“NEW ZEALAND IS IN GOOD POSITION.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 145, 20 June 1931, Page 10

“NEW ZEALAND IS IN GOOD POSITION.”

AUSTRALIA’S CONDITION IS BAD, SAYS MR WILKIE.

New Zealanders do not know exactly how fortunately they are placed in regard to finance, according to Mr Allan Wilkie, the well-known Shakespearean actor, who is at present in Christchurch. To anyone coming from Australia, he says, the country is outwardly very prosperous and it is a relief to see around one cheerful, smiling faces. Conditions in Australia were deplorable, he said. On every street corner itinerent artists were performing; nearly every shop bore a notice “ Bargain Sale,” and every day there were published lists of bankruptcies nearly a foot long. Nobody would talk anything but depression, and generally things had come to a terrible pass. Even if things were to right themselves now, it would be years, even with all Australia’s powers of recovery, before industry would be back to normal again. New Zealand, with the early measures taken by the Government, would recover much more rapidly. The theatrical profession had been struck two severe blows. The talking picture and the economic stress of the country had both affected it with the result that the stage, in Australia at least, was in a bad way. “ The stage will not recover until the theatre owners literally put their houses in order,” said Mr Wilkie. “ The talking picture theatre proprietors have set a standard of comfort in their houses which as yet the theatrical men have not reached, and until they do something in that direction they cannot hope to do much good.” Mr Wilkie with his wife, Miss Hunter Watts, is at present touring New Zealand, giving extracts from the various Shakespearean plays and from old English comedies. They played last week in Wellington and are at present on their way south to play in Dunedin. They will open a season in Christchurch next month.