New Britain herald., 1928-05-26

e1700 for 1t. In turn however. his
new Studebaker is costing him well
over the $4,000 mark.
That the American automobile
concerns are making 4 great bid
for Australian business is seen In
their program OF progressiveness.
The General Motors and the Stude-
baker company both have big as
sembly plants Of their own there
which either are completed or near
ly 50, SO that shortly these big mo-
tor companies will do their own as
sembling right there and also be
able to better service their Gus
toners.
Although the newest Fords had
not arrived in Australia when Mr..
Perrott left, they were expected inn
mediately. Incidentally, Ford has
his own plants right in Australia
and an enormous concern it is, the
visitor added,
Tires and equipment are expen-
sive. A new set Of oversize tires for
his car cost Mr.. Perrott $3.50 and
that was the wholesale price, he ex-
plains. Gasoline too. is costly. the
tank price having been sixty cents
gallon when he left.
Little Cars Used
A sight that would certainly
amuse an American In Australia is
the great number Of tiny automo-
biles in use. Some OF these are
called the Baby Austins." small
model Of a famous British car. The
French Citron car Is also is used
extensively In Australia and the
PeuEot also makes tiny car. These
are not like anything seen In this
country. Mr.. perrott saya but are
in reality a very tiny machine of
narrow tread and short wheel base
but of great power and speed. In
sisting that he was not joking, Mr..
Perrott said that some OF these little
cars used 80 extensively are so light
that 1t IL not impossible for a man
to pick up the read end and drag it
over in the road a bit when park
ing in a small area. They also are
economical to operate using a motor
cycle size tire and some OF them
actually get sixty miles and better to
the gallon. The speaker however,
explained that these little cars are
used only in the cities where the
roads are good. They most certain
ly are not used In rural runs.
Radio Has Its Place
The radio has taken a big place
in Australian life and the programs
there are about on a par with those
in this country except that the ad-
vertisinE feature has not crept in.
In Australia. Mr.. Perrott says. there
are two principal broadcasting sta
tons that operate under government
control and every individual radio
set owner has to pay the govern
ment tax. This tax goes partly to
reimburse these two broadcastinE
stations and permit them to present
high grade programs.
Failure to pay a radio license Is
a serious offense in Australia and
punishable by heavy fine. A strict
record il kept of all sets and . close
watch kept for owners who do not
pay a license. Az an example OF
how close 4 watch In kept. Mr.. Per-
rott explained that the rostman on
his route noticed a neighbor with
crystal set. He reported TO the au-
thorities. 1t was found the set was
not licensed and the owner was ar
rested and heavily fined. These reg
ulations have the strong backing Of
the press too, and in the example
just mentioned the newspapers came
out with big headlines. Radio
Pirates Arrested." Tho innocent VIC
tim happened to be an American not
long in the country and he was
greatly upset by the incident. and
more especially tho newspaper char
OF radio pirate"
At another time. children In the
schools were given a certain set OF
exercises and lessons to perform. the
correct answering OF which would
disclose that = radio set had been
known or heard. Checking up on
these answers made by the children,
the authorities made . cleanup OF
non licensed radio set owners.
American Clothes Costly
Living costs in Melbourne are not
quite a. high az in this country, Mr..
Perrott says. and also added that
rents are not as expensives Do
m este clothing too. is cheaper but
American made clothing is very ex-
pensiye. For instance. American
shoes which would cost nine or ten
dollars here in the States retail Tor
SET to SIS In Melbourne. And
made clothes OF 4 stand
ard make which cost between $40
and $50 here. sell for 500 to Sl2o
In Melbourne. Stetson hats made IN
America, sell at a standard price OF
$3.50 everywhere in Australia ana.
Acknowledgements Stetscn hats are
sold In Australia than In any other
foreign country to which this Amer'
lean firm sends Its products.
the resources OIL Auotiah0 ono ~
are not scratched and the future OF
this continent is one that cannot be
comprehended, in the opinion OF the
visitor here. The construction OF
tho new capital city Of Cambria Is
IN example Of this. This capital
,ity. designed in = worldwide COM
petition by a Chicago architect, Is
located in the interior about 200
miles from the nearest city. At the
present time the main railroad does
not even touch the city. One has TO
lake 4 limo to the nearest point and
70 the rest of the way by bus. The
city itself, however, IL being devel-
sped in such 4 way that 1t eventual
" will become one Of the show
places Of the world and. ~ the con-
,inent il developed. will eventually
be in the midst Of its activities.
American Music Popular
A,nA