The Contributon.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 469, 21 January 1881, Page 2

The Contributon.

THE MELBOURNE 1]X1"I[BIT[()N T .

(P)Y (rAKNKT WaI.CII.)

Exhiliition v. Botanic Oardetif;—WoolTim modern Golden [''loeoe—Our anatomy— of limrianil-y—The sn '_>■;.>; ester —A surgical Crrosns —MisoellaueoiK-! _ The far North.

As my In.'-t lelier fairly ignored all !■•{'• T.'iic'? proper fo our Carßon Show, let me herewith make ihe amcn<lt■■ lmunrahlehy

devoting the ci.tire spare a! my to Kxbibiiion mailers.

Firsl. then. I''o atfendnnce lias r.ick'd nn we-II diuinir ilio p'is-t. iV.rtnii.'li:. rminiiur

from six, (i' ; c .:li!. l< , !!. iij' (o twenty (lioi;----saii(!. Willi ii:' l:i<i iniiii'-cr (lid nlricc is

decidedly crowded

niajorii v happi- -:1 ;>' :v .t'vcii )! ii.-™t .■ nn

when a hot wind blows, for the grass (thanks to the Van Yean) is verdant in every direction —what a contrast to our poor, ill-used, neglected, politicallysnubbed Botanic Gardens—and the carpetpattern parterres of (lowering verbenas are as giy as tho hearts of. the holiday revellers.

The event of the current week is the Wool S!nw. Ranged in snowy, creamy. grey. and groy-nnd wbUft heaps on tables in the main a\enuo of the annexe, are the representative fleeces of the colonies) forecast of our future federated commonwealth, when the whole seventy million sheep at present constituting the wool" bearers of eeven divided states shall be quoted as the one great flock of the Australasian Dominion.

Here, the admired of all admirers, even of those who know not a ewo from a wether, are the crack samples of such prize wool growers as Jvermode of Tasmania, or Samuel Wilson of VictoriaSome wool from the letter's Ercildouno station, as you probably remember, once obtained the maximum price of 4s 7|d_ per lb., the judges in that particular case adding to their decision the special remark "absolute perfection.; we have never seen better." Where is Mr Jason and his golden fleece compared with the produce of a few thousand sheep of this sort! But there are scores besides our Kermodes and Wilsons who exhibit wondrously lino specimens of the high standard obtained by Australian wools and quite put to shame the exhibits from all other parts of the world. Going up into the Southern Gallery to obtain a coup d'aiil of the great crowds of well-dressed people moving amidst the kaleidoscopic attractions of the main buildings and central avenue, my attention was arrested by an exhibit which I bad hitherto overlooked, but which in its potentiality of benefit for the rising generations of these colonies can hardly be over-valued. I allude to the collection of anatomical models by Fred rich Ramme, exhibited on his behalf by Capt. Wagemann, of the German Court. These models, made for the greater part in plaster or papier mach\ are of life, reduced, and magnified sizes, and include a great variety of object." Thus we have the head, showing muscles. nerves, veins, bones, etc., the organs of sight and hearing ; the tongue, the larynx, the heart, the contents of the chest, the torso, digestive organs, contents of abdomen, etc., etc., etc. The models are, in most instances, so airanged as to take to pieces easily, the super-imposed re\ealing the sublying orgnnr, and each particular part named and numbered. The whole of the models, free from the slighte t dagree of coarseness and in no way repulsive to any save those ultra-squeamish individual?) who would drape-oven the legs at inblcK—the whole of these admirable models are prepared for the u-e of school,. I can duly say that tic fooncr Dr IVaney's suggestion of some je.-irs back is carried out and the science of anatomy taught at least in its rudimentary poitions, in our public schools, the belter for us and our successors. Tlu> course of clinical lectures instituted by Dr Boaney, while senior surgeon of the Melbourne.Hospital, was & step in the right direction, aid tie exhibition of llicj mu.liils whiJi we uivt , , I believe, to the same gentleman's recent visit to the principal centres of medical and surgical science in Europe is another stride towards the goal of common sense. . Talking of these capital anatomical \ models and of their popular advocate, Dr I Beancy, reminds me that he is now quite re-sett led in our midst, and id as heretofore the object alike of professional envy and public confidence. The more cures and money he makes, and the one is fairly contingent on the other—the more is he sneered, not to say snorted at, bj the less successful, nnd—whisper it— probably less clover, rivals. Meanwhile, the public (lock to his consulting rooms, where the 1 constant dropping of sovereigns and halfsovereigns into the fee box assumes a sorf of metallic rhythm confined to two accents. The moments arc golden with Dr. Beancy ; his hour-glass measures time with Pactolian sands, nnd it is a cause of frrqnent pleasant speculation amongsj the quidnunc-s of Collins (Street as to how much thci liberal-handed son of Gilsculiipius really does make.—Ten thousand, twenty thousand, fifty thousand per annum. Who shall decide ? The Exhibition organ is not a success. After all the time, labour, and money be-i-to-ived on it, it is but uu unreliable " lust fit' o'whnstles." Neither ardent amateurs nor prolific professionals can coax from it more thnn int'-rmiltent music, which by th':! way, is s.rlly interfered with by the sound of rival instruments in the distance. The overture to " William Tell," Iα Marclie Jlo'ih]i'oke, selections from (i Faust," and the Blue, Danube Waltz are all fine compositions which everybody is enly too glad to bear singly, but when played simultaneously on different pianos and organs within earshot of one individual, said individual prefers to lu'.'it a hasty retreat not muieci'iiipnnied with objurgatory rem.-uk.- , , ivtilior ihui assist, at such a poipnttrrl. Mu-ie inth charm"— True oh I poet--but hardly at (be Melbourne Exhibi- J : hiti.Hi <.f 1.«S0-8I. . Anion!."-! the fh>.'iw!'"!-(i!id-onc pleasing ■ iiH;mres of it!!|ion:i! nrorress scattered,'; ■ ■■■■ " '■'■ ■ V\\.V:\:'•'■ \.. •■• ■ ■: ■ ;■ more strik- • li. ■'■ : I--.:- ;:.\;: '\.;iv. !;.-■ o admirably'< ■ i:.-,.■.;-<■■;';• :;:-:''~-■■-■■: "■■■>od arrange- '

ment, the Queensland Court; and the rapid development of that colony could hardly be better illustrated than by tho "Christmas Supplement to the Mackay Standard," now lying before me. Twenty years ago we knew but little, if indeed we knew anything at all, of the Pioneer River, G25 miles to the north-west of Brisbane My friend Richmond Thatcher, who visited the district circa 18G5, and one of whose diaries of the period ia in my possession, gives a vivid description of the wild nature of the scenery, and even wilder character of tho few settlers. Shortly after this, it wis discovered that the district was eminently suited to the growth of the sugar-cane ; and now we find sugar estates extending on all sides, with an annual output of some 10,000 tons, a yearly increase of this valuable commercial article, of rum, and of other staple products. Bravo! Mackay, say I; and bravo ! the intelligent spirit of enterprise that records the prosperity of the budding settlement in so "taking" a manner as the Christmas supplement which has furnished me with a peg for these remarks.