AUSTRALIA’S RIVAL CITIES

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1930, Page 4

AUSTRALIA’S RIVAL CITIES

MELBOURNE PROUD OF SYDNEY. “In their heart of hearts Melbourne people are proud of Sydney,” said Mr. A. Gilchrist, a tourist organiser from Melbourne, in an address at the Millions Club in Sydney recently. “They are especially proud of Sydney Harbour, the bridge and Don Bradman,” he added, amid laughter, i Mr. Gilchrist said that when the harbour bridge was opened all the world would flock to Sydney, but he hardly thought that Sydney people yet realised that. He doubted whether the city would be able to accommodate the tourists from Melbourne and all parts of the continent during the opening functions. A firm which he represented was already making bookings in Sydney for tourists, w'ho would visit the city in 1932. From a tourist point of view Sydney was incomparably the greater city, but Melbourne had the wider outlook, Mr. Gilchrist said. Melbourne tourist firms emphasised the interest attaching to tours of eight to 28 days’ duration. These brought in greater returns than week-end or day trips. Sydney’s tourist •vision was, however, bounded by three to four-day tours within easy radius of the metropolitan area. He felt sure that the increased popularity of tourist trips, which had hot been affected by the depression, should make for more extensive programmes from Sydney.