VICTORIA.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2738, 25 November 1871, Page 2

VICTORIA.

The great ministerial banquet at the Town hall, was a decided fadure iu most respects, and it has only served to excite the ridicule of the Press. The Aus ralasian is pleased to refer to it in these terms T1 e greatest political demoustrati m of the time, which was to strike terror into the obdun te hearts of the enemies of the people, and form a fresh epoch in the annals of democracy, has been made, and if it failed to excite our fears, it certainly succeeded in provoking our laughter. Between 400 and 500 shopbeys, working-men, and touters for popularity, recklessly paid their crown pieces, and fed copiously in honor of the Ministry. It was a suggestive sight to see the saviours of the colony fall to work, a fixed determine tiou apparent on every intelligent countenance to eat the full five “ bobs’ ” worth to the bitter end nr perish in the attempt.” Still harping on the ministry, the same paper has a fling into a Mr T. T. A’Beckett, the representative of the Government iu the Upper House. A case of Stevenson v. Bear, the defendant, a M.L.O.—having gone iu favor of the plaintiff, Mr A’Beckett rose in his place in the Council and stigmatised as unfounded ami unjust a verdict which had just been fle'iverert iu the Supreme Court of the Colony ; adding that he thought the House cught to express an opinion on the subject. So extraordinary a comment upon a case which is still pendente Hie drew down upon Mr A’Beckett the rebuke of his uncle, aud|provokedfrom Mr Fitzgerald the sarcastic remark that the honored name borne by the representative of the Government in the Upper House “ was perhaps the only honortd thing about him.” Through the means of a petition to Parliament we have been let into the history of a nice swindle. A Mr Emett of Bendigo prays to have his claim for shares in the local wat rworks, the transference of which to the Bendigo corporation he was instrumental in bringing about, set right before the transfer is allowed. Some ten years ago he was awarded 100 shares by one arbitrator; but the second tisagreed, and an umpire was called in, To the surprise ef everyone, the umpire awarded not 100 but 1750 shares ! Until lately no one connectt d with the company’s affairs could understand this magnificent award. The secret is ore no longer. The umpire has explained the motive of his liberality. He states that it was an arrangement with the claimant that he (the umpire) was - to have half-interest in whatever he awarded ! The wonder is that he was so self-denying under the circumstances.

When Quinn was hung the other day at Beechworth f r the murder of Ah Cow, a native of China, a terrible event occurred —terrible in the view of the local journals. A number of persons who had obtained admittance within the precincts of the gaol, intent upon the enjoyment of seeing a fellowcreature strangled, were locked in the wrong corridor, and missed the spectacle. “ Unfortunately,” says a sympathetic newspaper, “a great contretemps occurred. The gate leading into the central hall, from which the whole scene would have been visible, was not opened until the execution was over. It was a most unfortunaic blunder, but it was a mo.-t un nteutional one on the part of the authorities, as the single fact that several officers of the police were among those excluded clearly shows. At the same time it was a most extraordinary circumstance, and needs explanation, great indignation having been expressed by some of those who felt they had been wronged.” Of course they were greatly aggrieved. They had missed an exciting sensation. Mr Fenwick is the new Mayor of Melbourne. His lirst speech from the mayqraj chair is a model of pithiness and brevity ; it was in these word : —** Gentlemen—l hope it will be a year of peace.”