A HOLIDAY TRIP TO MELBOURNE, 1894.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2651, 26 April 1894, Page 3

A HOLIDAY TRIP TO MELBOURNE, 1894.

By “Cushion Tyre”. ( Continued. J The remnant of the Exhibition Buildings next claims attention, as in them is a very good ferhery, a large concert hall, and an excellent aquarium. Attached to the buildings is a large domain, which forms by day a lounging and speechifying place for the numerous umemployed of the city and by night a free camping-ground, with mother earth as a bed and the broad canopy of heaven as a roof. In the Exhibition Buildings is a small collection of British manufacturers’ goods and an armoury court, with the various uniforms and arms used in the different departments of the English army and navy. By iar the most interesting sight is the Aquarium, which contains fish of all kinds, crocodiles from Cairns, in Queensland, and several seals from the islands in Bass Straits. The roof of the Aquarium is made of iron, and irregular pieces of cork, and there are many beautiful treeferns growing in the many crevices and nooks in the walls of the caves. The seals have a large space barred off for their amusement, and in their cage they have a pool of water surrounded by rocky ledges, off which they are very fond of diving after the fish thrown in to them. They are fed daily at 3 p.m., and quite a crowd of people attend to watch their playful antics. Close by are several crocodiles about 10 or 12 feet long. They also liaye a swimming bath and delight to bask (in the sun. Attached to the exhibition grounds is a very good bicycle track with lawn iu the centre and grand staud round about it. The track is five laps to the mile, and is made of asphalt with a banked edge all round. It is fairly wide and much harder and faster than d’.'.dbr paths, I attended a cycle meeting there on Saturday, February Ifth, and saw a great in,” a match between Turner and McOombe, distance 1 mile. Turner proved too good for the New Zealander and won by a few feet, That same afternoon all the records were lowei’od from £ mile up to 25 miles by Sbarpe, Turner, McCombe and others. There are powerful electric lights suspended over the track and race meetings and sports are frequently held of an evening.

Through the instrumentality of a friend I received a pass to be shown over the Houses of Parliament, and was astonished at their internal beauty and completeness. They are most gorgeously fitted up inside, and no expense has been spared to make them tho handsomest; in the. land. On entering otto is shown into a largo and lofty hall with a tbov of mosaic paving, most beautifully ini ml with differently colored atones to represent a crown. Some of pieces of inlaid stone were as small as ones linger nail, so it is easy to see what a great deal of time such work rook, ami the great patience required in placing the pieces. There is a life-sized statue of tho 'tjueon in this hall cut from white marble and resting on a pedestal of Victorian granite- Tho attendant told me that the cost of the work was £2oUO. The cost of the hall alone, in which the statue is, was over £do,ooo, which shows how public money is squandered in Victoria. Passing through tho building

one is shown the different Chambers—the Council and the Assembly. These are most extravagantly fitted up, supplied with the electric light, richly painted, upholstered and carved. There is a splendid parliamentary reference library, containing records from the founding of the country to the present time, and all the principal papers of the world. Attached to the buildings are bars, retiringrooms, smoking rooms,billiard saloons, lavatories, etc., etc., so that to be a Victorian M.L.A. is one of the highest ambitions of the people. There are nice gardens and tennis grounds attached for the recreation of the members, (lo be continued.)