three passengers being put in each compartment. The third in his compartment insisted on smoking the oldest and strongest pipe imaginable. Heifetz was amazed by the number of Australians who brought treasured old violins to show him and to obtain his advice on the selling of them. None was genuine, although he examined scores—ls in Perth alone. The highest spot in his visit to Australia and New Zealand came at Dunedin, where Heifetz found two bottles of Napoleon 1811 brandy displayed at his hotel —the Grand Hotel. Hardly daring to believe his dazzled eyes, he purchased the bottles for £5 5s each, and nobly refrained from drinking their contents until he returned to the. United States. He planned to keep the brandy for medicinal purposes, not believing that the ' American authorities would interfere with such precious antique liquor. Heifetz took the bottles ashore at Honolulu in a little package under his arm. His distress was boundless. He still treasures, the hair which in his rage he tore from his head because the prohibition authorities made him pour the brandy down a sink. Heifetz hopes to make another tour of Australia soon. . He thinks of sending a cable message to that Dunedin hotel asking the proprietor to reserve for him another bottle of Napoleon brandy.