OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 3849, 25 June 1875, Page 2

OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

Melbourne, June 16. Bat little news is stirring. ‘ If it be true, that “ happy is the people who have no history,” Victorians ought just now to bo specially glad, for very little history is being; made. Politics are as dull as the opening ’ speech, and with as little prospect as the “ Old Mau ” plains. Yet flat as the plains look, they are valuable country ; and quiet as the House is, a very significant event has occurred.' A Bill to repeal the Officials in X’arliament Act has been read a second time, and one of the most solid barriers against political corruption is threatened with destruction. Of course the Bill can never become law—the better section of the Lower House rely on the Council to ensure that; but, oddly enough, that seems to be the very reason why the mischief was so easily carried thus far. Place.-huntcrs were placated by letting the Bill be read, and no real harm could result because the Upper House was sure to reject it. But that such things should bs done, and_ pass not only without rebuke but with the silence thab gives consent, is lowering fo the morals of public men and public life j yet no one protests. Such pusillanimity ensures aNemesis’ stroke some day. The Victoria Sugar Company have lost no time in repairing their loss. Mr Poolman, their manager, sailed by the Su z mail boat to order machinery from England. Another attempt is being made to present classical music in public here. Mr Guenett announces some choice pieces for his concert on Saturday, and the Philharmonic Society for Tuesday promise Brahms’s “Song of Destiny ” Mendelssohn’s Concerto in D. The Society seems, under Air Summers’s coaductorship, % to be resuming the struggle on behalf of true art, which a rather lengthened course of other management had weakened, if not interrupted. I suspect that good music meets with keener appreciation in your city than in ours, for hitherto every attempt to render works of the highest genius has been a financial loss, except where some .world-famed artist made it, and it became “ the fashion” to go. Our new picture gallery has led to a dis persion of the “national” collection. (I wonder what dementia has seized on this fragment of a community, not one-fifth the population of London, and geographically a very small dependency of the Crown, to call its possessions “national?”) I cannot say much for the taste that has promoted some canvasses to the dignity of a place in the new room, and has relegated far better pictures to invisibility in a sort of back pantry. The most strikiug fact, however, to my own mind, was the total change of tone that some .pointings seem to have undergone—no doubt owing to the difference of light—looking lower _an 1 colder. The wellknown “Dancing Girl” especially, is an instance of this, and “Eachel,” with its warm Eastern glow, craves for a more congruous illumination.

A most comical idea has been put in practice —taking the evidence of lunatics! A Mr James stated in the Assembly that a patient in the Yarra Bend Asylum had detailed to him horrible cruelties committed on the said patient apd others. To investigate these assertions a Board was appointed, and the > vidence already given before it is most wonderful The only thing more marvellous than the statements is that the B' •aid had the patience to listen to such stuff, unless, indeed, it turns out that anybody can be found to believe it. The inquiry is still in progress, and, without doubt, will ebcit evidence to confirm some allegations of rough usage; but that a ludatic’s ravings should be made evidence at all is rather too much. # After sitting some two months, the Commission on the Volunteer Force is still busy getting written reports to fonn the basis of examination of witnesses. If the oral evidence is to bear any proportion to the written, the Greek kalends will arrive before the membeis put their hands and seals to the report. Poor Colonel Anderson got dreadfully (and I must say most unfairly) quizzed for some parts of his evidence, as published by one of the papers. True , he characterised them as incorrect repo; ts, and certainly none of the other journals corroboiatod their contemporary; but, nevertheless, a French somebody, who said he.jiad ■ been in the GalHcan ai’my, was roused to quite a melo-dramatic fury, and published a aocu-

meat that might fairly be described as “tehd.o Provoke a breach of the peace.” - The affair died away however, though, if certain whispers he true, not before a prominent newspaper man had been subjected to urgent representations, and had thereafter (I do not gay in consequence) made the amende. Those of your citizens who know Victoria wiU regret deeply the serious illness of Captain Kay, il. Is, (Clerk to the Executive), whbse rehopeless; and of Mr Sturt, i .M., who, it is feared, will be unable to resume duty. Two good places seem certain to become vacant, and a county court judgeship is likely to become dependent on the verdict of a jury. Has the possibility of these openings eoon occurring anything to do with the Officials m Parliament Bill being brought forward at this particular moment ? I know some cynics who are politicians, and they say “Yes ”• and I know some others, who are neither cynics nor politicians, and they say “Yes” too. But I never hear anybody say “No.”