MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2498, 14 July 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

FROM OL'K OWN COUHKSrOXDENT. | Ehen .'fiii/aees ! The third session of tho thirteenth Parliament is upon us, and the call to arms has sounded To-morrow sees the boirinuing of the fray, with the usual formalities, The Governor will of course as usual attend at the Council Chamber, and open proceedings with tho customary speech. It will deal largely with tho Chinese question, and the unhappy Mongolian will bo no doubt be damned by vicc-re<ral prerogative. Then there will ho tho little farco of the salutes and guard-of-honor business, and His Kxoollency will solemnly stalk to the Lower House, and then quietly steal off. Dr. LeFevre, I hear, is to move the address in reply in the Cuutic.il, and will challenge the Government on the Chinese question. I personally have always found this function of tho opening of Parliament very tedious, and I mean to spend the time more profitably to-morrow than in being present. And, by-the-way, talking of /' affaire eliinois, a detestable case camo before the City Court last week, when two young girls barely twenty years old were charged with vagrancy. They were both found in Chinese dens of the vilest kinds, in a horrible place known as Brogan's Lane, off Little Burke Street. They had been consorting with Chinamen for some time, and as a coDsoquenee of their intercourse with them, seemed to have descended to the very lowest stages of vice. These eases of young girls being found in low houses occupied by Chinamen are becoming very frequent of late. As Mr. Call, the Police Magistrate, said : "These Chinamen don't seem to know what shame is. They are getting perfect pests, and something ought to bo done." Ye.«, indeed, I echo that, something ought truly to be done.

Contrast the foregoing with this:—A Mr Evans, living at Ascot Vale, had his house broken open during the absence of the family. The first to return was his daughter, a young girl, slightly made and not at all robust-looking. She found a man standing at the back door, which had been forced open. She tried to capture him, but he escaped. She then heard someone walking about inside, and instead of running away, as nineteen girls out of twenty would have done, boldly entered the house, and found a man crouching in a corner of the dining room. She didn't screech or go into hysterics, but plnckily caught him by the collar. He struggled with her and broke loose. Just then her sister arrived, and both together set on the burglar. He knocked one of them down, and ran off. As luck would have it, however, the last member of the family came on the scene just in time. This was the brother, and lie soon caught the man again, and succeeded in handing him over to the police. Now, an a remarkable instance of a young girl's pluck, I don't remember the equal of this incident.

Nothing calls for special notice re Exhibition a flairs. Matters seem to be going on more satisfactorily under the new regime, and the buildings are coming to look something like ship-shape. The German Court is the furthest advanced, and will, according, to what has been done, actually take away the palm when everything is finished. The main annexe — called the Hall of Nations—has been repainted, and looks impressive and majestic in consequence of its vastness, if nothing else. There is some talk of the roof not being safe, as some of the columns are out of the perpendicular, but the architect says it's all right, and he ought to know. I hope there won't be a smash at any time, for it would frighten people away altogether if there were. But I don't fear anything of the kind, although some of tho supports really seem to me to be trying to walk out, they are so crooked. In fact, there is not much Exhibition news to chronicle. Of course there is plenty of small talk, and grumbling, and rumours of quarrels between the powers that be—but they all amount to nothing. There is a good deal of adverse criticism against the action of the Committee in refusing the country press to be sold within the building, although it is going to provide a " kiosk " for the sale of Melbourne prints. That's one item of news, aud here's another. A workman told me that last Thursday the Hon. Duncan Gillies was summarily refused admittance, and in this way. It seems the Premier brought a party of ladies to show over the building, but not having a pass was refused entry by the mau at the gate, who did not know him, and had, strange to say, never heard of Mr. Gdlies. The Premier had at last to turn tail completely defeated, and all Melbourne is laughing over the joko of having its political head snubbed by a mere workman.

Another thing people have been talking about is the plan of instituting a corps of gentlemen ushers and attendants for the opening day—same ushers to be sons of the commissioners and staff. It will certainly be a delicate way of paying respect to our visitors and I have no doubt they will think themselves highly honored, being attended on by young gentlemen all in dress suits and white kid gloves—that is if the said young exquisites don't make a mess of it, which lam afraid they will. The latest Exhibition joke is on this point. The eldest son of a member has made up his mind to assist, and ingenuously declared his intention before a little knot of M. P.'s and friends "I intend to be an usher, and help the people to their seats," he said. " a husher, eh ?" echoed tiie witty member for E . "just so, nothing could be more proper. Your father, I think, is known as the "silent member." To appreciate the joke it must be known that the member referred to is popularly supposed to have only opened his mouth once since he sat in the House.and then it was to say " Hear ! Hear 1"

A very curious theatrical case is likely to engage the attention of the judge and jury shortly in Melbourne. Mr. George Ilignold claims that Miss Carrie Swain in "Tho Tomboy " infringes a copyright lie is the owner of. And this copyright is the most curious thing heard of. It is the right to use a water effect in the way of a large tank sunk on the stage, In "The Tomboy " Miss Swain plunges into the supposed river ( i. e. the tank ) and rescues a child. She actually swims with her on her back across the stage, and it is this realistic effect that forms the bone of contention. Whether the great Melbourne triumvirate, Williamson Garner and Musgrovc, under whose auspices Miss Swain is appearing, will have to pay or not I cannot say, but, I should think not. However, apart from this the case promises to be one of the most curious theatrical disputes on re-

In other matters theatrical we are enjoying unusually good bills-of-fara at the various theatres. The principal attraction is the London Gaiety Company, with Nellie Farren and Fred Leslie at their head. So great was the rush for seats, that as much as two and three guineas have been paid for a single dress-circle chair. They opened in an extravaganza, entitled, " Monte Christo, Jun." and were so uproarously encored that the performance wasnot finished till midnight.

At the Bijou we have "Jim the Penman " rendered in such a way, that it is not too much to say we have not had the like in Melbourne for years. Then there is our own Amy Shervvin in English Opera, and the French Comedy Co, delighting the nlmmii with their clever French plays, and so altogether we are enjoing an unusually brilliant season.