OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 4198, 10 August 1876, Page 3

OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

August 3. At last the Treasurer’s statement has been made, and it took most people by surprise while smiting some with dismay. Instead of a heavy deficit which had been generally anticipated there was a surplus. The usual quibbles are now being raised by all the quasi authorities on finance who sit in the Assembly, as to whether this balance is real or apparent, and all the hanky-panky of sham book-keeping is applied to the case by each side. As a matter of fact we are solvent. The Treasury can answer that question satisfactorily, for it pay accounts the moment a Supply Bill is passed. SolvituY amhula let the purblind ledger-men say what they like. The debate on the statement has been very lifeless, except when relieved by cx-Treasurers’ attacking Sir James M'Culloch. There is the usual abuse for raising more revenue than was anticipated by land sales and for using trust funds. But all that was finally dealt with by Mr Macßuin, who last night made a small, sensible, plain speech, which, if reason and not party feeling governed these matters, would have ended the debate. The increase of land revenue does not arise from forced or excessive sales but from larger prices for what is sold— a very encouraging state of things—while as to using the trust funds, it was charged against every Treasurer. Mr Macßain was particularly happy in his denunciation of the suicidal tendencies of the Free Trade party, who, by their petty differences, continually play into the hands of the minority of Protectionists. But by far the happiest speech was Murray Smith’s. His good-natured but severe hits at the critics of the statement (dealt fairly to both sides of the House) had something like the effect of a mitrailleuse discharge of hard-baked comfits.

The front Opposition Bench is keeping remarkably quiet. There is very little for them to take hold of, and I fancy I can discern in all their tactics the guidance of a far superior spirit to any that they openly numbt rin their ranks. I strongly suspect that Mr Higinbotham must Lave been retained as consulting counsel for them. Their game, just now, is to leave all the bard fighting to the Service-cim-Casey comer. These gentlemen though professedly free traders have been for some time counting on a financial difficulty as their opportunity to upset the Government, and they are very wild that the absence of difficulty deprives them of their opportunity. Mr Service indeed on Tuesday night used language so strong and so severely reflecting on the personal truthfulness of the Premier, that Sm James turned upon him with a short, sharp retort that Mr Service will not forget for a very long while —“thehon. member should have been the last person to make such reflections, since it was well-known that his moral vision was oblique.” I presume that by this time everybody is sufficiently acquainted with the episode in Mr Service’s history te whjch Sir James alluded, so it needs no explanation from me. Murray Smith’s comparison of Service and Casey’s position to Mahomet’s coffin—between the Paradise of the Treasury Benches and the Hades of Opposition—is the best illustration of the facts that could be given. Meantime the Tories delight to see the two sections of the Free Traders tearing each other. All they need to do is to stand by and halloo on the dogs! From a scene of detestable and despicable squabbling, it is refreshing to turn to one where decency is vindicated. Among the public slanderers of public men, Mr M ‘Kean has held a prominent position. New South Wales, your own Colony, perhaps eve:y Colony in the group has specimens of the genus, but this was the most offensive of them all. On the 21st of last month this precious example of a law-maker was defending a client in the Collingwood Police Court, when a magistrate remarked to him, “ The law you are pleading is a very bad law. You, as a legislator, ought to get it mended.” Whereupon M'Kean broke out into furious invective against the members of the Assembly. His exact words I need not repeat, but in effect they were a sweeping charge against the body collectively of drunkenness and incapacity to transact 'Business, together with an expression of opinion that there never wouldbe any change for the better until the refreshment rooms were abolished. There was also a charge against some member not named, who, sitting on the Bench, has sent his own illegitimate child to an industrial school. Mr Bent, member for Brighton, took up the ihatter; Mr M ‘Kean took a variety of attitudes—principally defiant, partly disputant. A select committee having been appointed, took evidence, reported, and brought on a discussion in one day. M'Kean made practically no defence at all, and after a half-cringing, wholly insolent speech was expelled. The ‘Australasian’ says that at the Governor’s dinner to the Assembly (given before the investigation) M‘Kean had the infinite bad taste to present himself, and was openly sent to Coventry. Certainly public opinion endorses Parliamentary action. I think we are fairly entitled to congratulate ourselves on this purging our fair fame in regard to the character of members. I do not like political morals or their effect upon social morals, but I do not think that at any time these have been so bad here as in some other Colonies, and .1 do not know of any other Colony where similar prompt, decisive, and creditable action has been taken to suppress public and unfounded slander.

For M‘Kean’s vacant seat it seems pretty certain that Sir Chas. Duffy will be ejected. M'Kean will not stand a;ain.

At the Sandridge election Dr. Madden was triumphantly returned. His opponents were Mr Band ell, a free-trade draper, and the notorious William Gaunson. The latter had really no chance, but he gained a fictitious support from the tactics of Mr Randell’s party, who very early in ’ the day saw that their candidate would be hopelessly low on the poll, and worked with both hands for Gaunson. This may serve to show what

bitter hostility to the Government the Stevenson case has evoked. Notwithstanding the reduction in the price of gas all the three companies declare dividends. The Collingwood Company are applying to Parliament for increased powers. We have had some very cold weather, but dry. A few showers fell last week, but not nearly enough for the country.