PARIS OF THE EAST.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16092, 4 April 1923, Page 6

PARIS OF THE EAST.

AUCKLANDER IN SHANGHAI. A CITY OF CONTRASTS. "The most cosmopolitan place imaginable; it is known as the Paris of the East, and! that ift.no misnomer either,' ivrites Mr. Harry Millard, of Auckland, from Shanghai, whither he went worshipping the shrine of Rugby in an effort to promote a Chinese Rugby team for a tour of Australasia, and remains for the moment praying for a chance to acquaint hia countrymen in the Antipodes with a team of Chinese soccer players an tour. Proceeding to deal with 'the Eastern Paris, he writes:—"The night life here is wonderful. The cabarets and cafes arc worthy of a place ten times its population. One place in particular is especially worthy of mention—the New Carl ton.. It is a cinema, cafe, dining room, and cabaret combined. One could coonpare it very favorably with the Trocad'ero in London. It is most elaborate, and appears much too big for the population, but it is a veritable goldmine. Then there are numerous cithers not quite so large, but the smallest much bigger than Auckland's Dixieland. Some are open, until daylight; the first to close is at 2 a.m., others at 4 a.m., and! yet others do not close at all." LIVING EVERY MINUTE.

The licensing laws are very lax. All through you may obtain anything from water to absinthe from the bar'ran in connection witli Hie place. The whoie place is overrun.,,with Chinese servants, who d'o everything but think for you. The whole city is a scene of unbridled gaiety. Every, hotel has its own orchestra (jazz) at meals, andl its own ballroom. Dinner is not commenced] until 7.30 and gcea on, until 10.30, when supper u? introduced, and obtainable at any time thereafter. The whojc population must vie with each other in living every minute of their time. The life is very obvious and the onlooker sees most of the game. It appears to me there are no half measures; you must either bei in it, or else stay out altogether. One may obtain spirits ancK all liquors at ail chemists. Cinemas and theatres don't commence until 9.30 p.m., abd' an interval at midnight is quite common." EXILED RUSSIANS. "There is quite a vast number of Russians here, wcll-tc+do and otherwise, but mostly otherwise.. They drift down to this place in large numbers. One may sea at all times men.in uniform, down at heel ; unkempt, uncaredl for, remnant o' armies, destitute, fed by famine committees here. Tho aftermath, or rather the presence of tho war, is very marked. Officers in uniforms which were once gay, and called' for respect and! the salute, looked upon with indifference, unci sometimes with pity. What an ending! No country, no home, no friends, no kith or kin ! It is very sijd. I sometimes get into conversation.with as many as I can understand. I have spoken to many well learned, wh« hold rank, and have asked them to give me tbear opinion as to what the outcome is going to be. Tliey can't give an opinion. Thev are hopeless, dejected, and cannot foresee what will eventuate. One man plainly told mo that Russia was waiting to he saved' if sound country more fortunate than herself cared to save her. Howover, her destiny is in the lap of the god's, andl time alone will prove what her future will be.".