MELBOURNE TOWN TALK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1878, 27 June 1888, Page 3

MELBOURNE TOWN TALK.

I ♦ (FBOM OUK OWN COKKESrONEENT J The action takon by the powero that b< ot the ''Centenaries " regarding thf country prtps is, to my mind, Blmplj disgraceful, and shows Buoh meanm-as ol «r/lrit snd urjiiit bureaucracy that ] wonder publio opinion tloeß not rls* tc condemn it. The Commlaeionera have decided that only the motiopo!i f an press »hall bB represented icalda the Exhibition building. Kiosks are to ba erected for thu m!o of the Melboarno dailies and weeklies, bat the (pnntty pesa is to bo denied permisaion. Why ? 1 islr, Do<js no the oountry press rjprossut the country ? Should not the provinces h tv s n v ico m tho matter as wall as Melbourne ? The whole thing comes out of tho piblio pockets, if they are oouniry pocket* or town pockets, and I can see not one just reason or cause why the country no* apaperß have not as much right t) be represented m tho Exhibition aa the metropolltao ones. But this is j i«-.t m touch with the customary high-handed policy oC the honorable body of Commlsalonerß. They override everythit g that dcea not quite jatnp with thoir liking, and shelve tho interests of the country m order to make further roon: for the more important display of tho metropolis. I hope sincerely that the master won't be allowed to drcp, for it is a great and galling injnstlo". Perhaps the largest crowd that has ever thronged the Melbourne Olub grounds' oolleoted on Saturday to witness the initial battle of the English footballers against Oarlton, It was estimated that fully thirty thousand people watched the match and though I cannot think this number was quite reached, the secretary told me that the receipt vrere greater than he had ever taken before; The boUing was all oq the colonial side, aid, as waa prognosticated, Carlton was an easy victor. But I should like to ace the return mitch when the Englishmen have learnt our Victoria^ game, for, aa it m, they know simply nothing whatever about it. Taey were too greatly handfeappod by thefr ignorance of the rules and when it rame to "marking," whiob is ao great ft featara of It, they were completely "out of it." They are a fins body of men, however ; much more stalwart than our fellows, and kick to perfection. Their drojr -kicking was the beat I have B3en. and their tackling absolutely perfect. The Oarlton men, though smaller, seemed quicker, and frequently got aw»y with tha ball ; whilst some of the Englishmen showed wonderful skill m "drlbbliag," though m the Victorian game this is not of muoh use However, aa the vleltors gain more praotica they will become more formidable opponents, and I prophecy that before thoy return they will lo"wor the oolors of 1 many of oar prominent clubs. I I mentioned laat week something about tho London Gaiety Co. Well, they opened on Saturday at the Princess's m a burlesque otlled " Monte Ghrlato, Jun. ," and scored one of the completest successes we haye yet witnessed In Melbourne, But apart from thla and the undoubted cleverness of the porformeri", it is almoßt comical to think how Melbourne is led by the nose m matters theatrical by anything or anyone that comes to us with a London reputation; The dress circle and stalls were all reserved, the prioes being seven-and-slxpenca and five shillings respectively. A mouth before the evoniog of the performance the seeti were rushed, and those who were not very prompt m applying were. left lamenting and out m the cold. Then commenced a rico In value. People offered ten ehilllngs, then a p >und, then two pounds, and an advertisement appeared m the "Argus" actually offering three guineas for a seat. Was there ever suoh folly heard of befon ? But it even went beyond this ; for it, was aaid m Collins street that two seats m the front row of the dress olrole positively realised eight guineas. S> wags the world, my rnaatere ; end co foola, rich or otherwise, will pay for the privilege of being present at fi st nights m order to oreate jealousy and en\y among their friends, To my mode of thinking— lea plmtirs sont amers sitot qu' on en abuse — pleasures become bitter as Boon as they are abused. Everybody m Auetralia has heard by now about young Brennan and hiß torpedo I royeelf knew him well — a modest young fellow very hard working acd eimp!y bound np heart and soul m his mechanical studies. I am acquainted too with his brother, also another genius, who left for England some months ago. He baa invented an Improved system of working tramwayp, and already has made a stir with it m London. It promises to place him m the front ranks of mechanical engineers, and will m time endow him with immense wealth. It is curious to watch Su etimea how a spark of genijs runs through a family m tho same groove. Ihere are these two Brennan brothers, both wonderful mechanicians. I know threo brothers, who are among the rising of our young modioal men, two others who aro both born journalists, and ii family of three each of whom is a born musician. Referring again to young Tom Brennan — who certainly connot be more than twenty- four to twenty- five — I am told that his invention re tramways will be taken up by all the principal companies m England and probably America. One seldom hears a really good bona fidt story now-s-days, but one was told to me th(a week that ia particularly good m its way, and 1b peculiarly characteristic of Melbourne. I was assured moreover that it is true, so I have no hesitation In giving It. My Informant has been stopping at the White Hart Hotel m Spring street, one of onr mo3t popular hosieries, and like everybody else was bitten by the late silver fever. One morning he happened to ba waiting m the hall, glancing over tha " Argui." fle had been talking with the hall porter, and happened to remark, (< Well, this is a bad bnslneea. I see by to-day's " Argus" the silver boom has burßt." " Yeß, sir," was the reply, "Thank goodness 1 got out safe, but boots Is ruined." This has a true Melbourne ring about it, and bliowb the wide prevalence of the late silver speculation orazi. The objaot of the worthy gentlooion who waited on tho Commissioner of Optoma last week to ar>k for the extension of, the close season for quail was boh merciful and wbe - merc'ful for tho birds and wise m the interests of sportsmen The indiscriminate slaughter of those toothsome little birds that gooa on threatens to completely deoltnate them within soiling distance of town. ladeod, as it Is quite an expansive matter to get a brace of them oven now They shoot them both m the pairing season and when the young birds aro hardly able to fly, and so quail is gradually becoming a rara avia hore; Teal and wild duck have been very plentiful this year, and have been pro* curable for months at a shilling tho pa'r — whioh ia ohoap enough, m all ooneolenco I hope, however, the quail will be spared, for It (s a fine eating bird, and It ia a pity to see how scarce it ia beoomlng. Tne Post Offioe here is considering the praotability of establishing connections with branch offices by means of pneutmtlo tabes—in other words Initiating a "Pneuraatlo flsapatoh," Most of my . readers will no doubt be familiar with the . phrase, but I may explain the matter [ shortly thus for those who do not. It Is simply this : Tubes are laid down ncderground from 'One point to another, i and then by means of suotlon, a paoket of t telegrams or letters can be shot from. ons end to the other, Thp system has been j m vogua m the old country for nearly a quarter of a century, but bo far has not found Its way out here. It is a capital j idea, and both cheap and expeditions. | Making the General Post Office as the I bead-centre, the principal suburban offices r might be connected with tt, and, a gifeit ' ' ' * ■•<v '

deal of telegraphic exppnuo B.ivcd. It would be aa quick m deapntoh aa (he wires, and of c.'U?«e onr> couH send a letter of any la^g'h, which wou'd bo a decided advantage. But a gentleman m the department informs me that twenty years ago plungers, mcdald, and estimates relating to this mode of communication were procured from Loud -n at:d pu f . before tha Depa*tmen% and nothing came from it, and that it is likely to be tho B»me now, though I sincerely hope auo 1 ! will no 1 ; bo the cwp, for it w u\d be a great advantage to us m the olty.