MELBOURNE TOWN TALK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1873, 21 June 1888, Page 4

MELBOURNE TOWN TALK.

(From our own Co-respondent.) Tbere are breakers ahead for the political eloop-of-war named " Parliament " and heavy leather oomln" np for the Ministerial craft called "Government." That raking cliassemarce, "Opposition" U lying m watt and looks formidable enough, with ports thrown back and the long guns brought into position. The 16th will bob the openlDg of hostilities — and than the fight will rage fiercely. Haw far the Coalition Cabinet will be able to meet the onslaught cf the Opposition it mast be left to tho dlvlalon-llst to tell, bat tbere is no di abt that the autocratic i6e aisumed of late by the Premier and his B»' bill tes has gone far to alienate many of hfe friends and supporters, The Chinese question will be the great bone of contention of oourse, whilst the Tariff Bill and the neifeElectoral Bill will ftla > be savagely contested inoh by inch and foot by foot. I think there is very good authority for the tumor that it is likely Sir Henry Bronghm Loch will be reappointed to the Governorship of Victoria when his teim has exp red It jb said that strong representations have been made to the Colonial office people of Downing street regarding the matter. Sir Henry and Lady Lochs popularity throughout Victoria has never waned, whilst we here m Melbourne who know them personally and are accquainted witb their goodness, tact and perfect sympathy with the colony ai large, esteem and revere them mightily. There could be no more popular move than the appointment of Sir Henry, and the Government that effects it will have done more to gain public favor than all the co-called "popular" policy of the day could do for it. Onr grand new granite bridge over the Tarra ii expeoled to be completed In •bout a fortnight or thereabouts. It is certainly a beautiful piece of work, and refleots infinite credit on the arohiteot and oontraotor. The immense blocks of polished granite that form the oolameUft or bnttreases of the bridge are ao Urge as to have been unprocurable from any of the home quarries and had to be speolally oat out here by specially-invented appliances. The color of the structure is to bo a dark red— almost chocolate — picked out with gold, that is of oonme as regards the ironwork ; and this will offer » fine contrast to the polished grey of the granite. There will be quite a oalebration at the opening : It already having been proposed that the occasion be proclaimed ■ pnblio holiday m Melbourne, Tbe latest move m town, is to float a company to take over tho large paroh&sei m city properties made by Mr B. J. Fink, M.L.A. It is understood that he has invested over two millions m town properties, most of them within a stone's throw of the centre of the city. The Merotntile andFlnanoo-00., of wbioh Mr ilowden is manager, is endeavouring to gain his oonsent to the floating of the concern, whloh will be the biggest thing In land companies yet started. The manager of tho Mercantile, by the way , 1b one of the Ineky ones. Three or fcur year* ago be vas, comparatively speaking, • poor man ; now he is wcrth a quarter of a million; "So wags the world"— ln Melbourne. Apiypos of matters Parliamentary, 1 am givsn to understand oa very good ntaotlty that 0. K. Staples, Managing Dlrto'oe of the recently formed and prosperous Victorian Freehold Bank, will be a candidate for Parliamentary honors at the forthcoming general election. This gentleman's popularity and veil-known busiaees qualifications will, no cjpubt, make him a formidable opponant to any rival m the field, and should he be returned he will m tima prove a valuable Kquisltlon to the House, I ihiuk one of the surest signs of tho prosperity of Melbcurne— or at lesert o f Its present wealth and Ie or ease — is the faot that wa are continually getting now theatrical companies of the best eort from home. It shows that we oao support legitimate aoting or singing, and p»y haodsomely for seeing end hearing it. Few thonght Mr Charles Warner would travel bo far, and fewer still that the London Gaiety Company would leave the boards of their theatre m the Strand for chores antipodean. But next Saturday they open heie, a ad although prices have been raised all round, the whole of the dresaolrcle and stalls were taken pretty noarly In the fi«t diy, and fully three weekt, bafore tbje evening of the performance : ', It seems Indeed as if Melboarne would go ; mad over the Company, for there is talk ! of giviPg them a public reception, and ' already the town Is flooded with photo- i graphs of the actors and ooplf a. of- tho ! jonga they sing. We go with tfoo timea ■ In Melbonrne without donbf, and anything that cornea to us with the oavor ol a London reputation is, as aweot inoensa In oxjr nostrils, Things at the " Cantenaries " awe qnlet and backward, The Committee, I notice hao jp 8 t passed a resolution to allow of the erection of beer " kiosks " about the, ! plaoe. This is all very well, but I he_e they will be shut at night, or they will [ prove aoythlng but an attraction fo* (_» * public generally. The eliow wilt _t*" enormous crowds m the evening. *•' - dcfc a very mixed kind. The b»-' - jtteD of become, In fact, a pnp»' aiding will place, and the difficulty l - dr sauntering .; feet order will ba *•• ..n maintaining perHill certainly b That d fficulty at night ap - j enormously increased if are m *-' unknown number of " kloBka" H»»* -ll operation. I remembered at >ast Exhibition some very disgeacefal scenes took place. It la to be hoped tbay will be avoided this. Oar Chief Secretary seems to have been overworking himself of late, and la consequence has been on the sick-list for some time lam afraid Mr Deakin ia not a very strong young man ; last tima I naw him, about a week ago, he looked shocking. He Is so tall and slight, and his pale faoe la so m contrast with his blaok bpard, that that he to mo never looks well, and when one adds to bis appearance the hideous black spectaolea ho sometimes wo ire, It must be confessed he does not look over attractive. He appears to ma slightly consumptive, though I hope sincerely 1 may be mistaken, for he is a most able and useful man. His present troubles are carbuncles on the neck, and he has been obliged to travel la order to rest and recuperate. But m matter of fact, the entire Cabinet seem to be made up of Invalids and has gained for itself the name of the "Sick Ministry." Three or four of Kb rnemberß are ill, and the Minister of Lands la suffering from an Injured hip.