OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4422, 22 May 1875, Page 3

OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Melbourne, May 8. It is at length settled, after a series of protracted postponements, that Parliament shall meet for the despatch of business on the 25th May. This circumstance has led to the preparation of parties for the coming political strife. Already the Opposition is feeling its way with a view to attacking the Government on the abuse of patronage, the identical question on which the Francis party overthrew the Duffy Government. Instances are given and freely commented on, in which appointments of an extraordinary character have either been made or promised. One is the case of an inexperienced negro woman, lately arrived in the colony, who, without any previous training or examination, was placed as schoolmistress in a State school under the new Education Act, at Bulla. Another is of a man promoted from the plough-tail to an asaistaut-teachership in the Melbourne Model School. Then it is rumored that the Solicitor-General has promised to appoint a colonial barrister to a police magistracy, whose chief qualification lays in his intimacy with a Minister's family. The compact said to have been made with Mr. F. E. Smythe, late member for Gippsland, by which the resigning member was to he elevated to a county court judgeship, has been rudely broken by the arrival of Judge Hackett from England by the last mail. Mr. Hackett has been enjoying ordinary and sick leave for so long a period that it came to be regarded as certain that he would not return to the colony, and there were so many claimants for the cast off shoes among the colonial bar, that one is led to think the vocation of a banister is not as remunerative as it used to he in the days of Messrs. Dawson, Aspinall, and Dennistoun Wood.

The fiscal policy of the Government is to form the first battle ground, and if there be any truth in political rumors, the Government will have to meet a more compact and firm Opposition than it has yet encountered.

Mr. Casey, the Hon. Minister of Lands, has been playing a quiet game of his own, and as he holds the trump cards of the Government suit, it is thought that he means ratting at the last moment, and throwing his fortunes into the Opposition camp. In sporting matters there has been a slight lull, and the only racing event of any importance on the tapis at present is the approaching Grand National Steeplechase Meeting, which •'''"takes place on the Queen’s Birthday, under the auspices of the Melbourne Hunt Club. The entries for each event are numerous, and comprise the best jumping horses in the ■ colony. It will be recollected that in April last a sculling match took place for a trophy, valued at £SO, between Mr. Bell, the amateur champion sculler, and Detective Christie, who is one of the most accomplished athletes in the colony ; and, in addition to his excellence in rowing, has proved himself an able master in the art of self-defence. On that occasion Christie appeared to have been overtrained, and was suffering from an eruption of boils, which burst during the race, to which contretemps many of his backers attributed his defeat. Dissatisfied with the result of this match, Christie at once challenged Bell to row the same course of two miles a"ain, for a similar prize; and the match having been made, the. event came off before 1 an immense concourse of people on the Ist May. Christie had manifestly improved in condition, but it was thought by the rowing critics that Bell would prove too much for him. The race turned out to be a most unsatisfactory one, as Christie appears to have fouled Bell in the first two hundred yards, after which Bell shot into Christie s water and fouled him. _ The umpires took the matter into consideration, and, without deciding which rower fouled the other, they have decided that the race must be rowed over a»ain. The event is looked forward to with considerable interest, as both men are strong, staunch, and fit and anxious for the victory. It is very satisfactory to be able to report that the heartburnings and jealousies of our leadin'* cricket clubs are at last to be healed and buried out of sight. A grand cricket banquet is to take place, at which all clubs will attend ; the hatchet will then and there be entombed, and after smoking a calumet_ of peace the new "Victorian Cricketing Association rvill be inaugurated. This mutual spurt is said to be largely attributable to the fact that the Victorian team suffered two disastrous defeats during the season at the hands of New South Wales in the intercolonial matches, and these defeats were the direct product of local squabbles, .club brawls, and personal animosity. It may interest you to know that the visit of a Victorian team to New Zealand is among the schemes projected. If carried out, the team I will visit all the principal towns before returning. The Victoria Yacht Club have just closed their season, and* at a meeting held yesterday, it was resolved to give a ball, —a most enjoy - able annual custom of the club,— which might in justice to the ladies who suffer from the absence of their sporting lords, be followed by a variety of other clubs. Football is beginning to replace cricket, the opening matches of the season being fixed for the current and There have been numerous instances in our port, and in the police courts at Sandridge and Williamstown, of mutinous and refractory seamen either refusing to do duty or go on board their ships. The presiding magistrates have always—and very properly so—come down with i4«Cvy hand on such offenders ; but the captainr"who visit us are not adjudged the safe-degree of severity for their offences. Sonic of the skippers, especially those from America and foreign ports, are known to be guilty of gross abuse of power, and often of absolute cruelty to their seamen, aggravated bv beastly language and drunken indulgence. It cannot, therefore, be a matter of astonishment that in many cases sailors will submit to imprisonment and suffering rather than sail with them- ■ A shocking illustration of this occurred during this week, when the barque Carleton put to sea with only three men and the officers to manage the vessel, feeveral of the Bailors -were in irons, and others refused to K 0 to sea. As the vessel was passing the Heads three of the seamen jumped overboard, taking with them only a plank and two lifebuoys, with apparently the intention of reaching the steamer Omeo, which was coming into port at the time. The passengers on the steamer heard cries, but as they could see nothing the Omeo continued her course. As the sea was rough at the time, it is not expected that any of the men could reach the Shore. The state of the Carleton at the time was next to open mutiny, and five of the sailors were sent ashore at Queenschffe as refractory. Captain Durkie, however, held on his and passed through the Heads with his crew of three men before the mast. He us bound for Newcastle, and his safe arrival there will be looked for with some interest and much the many social improvements that are taking place, the chief one is the decision * .1. f qtv Corporation that the mam streets r ented with trees. The Mayor has generously offered to plant, at his own expense, I portion of Collins-street, if the Coloration will bear the expense of shifting the kerbstones, ftc., and as this body has consented to the expenditure, we may hope soon to witness in our most aristocratic thoroughfare an approach to the French boulevards. _ 1 X very important senes of experiments has keen gffng on, in regard to the treatment of fhike in sheep. A Mr. Sullivan claims to have discovered a specific for the disease, and as his private experiments were such as to lead to the conclusion that there was coDsiderab e value in his discovery, ten sheep in a stage of disease were placed at his disposal to operate upon, under the supervision of Mr. Curr, Chief Government Inspector of bheep. The results of this trial are not conclusive, since three of the sheep have been pronounced by Mr. Miscamblo, the veterinary surgeon, to have been hopelessly incurable when subjected to the physic. Two were killed to note the effect of the medicine, in which case the drug had expelled the flukes from the liver, and they were found in the ducts of the stomach

both in a decayed and living state. The rest of the sheep were either killed; by dogs, or so worried during the experiment that the authorities were compelled to have them lulled. Under these circumstances, the Government has been asked to place a sum of money at the inventor’s disposal, in order to have a full and final test as to the merits of the. discovery. Another invention we have to notice is the new stone-breaking machine patented by Mr. J. B. Rider. A trial of this machine took place in presence of a number of engineers and others interested in the result, at the foundry of Messrs Anderson and Brace. The result of the trial was pronounced to he most satisfactory, and it is claimed for the machine that, with the same amount of steam and in the same time, it will crash twice as much metal as any other stone-breaker yet discovered. The patentee states that the machine can he supplied for £3OO ; that with a ten horse-power engine it will keep four men continually employed aud will break ten yards of metal per hour.

Following on inventions, we have also to notice a new blasting powder, introduced by Mi - . Woolfe. It professes to he superior to dynamite, lithofracteur, or any other explosive compound, and can he more safely handled. The public experiments made with this new powder are such as to warrant the patentee in his statements, and they gave every satisfaction to the judges who assembled at the Brunswick quarries to witness the trial. At the Opera-house, Offenbach’s new opera bouffe, “Da Perichole,” has enjoyeda capitalrun, Miss Clara Thompson sustaining the principal character, La Perichole, a street singer. The opera, which is new to a Melbourne audience, abounds in sparkling music, the trios and duets being the most attractive features. The choruses have been as steady as could be desired, but practice is working a wonderful improvement in this regard. At the Theatre Royal we have still “ All that Glitters is not Gold,” under the title of “ The Factory Girl.” Mr. George Coppin, as Toby Twinkle, is simply irresistible ; and Miss Paget, who sustains the principal character, the factory girl, has overcome the nervousness that somewhat marred her first appearance. The United States Minstrels, at-the Apollo Hall, and the Hibernica, at St. George’s Hall, both continue to draw very large houses. The Hibernica has a constantly changing programme, which is of itself an effectual draw. One of the sensations of the day has been caused by the appearance of a new publication, under the title of the “ Monthly Commercial Gazette.” In vain you look for any literary production or commercial quotations in this document. It is simply a summary, alphabet!-' cally arranged, of those unhappy individuals who have been compelled to raise the wind by bills of sale. There is also a list of all the “protection orders” granted by police-courts to women who dread their lords and fear they may make off with their furniture and effects. Added to these is a list of persons against whom executions have been registered, insol vents, and the names of those to whom certificates have been granted. It is said that this publication will supersede the trade circular now, in use, but whatever effect it may have with the holders of capital, which is so tight at present, the result to those who desire to raise fresh loans must be disastrous in the extreme. Another document which is in circulation is the “Tailors' Black List,” which comprises the names of all those who are in arrear with their tailors’ hills. The tailors, in council assembled, have agreed to give no credit to any one whose name appears in the condemned list. Among the names I observed those of a variety of professional men, merchants, civil servants, one Judge, and a number of those whom we consider our most solvent bookmakers.

Of scan. may. we have abundance at present. One of the bank managers at Sandhurst has been summarily dismissed for showing too much weakness in allowing cash credit and overdrafts to his friends. At Beechworth, the bank manager of the Hew South Wales branch, who has been in the service of the bank for twenty years, and the accountant have both been dismissed at a moment’s notice for what are termed “ gross irregularities.” The nature of these irregularities has not yet oozed oiit, but the books of the branch are undergoing a thorough overhaul, aud the truth will be known in a few days. A Melbourne chemist, lately carrying on business in the city, has commenced an action for divorce, making a high official in the Supreme Court co-respondent. It appears the chemist, - who had led a rather fast life, married a young, pretty, flighty wife, who, with her attractions, carried the temper of Xantippe. Her lord habituated himself to boozing on colonial ale with boon companions till near cockcrow, and as the wife could not wean him from those indulgences, she resorted to physical force to .detain him at the domestic fireside, and brought a troop of sisters to her aid. Finally she dragged handfuls of hair from her spouse’s unresisting cranium, and brought him before the police court for violence and threats towards herself. On this he was committed to gaol until hail for six months’ meekness could be found, and as this difficulty could not be at once surmounted, our gallant chemist remained incarcerated. Whilst there, a serpent approached the disconsolate lady, in the form of a functionary of the Supreme Court, and the husband having satisfied his mind on all points as to his wife's proceedings during his imprisonment, now appeals to the law to vindicate his wounded honor and sooth his lacerated feelings. Mining matters are still as depressed as ever. To mention mining matters in the drawingroom is to draw down frowns all round, if not to cause yourself to be looked upon as a species of blackleg seeking whom you may ruin. lit commerce the depression was never so steady or so universal, nor does there seem to be a gleam of light to show a break in the gloomy monotony. The houses in the inland towns are so shaky that the Melbourne firms decline doing further business, and cannot renew their current bilk, so tbat unless some important change takes place soon, you may be prepared to hear of some heavy failures. Money is scarce, and of accommodation there is little indeed. The rumored failure of a large auctioneering firm in Sydney for upwards of £IOO,OOO, has caused a deal of misgiving, as many of the Melbourne firms are heavily interested. Matters have not been improved by the information that in Sydney forced sales of heavy stocks of wheat and flour are causing a decline in values m that market. Great preparations are going on for the Philadelphia Exhibition. In Melbourne the exhibition is fixed for August, and the additional buildings for the purpose are already approaching completion. New South Wales, Tasmania, Fiji, and South Australia are cooperating heartily, so that a great success is anticipated. The Royal Commission, which is sitting to inquire into the condition of our Volunteer force, has already brought out most startling information. Colonel Anderson has stated that in his opinion four thousand of our volunteers could not effectually resist a force of two thousand regulars landed on our coast. Of course this has filled the martial bosoms of our defenders with indignation, and Colonel Anderson has, in public advertisements, much modified his statement. Still the public feel that the colonel did not make the statement either in haste or unadvisedly, and they wait patiently for further developments of the inquiry. . There has been a rash of ladies for employment in the Telegraph Department. Already a large proportion of the operators consist of ladies, but as there are at least two hundred on the books for employment, who have undergone the training and passed the prescribed examination in telegraphy, the Government have issued a notice to the effect that, for the present, the lectures and preparatory course for ladies will bo discontinued.