Our Contributors.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 542, 23 September 1881, Page 3

Our Contributors.

ECHOES OF MELBOURNE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) September 9, 1881. The past week has been extremely quiet generally, and there has been little to chronicle that would be of interest to readers at a distance. Tis true that we have had an excitement over the railway accident, but, however interesting that may be to people here, the persons injured being so well known, it cannot be very much so to folks who live out of the colony. Politically, there is a dead calm, and it is doubtful whether it is the calm before the storm, for tbe Liberal party or opposition are in a sad state of division. Mr Syuie, the proprietor of the Age, is on his way to Victorii, and it ia generally believed that be will order Mr Berry to be written down. The great party that came into power in May 1877, and which shook Australia to its centre, is no more, and the fact that it has been wrecked is the main argument now used against Mr B'-rry ? A man who, say his enemies, took office at

the head of such a phalanx, and broke it up by his bad tactics and too apparent selfishness, must be deficient in the qualities of a leader. At present great efforts are being made to find another man who is fit to take the leadership of the Liberal party—a difficult task. Mr Berry of course will not give in without a struggle. The Ministry are moving very quietly. The land question is that which is dangerous to them. The party which favors the nationalisation of tbe lands, that is, tbe leasing of the territory at present unsold and the gradual buying back of the land already unalienated, is very powerful and will make a strong effort to carry their views.

Tho accident has supplied us with a " live " topic, and of course the newspapers and gobemouches have made the best of it. After alt it was nothing very great, for only four persons died through it, though how the most of the others escaped will ever be a mystery. Since the accident Mr Elmslio Stephen, who was hurt in the spitie, has died, making tho fourth victimMany of those injured are still very unwell, especially Mr Bruce Gaunson, a brother of the renowned David, and Mr AE. Moore. The former has been hurt in the back and received a very severe shock to the system, while tbe batter's arm, which was pinned down for an hour by the woodwork of tbe carriage, has been broken in two places, and great difficulty has been experienced in setting it. The shock to the system has been the worst of all in most cases. It is reckoned that the Government will have to pay nearly £50,000 in compensation. So far tbe cause of the accident has not been settledSome think it arose from the wheel which broke in the flanges being of iron instead of steel, certain moleculer changes taking place in that metal under certain circumstances which might lead to a wheel breaking. The wheel was right enough when it left Brighton, having been testedIt is now urged that carriages should have six or eight wheels instead of four, the number on the carriage which caused the accident, so as to prevent such casualties in the future. There is no doubt the road and the rolling stock of the suburban lines are old and rotten, and should be totally renewed. Mr Higginbothamthe late engineer in chief, said, when the Government purchased tho Hues, that £100.000 ought to be expended upon them to ensure safety. In social circles the great topic is the approaching departure of Mr W. J. Clarke, our local landed millionaire and lately the President of the International Exhibition Commission, who goes to England in order to endeavor to obtain from the Imperial Government some title other than that of the monotonous and now very common '' Sir." His flatterers, toadies and parasites fancy that Mr Gladstone will be moved by bis great wealth and Lis exertions to make tho Exhibition a success to make him Lord Clarke of Rupertswood, his family manor. It is curious to find that while democratic countries like ours contemn titles, and the taste for them is dying out in England, that so many embassies cons antly take place from the colonies to Downing street in search of titles. Our late Premier, Mr Service, would not be presented at Court because the chamberlain would not place " The Honorable' on bis card. It is very vexing to see tbe fuss that is made over Mr Clarke's departure, mainly taken part in by toadeaters and persons wdio interest themselves for selfish purposes—all to flatter and cajole the wealthy man. Of course there are a few who assist in the work out of genuine respect to Mr Clarke, who is a man of generous and just instincts, and who endeavors to do his duty as a man of wealth, giving a bright example to others' an oasis in the midst of the most hideously mean and grovelling plutocracy in the world, the rich men of Victoria. Seeing all that goes on now, one understands how a few wealthy men Gontrol America, owing to tho slavish worship of wealth by modern democracies. If Mr Clarke were a wealthy unscrupulous man like those who " boss" the States, he could govern Victoria to-morrow. This is the greatest danger of democracy. Tho Police Commission continues its enquiries into the Kelly business but with out eliciting much that is new. Two facts have, however, been brought to light that are interesting. • One is that Ned Kelly confessed in gaol, to a prisoner who at ended him while he was ill, that he had been wounded in the first fire at Glenrowan and that he could not getaway, nor could his mates leave the hotel ; further he stated that while be (Kelly) was outside be saw Byrne attempt to crawl out, and that beyond doubt tbe two young outlaws, Dan Kelly and Hart, had shot each other, as they were under oath to do. Another fact elicited was certainly not creditable It appeared that Superintendent Hare, a relative by marriage of Mr W. J. Clarke, has always had the prize of the department, the post of Superintendent at the Richmond Barracks, and lost it after a visit to England. On bis return he was ordered to go to Beechworth and at once set to work to regain his old position. Being at a coursing meeting with the then proconsul, Sir George Bowen, he asked Ins intercession with Mr Berry. Sir George at once interviewed the Chief Secretary, but Mr Berry was firm and would not recede, even for his Excellency. This having failed, a deputation of ladies, headed, I believe, by Lady Bowen, Mrs W._ J. Clarke, Mrs Francis, and others waited upon Mr Berry aud of course succeeded How could Mr" Berry refuse such a bevy ? I quote this merely to show how things are I " worked " in colonial society. The whole

jealous}' and disaffection that crippled the police force during the Kelly episode seems to have arisen from the favoritism shown to Mr Hare through the influence he brought to boar The annual Sheep Show of the Australian Shipowners' A-.so. hit 'on has been held at Goldsborough's stoics, and it h ■* demonstrated the marvellous advance w • have made, the quality of the -dieep being such as was never seen before south ot the Line. There were 155 pens altogether Messrs dimming and A. Mackenzie took the leading prizes, the merino ram of the one and the long-wool ram of the other being magnificent animals. A tragedy in real life which has recently occurred in Melbourne, but has been kept out of the papers, shows that there are. after all, sensitive persons in this hardhearted age, and we need not yet despair of materials for romance. A young gentleman, of a very ardent nature, wooed for several years one of our belles, and at last was made happy by leading her to the altar. He was completely wrapped up in his bride, devoted to her, insanely happy, and never from her side. His wife seemed to reciprocate his affection. After a time it became necessary for the young man to go to England to see after some property left to him, and he bade an affecting farewell to his wife and went on board. Something, however, detained the vessel, and he returned home lo bid farewell again to the woman he so madly idolised- He entered his bouse only to find bis wife in the arms of another man, a fashionable doctor Such was the effect upon him that he fainted with shame and grief, and had to be carried to his room, out of which he never came, for the shock bad such an effect upon his sensitive organisation that he never rallied, and died in a month after the event. It has been brought back to my mind by seeing the wife in a carriage in Collins street with her second husband —not the fashionable doctor. Is there justice in this world ? As I saw her whirl by I thought of tbe bard-hearted courtesan in poor Ouida's " Puck." Those who have read that really fine, though sombre work, will understand the reference to Avice Dare. Histrionically I have nothing to chronicle, and it' we go on as we are doing, Melbourne will lose its title of the Australian Paris. Even tho Musgrove Opera Company produced their new opera, " Olivette," first in Sydney, and it is to be brought out here at Cup time second hand. This will never do.