MELBOURNE EN FETE

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1934, Page 8

MELBOURNE EN FETE

MR. AND MRS. O. COX’S VISIT. THRILL OF THE CUP RACE. Experiences during an extended visit to Australia were narrated to a Daily News reporter by Mr. and Mrs. Oney Cox, Hawera. Mr. Cox, who is a well-known racehorse trainer, spent between three and four months at Sydney and Melbourne, and was some weeks later joined by Mrs. Cox. They were at Melbourne for the Cup meeting at Flemington, the finish of the centenary air race, the visit of the Duke of Gloucester and the opening of the national war memorial. “Despite heavy rain which fell before the race the Melbourne Cup meeting was a wonderful experience,” said Mrs. Cox. “We were apparently better judges of the weather than many people, as we went to the course prepared for the kind of sudden change one experiences in Taranaki. The deluge caused many people on the way to the course to turn back, and others who were drenched returned to their homes and heard the cup race over the air. We travelled to the course with friends in a car, and so great was the stream of traffic that what is usually less than half a hour’s journey occupied over two hours. The horses were not the only things that ran at the meeting. Many of the beautiful frocks were ’ streaked and shrunken by the heavy rain.. It was a great experience and the 1934 centenary Melbourne Cup will live long in our memories.”

Everything was being done to make the centenary celebrations the event of the century, continued Mrs. Cox. ’Riere were far too many events to enable visitors to see a great number of them. The Duke of Gloucester was idolised wherever he went, and she was sure that New Zealand would give him a wonderful welcome. He travelled about simply dressed and without a great deal of fuss—as far as he was concerned. The lighting effects obtained at Melbourne ■were almost indescribable. Every building was illuminated and special, towers and pylons were a blaze of light and colour . every night. They met several New Zealanders of their acquaintance, but saw only one or two Taranaki people whom they knew. The Royal Show was another event which Mr. and Mrs. Cox attended. . They were very interested in the magnificent specimens of cattle and horses, but expressed contempt for the New Zealand publicity exhibit, which, in a very small space, contained only a swordfish head, some Maori mats and carvings and a number of scenic views. “It was a great opportunity lost,” said Mrs. Cox. “One Australian woman asked me if there were many white people in New Zealand, and that exhibit would not have done much towards extending her education In the matter. New Zealand women will be pleased to know that the handcraft work exhibited at the shows at Hawera is quite as good as, and in some cases better than, the women’s work we saw exhibited at the Royal show. “We were at Flemington to see the finish of the »ir race,” said Mrs. Cox, “and will never forget the thrill of seeing Scott and Black’s Comet swoop twice across the finishing line at tremendous speed.” With so much else to do and see, she said, there was less interest in the race after the earliest competitors finished, but it was revived by the procession through the streets. The aviators, in open cars, were given a tumultuous reception, particularly the young Australian Melrose, who had just arrived and whose car was guarded by six policemen. The New Zealand representatives very popular and well received. Mi-re Jean Batten’s part in keeping up the interest in the race during its progress made them proud of being New Zealanders, said Mrs. Cox. She broadcast nightly from one of the radio stations, and from her knowledge of the route was able to give much information in a most interesting manner. “Have one of these,” said Mr. Cox, throwing down a florin on the table. The absence of the ring made the newspaper man apprehensive, and he found his suspicions that it was counterfeit justified when Mr. Cox handed it over for closer inspection. There were very many of them about, said Mr. Cox, and at places where a great deal of silver was handled there were devices for testing them. They were quite a good imitation of the genuine article. Another , event which interested Mr. and Mrs. Cox and which they attended was the opening of Melbourne’s war memorial by the Duke of Gloucester. There was reputed to be an attendance of about 300,000 people, and it was a great sight, said Mrs. Cox. The memorial was a marvellous structure.

The return trip was made on the Wanganella, which encountered a very severe storm just after leaving Sydney Heads, and both travellers agreed that it was the worst crossing they had experienced. The ship was hove-to for some time and quite a lot of damage was done on board. The experience had its humorous side, but they were glad to meet better conditions after leaving the storm area. “I thought it not too good an omen when my lifebelt came hurtling on to me from above my bed,’’ said Mrs. Cox. GENERAL ITEMS. Unemployed Relief. Assistance was given to 33 familiesin the Hawera, Okaiawa and Normanby districts on Saturday by the distribution of rations to unemployed relief workers. The following commodities were issued: Tea 171 b, flour 2201 b, sugar 1461 b, bread 84 loaves, butter 401 b, cheese 281 b, rice 411 b, oatmeal 611 b. GLAMOROUS NORMA SHEARER. APPEARANCE IN “RIPTIDE.” The glamorous Norma Shearer, more exquisitely gowned than ever, appears at the Hawera Opera House to-night in her latest romance “Riptide,” claimed to be the finest film in which Miss Shearer has ever starred. As Lady Rexford, in this triangular romance, Miss Shearer is regally superb. With the customary flare attached to a Shearer film, the star is provided with not one leading man but two. Robert Montgomery enacts the playboy friend, and Herbert Marshall is seen as the more sober-minded husband. Mrs. Patrick Campbell heads the impressive supporting cast as an eccentric dowager. Lilyan Tashman is Norma’s sister. Other important roles are in the capable hands of such sterling players as Skeets Gallagher and Ralph Forbes. Lavishly produced, brilliantly enacted by its star and an impressive supporting cast, the new Shearer film stands out as one of the best productions to come from the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, and provides an entertainment of distinction in every phase of motion picture artistry. Also screening will be scenes of the burning of the Morro Castle.