OUR VICTORIAN LETTER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 263, 27 May 1880, Page 2

OUR VICTORIAN LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

May 13, 1880

The new Parliament was opened on Tuesday with (ho usual formalities. Sir Charles Macmahon was elected Sp- nicer. Members distributed themselves in the following manner : —On the Ministerial side 47 took their seats, whilst 38 went over to the Opposition benches. How the Government will be able to pass their Reform Bill is a matter of some grave doubt The Government got a majority of five in the election for the Speaker, but it is quite certain that they will not have the votes of certain members who gave their votes on that occasion. Mr David Gann son, (he member for Ararat, has lost no time in commencing the same line of conduct which proved so anuoy-

ing during the last Parliament. During the debate which followed the proposition that Sir Charles Ma Mahon do take the chair, he (Mr Gannson) made himself conspicuous b}' isserting (bat the new Ministers wore not legally elected, as the writ for their election should have been issued by the Speaker, and not by the Governor. The matter did not attract much attention, and was treated with the contempt il deserv'd On all sides it is believed that the session will he a very stormy one, and the political sky is thick with clouds, which presage a severe storm. I shall endeavour, Mr Editor, to keep yourself and your numerous readers well informed on all matters, transpiring in our House*. A young man named Clifford Cains Wilson, a cousin of the Governo/-Genera 1 of India, attempted to fake his life last Friday, ac a hohfl at Richmond. Mr Wilson is a gent'eman of ample means, and is travelling for pleasure. He arrived in the Durham from England her last trip and ever since his landing has been drinking very heavily, which brought on delirium. On being arrested, he was taken to the Richmond Police Station, where he was treated with the utmost kindness. Oa Saturday, he was brought before the Court, and remanded for a week for medical treatment.

A sm-d work on the “Sea Serpent "’ is advertised to appear shortly. The publishers are Messrs D. Kin near Brown and Cc. of the Eastern Arcade. A memorial in honor of the oioneer B it nan has been proposed hy Sir William Mitche'l, and is being taken up with energy by several leading colonists. Diphtheria and measles are still prevalent A few mortal cases are reported from the siiburbs. It is a wonder to me, that we have not more illness in our midst, considering the fearful state of drainage. Some of the back lanes in Melbourne are in shell a state, that it reflect the greatest discredit on the entire sanitary organization that such a state of filth and dirt should be tolerated.