MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2534, 6 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

)krom ouiiown collnk.sronnknt.)

TitK sensation of the week, since I last wrote, has been the unexpected decision of the judges of the Supreme Court of Victoria, in the case of Chung Teong Toy v. the Collector of Customs. The plaintiff, it will be remembered, was a passenger by the "Afghan," and was with the re3t of the Chinese emigrants, refused permission to laud. Practically, therefore, the issue was this—whether the government was entitled to use the prerogative of excluding aliens, and the judges have answered No." Truth to tell, however, this " No." does not mean very much after all ; for, though it has been decided that the Government has not the power indicated, Parliament could invest it with such power by passing a special Act; so that in a fortnight's time the Government could be armed cnp-a-putl against all legal resistance. For what has been done \vc shall undoubtedly have to pay tho piper ; but it will be a lesson for the future. The Chinamen must he kept out undoubtedly ; but this must be done by Leglisature, and not simply by rash Ministerial action.

I tools the opportunity of paying | several visits to the Supreme Court whilst the trial was proceeding ; for, perhaps, never before has such a national point been at issue. There were six judges on the bench, a row of crimsonarrayed nobilities, and a splendid bar. Strange to say, the judges were not unanimous in their verdict—the Chief Justice and one other maintaining that the action of the Government has been legal. And iu support of his views I was just in time to heart he most masterly txcunm on constitutional law it has been my good fortune to listen to. As an oration, its sustained statelincss of diction, its comprehensive grasp and ability, its lucidity and logic, were something wonderful ; and, as regards myself, T don't remember even a preacher who impressed me more, except, perhaps, the Rev. Ward Beecher at Brooklyn. "By George, sir," said a famous Q. C., who had found me a seat near him, " It is worth the trial just to hear that. If I'm any judge, that speech will occupy a high and lasting place in judicial literature." To conclude then, this poor, despised Chinaman has won the fight, and taught the whole of Australia a lesson it is not likely to forget, and will moreover, most certainly have to pay heavily for. My good friend, Martin Simenson, gave me a seat in his box at the lloyal on Saturday evening for the purpose of witnessing the first performance of the troupe of "Spanish Students" he has just brought out from Madrid. I was pleased with the performance, and glad that an overflowing house had collected to welcome my enterprising little friend. The " Students " are fifteen in number, and play on the mandoline, guitar and violin to perfection. We have never had such melodious twanging before, and of course the quality of the music is quite new. Then there was a ballet with two pmiiici'i'i, who danced cleverly Spanish landangos, boleros, cachuc.is, tarantellas, and so on. Item also, a lady singer, who warbled caree.'eras, romanzus, and what not. Altogether it was a thoroughly Spanish entertainment, and so was novel. We have an Italian opera, German opera, French plays, Swiss singers, Austrian band, and now Spanish musicians—we only want a few Russians, Turks, and so on, to till the list.

And talking of these mutters (for I feel I owe my readers a light paragraph or two after that depressing rigmarole of the Supreme Court), I am glad enough to find Melbourne attracting so much notice from other parts. Not only in matters theatrical, but in others likewise. Take literature for instance. There are now three London weekly papers sold publicly in the steerta here, and I hear of one or two more about to start Melbourne agencies. Then in the matter of books. All the big London publishing houses have branches in the colonies, and go in for pushing their works and looking out for good Australian writers. Special Australian editions are now quite the fashion, and we get good books in a cheap form even before they appear in Jingland. Whilst on this topic, I have been looking back to my former letters, and fiud i have mentioned nothing of the new evening paper shortly to be started. It is to be called the Evening Standard and to come out under the management of Mr James Thompson, our late delegate to the " Coliudcries "in London, Another venture shortly to appear i.s a new society paper called The Mirror. It is to be conducted on the linos of Truth, Vanity Fair, and The World, and its spicial feature will bo a full-page cartoon every week of some prominent personage. In these enterprising times of land booms and land syndicates, an article on the first land sale ever held in Melbourne which appeared in one of the dailies last week, conies as very interesting reading, and a few facts gleamed from it will, I am sure, interest my readers,. Fifty-cue years ago the first sale took place, and if the history of the fifty acres then sold could be written in detail, the story would be second only in interest to the history of the gold discoveries, or the romance of the wool trade. Take for instance two of the corner sites at the intersection of Collins and Elizabethstreets. These may be looked upou as the pick of Melbourne, and are valued at £493,500 each, that is, with in ace of half-a-million. In IS'.iT they were sold at auction for £10 and CU respectively. One lot in Collin i-strwt fetched then iIS. It is now worth £200,000. Is not this fabulous? I know of nothing in the history of the world to equal it, for mind, it is only fil'tyorie years back since this first a lie was held. Twenty pounds invested then iu Melbourne would have bought two hundred thousand now. No wonder we have so many wealthy men in Melbourne, and no wonder we are progressing at a rate hitherto unknown in any part of the world.