MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2501, 21 July 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

[FROM oun OWN COttftKSrONnENT.I

It was anything but Queen's weather on Tuesday bisf. at. tho opening of Parliament, but. despite lhat there was an immense crush; and the function was as brilliant as could be desired. It was a •rreyish, cold, biting day, with hoavy clouds above and a good deal of mud beneath, and so the contrast when one entered the Legislative Council Chamber was all the more cheering. The whole apartment was packed, the ladies gallery not having an inch of room to spare. All the notabilities of the town and colony were there ; all the members and their wives, judges and barristers, pop ular preachers,Jarmy men and navy men in scarlet and blue —in a word, everybody who assumed to be anybody, and had mauaged ill consequence to obtain the favor of a ticket. In fact, there were too many strangers, for they somewhat interfered with the proper carrying out of the ceremony, filling up as they did, all the available space, overflowing into the galleries, and hampering the members jvho happened to be late in getting their scats. It was indeed a brilliant spectacle, and though there is a great sameness about the proceedings (in strict matter of fact they are dullness itself), everything passed off well enough. The keynot3 of the present situation was given by the Governor by way of peroration to his usual speech, and it is well worthy of reproduetioU. "At no time," said he, "since the colony was founded, has the prosperity been so marked. Our credit is higher than ever; the revenue has never been more elastic; and almost every industry is successful or reasonably hopeful of success, I pray that by the blessing of the Divine Providence your councils may add to the continuance of this general well-being." True words these, and what is more, brave and encouraging ; and I for one cordially second Sir Henry's pious wish. Mr. F. Cowcn, the great musical gun for the Exhibiton, has arrived at last, and met with a very cordial reception from the Exhibition people and the musical dons of the city. He is a well-made youngish looking man, rather thin and spare in physique, and with the true Jewish black eyes and finely-modelled features. He is extremely genial in manner, and is one of the best conversationalists and raconteurs of the day, having already a reputation in London as a witty talker and anecdotist. A younger brother has come out with him. This one is a painter, and has exhibited several times at the Royal Academy. He intends devoting his time here in Melbourne to portrait painting, besides which he has a commission to represent the London Sporting and Dramatic News. He intends sending home a picture of the next Melbourne Cup, so he told me, and writing an account of it with illustrations for the journal mentioned above. This talented young man is very much like his brother in appearance, only that he wears his hair in long locks, and so looks very artistic and picturesque. People—that is, people who can afford it—are already commencing to run after him and his brother and trying to " lionize " them. We had here last week a spell of the coldest weather Melbourne has known for over five years. A bitterly chill wind swept the city, and actually in Williamstown there was a fall of snow. Such a thing has never been known before, and one would doubt the assertion altogether were it not for undeniable evidence. Up at Mount Macedon the snow is lying three or four inches thick, and snow-ball-ing—a rare Australian pastime—is being freely indulged in by the lads of the place. The fall of snow so close to town accounts for the keenness of the air here, and I hope it will soon melt, for my Victorian blood is too thin to stand it. But we are having extraordinary natural phenomena all round, for on Friday there was no less than three waterspouts close to the Heads, which is so unusual a thing as to be almost abnormal. I hear it spoken about in town that Sir Graham Berry is likely to retire from the position of Agent-General of Victoria at tho end of the year, and that Mr. Gillies will be his successor. Sir Graham being desirous of entering actual political life in Victoria. In public the Premier denies the assertion, but to my mind that does not prove it quite untrue. Our Premier is not one to let his business be known, and there is seldom smoke without fire. I don't think Berry lias been a success at home, certvinly nothing like Murray Smith, whose place lie usurped. Socially at all events he has been a failure, and I am told has had to undergo more snubs from those in power than he cares to put up with. He doubtless finds position is not so easily gained in London as it is in these free-and-easy colonies, and I should not beat all surprised to see him back again before very long. One hears more often than not of the gullibility of hnmau nature, but a case occurred in "town last week which eclipses all previous records. I relate the incident to stiow what lunatics are at large in this colony of ours, and what an easily reaped harvest there seems to be for the thief and " speeler." A digger named Rossinga came over from Sydney in the ' Liguria,' and ou boardmade the acquaintance of a man who seemed to be a respectable fellow-possenger. Arrived in Melbourne the two newly-made friends had a look round, and apparently spent a few pleasant hours about town. Then of course followed the nsual drinks, and prior to parting the digger in a burst of confidence was persuaded by his companion to entrust him with his money for " safe keeping." He did so, and received in receipt, "I owe you —Alfred Stowe," —the amount being £230. Of course the recipient, once having possession of the money, has never turned up again, and the simple digger is bewailing the loss of his all. The story is hardly worth relatiu g only it shows what kind of harmless lunatics there are going about. Fancy a man entrusting another, an acquaintance of a few hours, with all he has in the world, the only set-off being a receipt not worth the paper it is-written ou.

One of the first of Mr Cowen's experiences in Melbourne has not yet been related. In company with the Secretary of the Exhibition he went into a Collinsstreet hotel, where they met the city organist, Mr David Leo. As they conversed there came to them a member of the Philharmonic Society very much under the influence of musical ecstasy, or something of that kind. He at onco opened on to Mr Lavatcr with " What the Scandinavian symphony did ho mean by bringing this ere Cowen (hie!) when hish friend, David Lee, bloomin' besht conductor in the colony." It was no use treading on his toe, and he had got beyond the stage of facial effect warning, so they took the opposito course, and encouraged him until he had unburdened his soul to the bitter end. The composer, as a good fellow would, enjoyed it with the rost, and they left the amateur musician in blissful ignorance of the directness of his remarks. Mr Cowen, however, admitted-that it was about the roughest " jar " he had ever received. The latest excitement in town is the floating into a limited company of the Melbourne Stock Exchange. This was started three y'jars ago by a few euterprising stock-jobbers at £3 a membership. This quickly rose to £500 as their numbers increased, and now eventuates in a public company. The rush for shares was something phonomonal, nothing like it has been seen in Melbourne for a long time. The Union Bank was appointed agent for applications, and for days the institution has been besieged by a surging crowd, eager for shares. There are only GO,OOO to bo allotted, and already applications for 000,000 have been,received. And the remarkable thing about it is that nobody seems to know where the profits are to come from, only a few lines of prospectus having been issued without a single name

to give it weight. So great was the rush at the Union Bank that actually five shillings was being bid for allotment forms, and now shares before being al--1 >tcd are at two pounds premium. Tl e motto for Melbourne ought to be '• überimma fates " — implicit reliance.