Melbourne

Southland Times, Issue 25306, 8 June 1935, Page 16

Melbourne

A TRAVEL TALK. “When we arrived in Melbourne on Saturday, March 9, the Centenary was not over; but most of the important events such as the air race and tennis championships were things of the past,” said Miss M. W. Rein, Gala street, in the course of an interview with a Times reporter. Miss Rein returned recently from an extended holiday in Australia accompanied by her sister, Miss O. Rein. “There was no big area set aside as for the Dunedin Exhibition; but different places of interest were made accessible to visitors. For instance, every Friday at two o’clock a display, which was open to the public, was given by the Fire Brigade. Unfortunately the day we went we were late but what little we saw made us realize what an efficient body of men was guarding the welfare of the city. “Although Saturday was extremely hot we went to Flemington to see the Australian Cup. There we saw on our first day on Australian soil several Southlanders. It was astounding the way one was always running across New Zealanders one knew. In fact one met more than in the North Island of New Zealand. The bookmakers, with their big umbrellas, fascinated us. “The following morning as we were within easy walking distance we visited the Fitzroy Gardens. Among the many beautiful trees there was one called the Fairy Tree, which had gnomes, rabbits, fairies, kangaroos and elves carved on it. This work had been done as a hobby by a woman, who from time to time had come back and carved a little more. Situated in the grounds was Captain Cook’s cottage, each stone of which was brought out from England. In the glasshouse was to be seen a display of magnificent begonias. “One Friday evening we went to the Victorian markets', where all kinds of commodities, but chiefly cakes, produce, fruit of all kinds and fish, were vended. The fish greeted us at the door but a little further on we saw more cake, fruit and vegetables than it was possible to imagine. Here, too, there were a few Chinese selling fruit whereas in the fruit shops and on the barrows mostly were to be found Italians. The numerous flowers which made an attractive display were varied and very reasonable. The birds also greatly interested us, the love birds being very cheap. Hanging up everywhere were notices, ‘Beware of Pickpockets,’ so that we realized we were in Australia and not New Zealand. An occasional policeman was to be seen but the cosmopolitan crowd was very orderly. Fruit, especially grapes, for which we paid twopence, threepence and fourpence a pound, was plentiful and cheap. “One Saturday we booked with the Pioneer Tourist Company for a day trip via the Acheron Way and Black Spur. The bush throughout this drive was lovely,•’’there being thirty-one miles of it. There were plenty of fems, these being topped by gums and beech trees of enormous height. In the bush, which was very dense, lurked numerous snakes. A halt for lunch was made at Warburton which was a,favourite week-end place of Victorians. Thence we were driven to Marysville where we were taken to view the picturesque Stevenson Falls. En route to Warburton we passed through Lilydale where Dame Nellie Melba was bom, and returning we passed the gates of her late residence. This drive must have been a particularly beautiful one in the spring with all the wattle in bloom. “There were two questions we were invariably asked, ‘Had we been to Myer’s and had we -seen the Shrine. The Myer Emporium was the largest store to be seen in Australia. We found that after several visits we had seen but a tiny portion of it. However, a friend advised us to ask at the inquiry counter whether we could be shown over the store. We did so and found that on the fifth floor, where the office was situated, there was an information and tourist bureau. This department, which had been inaugurated during the Centenary, was in the capable hands of a Miss Goske. At this bureau one would obtain particulars regarding any trips round Melbourne and could also book from there, for Miss Goske was in direct telephonic communication with Pioneer, Government and other tourist bureaux in Melbourne. Through her, we booked for the Acheron Way and for our transport by motor from Melbourne to Sydney via Canberra. She also arranged .with the shipping company in Melbourne for our passage back to New Zealand from Sydney. Besides this we discovered she would also make arrangements for visits of inspection to hospitals, kindergartens or other places of interest. She also had plans of the different entertainments, such as the ‘Rhapsodies of 1935’ and the opera ■The Flying Dutchman.’ Nearby on a

table were to be seen weekly papers from various States of Australia, English, American papers and the Auckland Weekly News from New Zealand. It would be to the advantage of anyone who was visiting Melbourne for the first time and who had not numbers of friends to consult Miss Goske in Myer’s. She provided us and several more New Zealanders with a store guide. Thus we were enabled to see the departments of greatest interest and also some that otherwise would not have been available to us.

“The Myer Emporium has only been in existence since 1911, so that in the late Sydney Myer, who died recently leaving a Victorian estate of £922,000, there was a case of one of the most meteoric rises in history. At one time he was peddling goods round the country. He foresaw the, fall of the market in U.S.A, and disposed of large shareholdings in American concerns just before the Wall Street crash. He brought the proceeds to Australia, thus benefiting by the exchange. In their one hundred and fifty-eight departments Myer’s supply almost every human need. There are three dining and tea rooms on the sixth floor, Bourke street, a cafetaria in Lonsdale street and a quick service tea room on the ground floor, Bourke street, a Delicatessen Department, chemist shop and optical parlours, post office, antique department, library and a creche where mothers can leave their babies when shopping and even an antenatal clinic in connection with it Once there were ninety babies left in the creche. The above-mentioned were only a few of the departments. “What amazed us most was the hospital for the use of the staff. This was divided into two small wards—one for the men and one for the women. There were two nurses and a lady doctor in attendance, the nurses all the time and the doctor for four hours a day, for which she received £l2 a week. All accidents and sickness except most serious hospital cases were treated here and as many as one hundred and sixty patients had passed through the hospital in one day. There were beds in each section where those ill were accommodated and where also the members of the staff coul rest. In connection with the hospital there was the Myer Rest Home in Dandenong Hills, where those convalescent and unable to afford a holiday were sent at the expense of the firm. We were shown into the kitchen, where everything was scrupulously clean and worked by electricity and there was even a laundry. In the music hall the walls were decorated with panels painted with his left hand by Napier Waller because he had lost his right hand during the war. Myer’s comprised twenty eight acres, had forty lifts and 6600 employees. “Travellers from Melbourne to Sydney have the choice of four routes — boat, train, the Prince’s Highway and the Hume Highway ..(both by car). We chose the Hume Highway because we wanted to see Canberra. This was a three-day trip, which we thoroughly enjoyed because each day the weather was a little warmer than the previous one, and after the cold weather of Melbourne it was pleasant to bask once more, in the sunshine. The first day we lunched at Karkeek Hotel, Moa, while shortly after we passed by Morgan Hill, where the Kelly gang had their stronghold. After a short halt at Wangaratta for afternoon tea, we left for Albufy, which we reached about half past five. At night we were driven to the Albury War Memorial which stood on a hill three hundred and twenty-six feet high, and was one hundred and twenty-four feetin height and cost £2OOO. When Pall and Parmentier were lost a wireless operator flashed Albury in Morse code on the monument and so guided the aviators to safety. About four miles from the memorial the pyjama girl was found. As we were late leaving Albury next morning and also had a blow-out, it was almost two before we reached Gundigai for lunch. At Gundigai there was a monument to a dog, which was unveiled by Mr Lyons. In the early days a labourer used to go to the hotel and become intoxicated. His dog waited outside and guarded his food box When we reached Jass we had to change both car and drivers, so that it was about six o’clock when we reached Canberra.

(To be continued next Saturday.)