SYDNEY AND THEREABOUT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2452, 17 March 1909, Page 6

SYDNEY AND THEREABOUT.

IMPRESSIONS .BY A GISBORNE VISITOR, The Rev. L. Dawson Thomas, wlio lias recently returned from a holiday in .’New South Wales, forwards the following' article: - , Believing that the queen city of the Australian Commonwealth has many warm friends and admirers among dwellers in these parts, I have pleasure in acceding to your request to. record something of my late tour. We reached Sydney after a most delightful voyage across the Pacific. Reaching the Heads at-8 o’clock on a gloriously bright morning, we looked upon a sight that will not soon be forgotten. A small fleet of sailing ships, with every inch of sail set, were—without tug or pilot—making a stately entry into Sydney Harbor. As we swept in through the Herds the evergreen topic of the wreck of the ill-fated “Dunbar” was, of course, discussed. Dear old Sydney Harbor!,.One felt stirred up by the poetic muse as wo looked upon the lovely little bays, made more lovely by the artifice of man. We were, however, speedily brought down to prose by hearing a loud-voiced lady 'exclaim: “I don’t think it is a bit prottv; give mo Wellington.” The traffic at Port Jackeon is becoming dangerously congested, and some hokl plan of wharf extension must soon; he undertaken. Wo missed our wharf three times, owing to the very limited space allowed the vessel. On shore all was noise and hurry such as we Sydney-siders lose. Cabbies and ha usage-men, raucous voiced and keen for hire, plied us at every turn. It was pleasant indeed to see among the crowd on the wharf Mr E. -J. Chrisp and his brother Ernest, who gave us a real Gisborne welcome. One of the first tilings we heard of on landing was the wreck of the Penguin. The fearful loss of life was the one topic of conversation and very real, deep sympathy from all sections went out- to New Zealand in her day of sorrow. One cannot fail to be impressed with the phenomenal growth in the commercial as well as in the residential areas of the city. New South Wales is now on the crest of a wave of prosperity, and the capital city reflects all the aspects of this prosperity. From official returns we learned that the population of the city and its nearer suburbs is nearly half a million. As an evidence of remarkable growth I was informed that the demand for bricks exceeds three millions per week. Sydney boasts many truly beautiful buildings. The Central Railway Station, the Bank of Australasia (possessing a magnificent Banking Chamber), Messrs Anthony Hordern’s great Palace Emporium, Mark Foy’s fine shop, now in course of erection close to Hordern’s, and many other places compel admiration. The civic authorities are duly impressed with the growing congestion of street traffic, and elaborate plans for extond- • lug and beautifying the city area are now in preparation. The City Council intend to expend an enormous sum of money in widening some of the streets in the very near future. Wo were much struck with the improvement in the parks and recreation grounds. All the old high iron railings have disappeared, and the parks now open on to the streets. At night the chief parks are ablaze with electric are lights, and the unenviable reputation our parks had some yearn ago for harboring footpads and dangerous criminals has now become quite a thing of the past. The lusty precocious newsboy, with his acrobatic pranks on and off the fast moving trams, was still much in evidence. Wo were amazed at the expressions of pity lavished on “the poor newsboy” by visitors. They little dream that many of these young gentry are doing remarkably well, and possess respectable banking accounts of tbeir own. There are still the vexed questions of the slums, and dire poverty of a section of the community crying out for settlement. No Australian city should have slums, but Sydney possesses her own unlovely corners. The question, however, is up for settlement, and it is expected that something definite will be accomplished shortly. Being keenly interested in the ques-_ ion of immigration I spent a good deal if time with the authorities. The Dejartment has recently secured a very in-e suite of offices in the centre of cue city and a really excellent work is being dene. A goodly number of desirable persons are finding their way into New South Wales, and there appeared to be very few who were sorry they ■came. It was expected that the prosperity now reigning all over the Commonwealth would attract a large number from the Motherland. New Zealanders may be interested to know that their Government has a fine Tourist and Information Bureau in the heart of Sydney. Here most courteous and obliging officials are ever ready to supply information and literature dealing with Maoritand. A rather good story was told me of the activity of a New Zealand official in Sydney who ■is oar deal an incoming; liner, and so eloquently did he speak of the laud of the Moa that seven young men who had intended settling in New South Wales changed their minds and came on to New Zealand. “But,” said my friend, “we got even, we boarded another vessel and stole twelve fellows

-bound for New Zealand!” There is the sound of war on the Tiquor question in New South Wales, rhe elections come off next year, and it is to be a life and death struggle, with no quarter to he expected from cither side. As a result of last Local Option poll between two and three hundred hotels were closed. In no instance so far as could bo ascertained was there any lamentation on the part of the general public. The women’s vote was regarded as a- tremendous factor in the temperance fight. Canon Boyce, the General - in the 'campaign, 12id Lev. It. 13. Hammond- —well-known n us here —were laboring day and night preparing for the fray. The State is blessed in its present Premier, Hon G. C. Wade. He is regarded as quite the ablest aud soundest statesman New South Wales .possesses. His action over the Broken Hill strike '■•aused him to lose some friends, but 2- has the profound respect of a very ■Sirge section of the community. I was, of course* deeply interested -a the work of the Church in my native city. We hive no great leaders just at present, but the Church is keenly alive in her own particular work. The rank and file of the clergy, assisted by a devoted band of earnest laity, are attacking many social problems. Particularly striking is the work that is being done P-Uiong the desitute. Whole families in ,ery many instances-) would be facing (starvation, or the benevolent asylums, ■were it not lor the practical.help given, through, the Church. Rescue work (which, alas! demands attention in every city) is being carried on by the Church on very sane and excellent lines. The percentage won back to res'ypectability is istrikingly high. '"Rev. It. ... Hammond—mentioned ... above—-and

For some unknown reason snakes aro particularly plentiful in the hush around Sydney this year. ' We killed one in the house'where we were staying, a whip snake, a very venomous reptile. Travelling along a mountain road a very large black snake.crossed our path, and PH okl (Scotchman, who had never seen a snake before, valiantly attacked the reptile with his umbrella. Our driver, in a few well chosen words! exposed the folly of his action. We had the satisfaction of destroying it. Snakes arcvery interesting creatures, hut they are much safer after they are dead. During our stay in Sydney we had the rare luxury of hearing Mendelssohn’s oratorio “'Elijah” performed in the great Town Hall by the Philharmonic Society under the conductorship of Joseph Bradley. With a -chorus of five hundred, an orchestra of one hundred, and the great organ, the effect may be imagined. The proceeds were given to the Messina Earthquake Relief Fund. I left Sydney on the “Maheno” for Wellington, and, notwithstanding a rough and protracted voyage, enjoyed the holiday immensely. The unceremonious landing hi the basket at Gisborne was an unexpected wind up.