ECHOES OF MELBOURNE. [By Scripopolis.]

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1528, 20 April 1882, Page 2

ECHOES OF MELBOURNE. [By Scripopolis.]

Melbourne, sth April, 1882. Ouk world joga along without, any of that life that should distinguish a metropolis. We have got over the scare got up by the Age, which made some of our old women believe that the Russians would be bombarding the city in a few days. Men fire queer, creatures. CSbnieljidioM^lfeolutely withdrew their money^frppi the banks when^hey-^«adJ;he, v cM««(?>,«Aj^4». Mx^ Bryant, he haa turned Out to be &chevalier 'eP industrial nanied^Henri de Beaumont, 'who, aft* floing his4ime in-lUewtlale. donia. came on to this city, where he forged some cheques, for whicn^Jxe has had to make a year's : stay at Teniaridge. M. de Beaumont was a good specimen of the .French; adventurer..; Favo^red^by, a • good address, 'he actually got to' be'on" : visiting terms, with the Governor, , but unfortunately' he asked 'the 'Marquis to lend him some money.f j The* Marquis of .Normanby would lose a drop of blood before he would a pound, so he ordered £lie lackeys to refuse M. de Beaumont admittance in future, and set the police upon him. The, true, way in^whicb to make an enemy is to ask a loan. It' is a } safe recipe. "Beaumdnt's cheek Stood to him to the last. Even a,fter he had been bowled out he announced that he 'would meet those ,who desired, to, be epnvjnced of designs at Gunsler's CaieV l Quite a crowd assembled at the appointed time, but^of " course -Monsieur t de^Beau* mont did not turn up. , All sensible men feel humiliated at the spectacle 'we have made 6i 6urBelvea,and'th'erdiscourteByfof which a section has been guilty t tp wards a friendly nation. ; - parliament is to meet a few weeks, butjpolitics are^stilPih' a^'dbubtful 'state. It is generally believed that the Ministry , will 'be defeated on a vote of Want of confidence based on their administration* and patronage; but' if so they A can get a dissolution. • Everything points to a con*' "tinued coalition between the Conservatives and the Ministry until the general election, after which -the Conservatives will probably be strong enough to take th'elreins themselves, the leading members ' of the Ministiy taking "billets. The Liberals are 1 utterly disorganised, and do not look like getting back to power for a long time. The death of Mr JKernot, Mr Berry's colleague, in Geelong, and ihe election ,of a* new member .creates .some./, interest, especially asl the '-^ell-known' C. E. Jones has taken the field: Mr C. E. Jones is a man ' with a ■ history, 'who ' exemplifies in himself \Mat may happen to a man in these colonies. ' Years ago he was an industrious, tailor in Bourkestreet, whose shop was the focus for the political agitations, of We* day; ' Tlfere Wilson Gray, t Charles, Jardine D,on, , .Graham Berry and others met and worked out platforms. ' Unfortunately for. himself, Mr Jones' ! was smitten with the senatorial fever. Perhaps the success of another tailor and draper further down the street — 'Big, Jack O'Shannesay, now the Hon. Sir John O'Shannessy — gave the incentive. But Sir John went in with the Conservatives and made a fortune, iMr Jones with the Liberals, and of course didn't. He got to be Minister of Railways, and proved himself to; be possessed of practical as well as oratorical powers. Unhappily for .him, he had allowed himself to fall into a trap laid for him by $he Conservatives, who , had given hinv £60 .when he was in,, great straits. They 'pounced upon him, in the moment of his victory and hounded him out of the colony. He went to America, whera he fought the, battle of life for ten years, and' now returns to Victoria, where he lias been warmly received, for his talents and his misfortunes not, been forgotten. .There are more, unlikely things than that he should be returned for Geelong. It so, a new element will be added to our, political life. <* ; „,- »;< , ; r Our hospital is still one of our .troubles. For some time we have regarded it as a home of erysipelas and other poisons — a brick ogre, upon the, front of which should be written the words " abandon life all ye who enter here with wounds." , The president, Surgeon Gillbee, tells us that it breeds not only physical,, but moral contagion. It not only turns, out corpses, but drunkards. Mr Gillbee states that stimulants are dispensed to such an excess that young men and women who enter the hospital, leave it with acquired tastes for alcohol. The writer remarks ,that the *' boy-dbctOrs" who reside in the , hospital find stimulants'so good for them- ? selves that they freely prescribe them. Others hint' that the Mother Gamps of the hospital take care one-half these pleasant prescriptions don't reach the patients. The affair has caused considerable noise, and * the ' medical staff have called upon Mr Gillbee to retract, but he will not, for he says he made a similar report four ye.arsi ago, 'and it was not noticed ; and, he sticks to his report. We have had little in the suicide or crime way recently, though, of course, the larrikins keep their, own game going. A young batik manager named McLostry, who has had charge of the Bank of New South Wa.leSj.at Richmond, shot himself in the headVith a pistol,' but "the' bullet was stopped by the parietal bone of,'the ear, and did not reach the brajm It is 'doubtful whether he Mill recover. It is probable he has been guilty of defalcations, but so far this is not known. Another young fellow,' at recent arrival, after a drjnking bout, -cut his, throat j.and not satisfied with that; liacked'at the veins of liis Ijigs. However, it r is likely lie Svill recover, if the hospital erysipelas does not finish him. r ' Th.c drought continues. One ambitious Shire Council has applied to the Government for £171,000, to construct an irrigation canal, and' Bishop, Moorhbuse has' ' blessed them. The Bisliop is as active as ever, and has succeeded) in getting the £25,000 that had to be collected for the cathedral fund before Mr Ormond's £5000 would be available. So that now our Anglican » Cathedral will soon , be an established fact. , /V^e are getting on. There is nothing new, theatrically, at least not to interest distant readers. The Montague-Tnrner Opera Company is a great success here, Turner having taken the Melbourne Public Library Room.

"Ok, yeg," said Mta Brown', dd-she" surveyed with evident pleasure the little* parlor sideboard, covered 'with old china and decorated with highly-colored tiles, "Mrß. remarked last jnight. that I, was becoming quite an atheist," and the old lady'flf countenaticen fairly beamed twjth delight as her , eyes "restjedj.on a.l^ cent. Japanese teapot., j \j.,,, v , r College professor— " Can we see an „ intangible object ?" Pupil — "Yes, z\x"^^ Professor-/; Eh 1 dp .you meanr£p»Cite your authorities." ' PupJl^'ShaWJD^ speare^sir.- See, Haiplet's a.dyice to the* players wheii.he Bp' ( eaks. J of jHioy who saw th.c.air." ,;, , v »' . '/^'v "'{ ". '"" ; Old gentleman— 'Have you any pfane . tree w00 ( 4..?^ ; TimW^merchant,;^oa'e ' hopes are raised in anticipation* of a good fine a .stock ,as 'any ul, -t*fi rt fsP,wfe sif. Should ybu.prefer it n frth? pia^k;%r"ia' the— ah—log V Qkl^gentleman — * Oh 1 , thanky, Tin; aotyp^rticujw.^. Ijwanfc a bit for a fiddle-bridge. V.J " * _; 1 ,. 1 , ; Whex Kichardoffent'tortjje Holy, Land one of the«lawB he knMi *&%• 4^i| "ttroops 'was that if any one should beVconvicted pEtheft'boiling oitch 1 ' Bhftiritb.be, poured <w®f his Wad'ariWa' piUoMulfoMeatMr! 'shak^ii over it. 1 ' • % ;|!' V v . ' - ! ; - X' <~ * "