MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2578, 19 January 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

(FROM GL-ROWN roiIUKSfUNDCNT). [:; many households the present Chrs mas Ims piovtd uiiyihni'T l.uit a merry ono. Qnir.' a elnpter i f .-.i-nsatioiiN were recorded in i!«e newspapers which vvcr.i imbli -Y"l ;ii'ter H'xiu;; I'ay, embra«::iu: :nur '■■ r, li-.-Ul:- by clMiwning, i.n.l devast.tiny ,I:■ ■ I d.-.strn.-t'Ve lires both in town ,>.nd .!■ uiiti v. On Christmas Day .in ex coustiil'V "f police-deliberately .hot his wife d.'.'id (it Camh'Twell, li'ivimpreviously rin-d at aiw! wouik'k .1 his broth •r-i'.-'iw Iln fiieu iioo'' gavi- himsuit' li|i t'> the local jn.'lioe. aud assigncil ■in hi- r.' ■'.■■■■■\\ lor rho ei'iir.e tin; fact lliat t'.io mu-.i!'-:-! v.oni.ii, w< i:l! not :\\\nw him to t'ke chaig-.: of hi:! children. About t!i- .'an.-' time a wing of the. Ai.'Vrd Hi-pi'.-iiwas In'ally <leslro\eii by !iiv<, ainl no little dilliculty was txpericneed in re>ouing the iniiKUes. No less t!ia.n eh.'ht deaths liy (irowiiing were recorded under o !-• headitig, whilst from all parts of the c.j'.in'ry came iiitelh'gence ot extensive bush (ires, which have involved in heavy lo. i ;i, if not absolute ruin, many property owners. Auioug'it the parcels which have l'.ia. lied me at this festive season is one Obtaining live books, bearing the imp ■•.it of the G'enteiitiiai Printing and P.iblUhing Co. the typographical finish of which reflects as much credit upon the onterpiising firm by which they are issued as does the excellence of the liiuiary contents upon their respective authors. The first of the works to which I refer is a, popular edition of that charming record of travel, Melbourne to

Montrosf, by Mr .Tamos Smith, of the Argus, one of thu most cultured literary

men of whom I'm so colonics can boast. Next in c.nier- cornea a re-issue of (lead Over litcls, by that genial and humorous wieHer of tho pen Garnet Walsh, who has be.cn so long and favourably known thrjiujh'jut Australia. Gags is a dramatic and i'.:i: = ical annual, edited by Mr Frank L'ates, the jeunc premier with whom we are all acquainted, and containing a variety of interesting matter contributed by nctors and other entertainers of high repute. My We'nl "Wooing is a cleverly constructed romance of the sensational order by Mr David Fowler. Perhaps the most interesting of the batch of books is At the Wickets, by Air W. H. lledley, the reporter pur excellence of cricket matches, who supplies us with a full review of the contests which have taken place up to date between New South Wales and Victoria.

The present Parliament will shortly expire by cfQuxion of time, and although we are not actually on the eve of a general election, existing members and other aspirants for seats are taking time by the forelock, and intimating that they intend to stand for this or that constituency, just as how and where they consider they have the best show. The Redistribution of Seats Bill of course makes this a little awkward in many instances for the old electorates have been cut up in such a manner as to weaken some and strengthen others. This is perhaps the case in a greater degree with metropolitan constituencies than with those of the country. Amongst the candidates already announced there do not appear the names of any particularly shining lights of the political firmament. So far the list is uninteresting, except perhaps that it indicates the return to public life of Mr J. L. Purvey who is spoken of as going for the new electorate (if Joli'.iiont. This does not come upon us at ail with surprise, for ever since the successful advocate began to take such a deep interest in the welfare of the Australian Natives' Association, it was anticipated he would look to that body to find him a seat in Parliament'. Should he be returncil, he will doub'less assume the leadership of the Young Australian National party.

It is now some two years since (lie Salvation Army nnnoi.ir.ccd ita intention of devoting its efforts to the conversion of hereditary peers, but up to the present I have head of no c aso of this laudable work being crowned wit)) any success. Instances of noblemen who have gone wrong are as thick as leaves in autumn, yet I do not recolh-ct reading of an incident where a fallen member of the blno-blooded aristocracy has stood up and " testified '' at any meeting of the army. This is to he resetted for more reasons than one. Either the shady noblemen are beyond the pale of solvation or the oratory of General Booth's officers is not up to the standard of these distinguished but incorrigible and irretrievably bad gentry. It is indeed hard to say it, but I happened to know of one who boasts of having Norman blood running in his veins, who i.s satisfied to receive from a publican along beer whenever ho cm succeed in driving avvay an improvised meeting of salvatioi.ists next door. In one of Shakespeare's sonnet's tin to is a couplet. (I quote from memory): —

" Fur sm-etnst tilings turn sourest by tliei deeds. IJllies that foster smell far worse than weeds.'

Apply this to the aristocracy, and you will know whit sort of job General Booth has taken in hand.

In my English newspaper files just to hand, I came across the following ndvertioemcufc—" Wanted, immediately, for aa uiitnithful an 1 <! : .;'>V'<lif'nt girl a strict school : nirivi -a I ji; t i:;.-:!nnent a necessity ; yw.. i;;.-; svisit'.Tiiir: abroad ri'ffi'i'iici-: ;;'".•( n and rei|i>.iivd, sv.;., etc." Wii:it <]'::■■>. ;•.' I this nnviii, something to the foii'./'.viii:! i-il\vx lal.o:;M fancy. '■ We have a child who'ii \va dislike, and whom Ijv and uiikindnevs *!' Irivc i' , lured to the condition at winch our limited intellectual resources an; iiik ijii.-il to managing lior. Our only dosiro is to fret her off our hands ; but our satisfaction at getting rid of her would be increased by the the knowledge that f.lie were occasionally well whipped. We want to be oif to the south of Europe before the frosts set in, and any one- who will take the brat on these terms rrniy rest assured that no quesiions will be asked." There is in England a society for the prevention of cruelty to children, wlio.se attention might with good reason bo culled to this advertisement.

Among tlioso wlio have priticipilly benefited by tho land boom are tlio newspaper proprietor-!. The managers of tlio •Arsrus being desirous of permitting their employes to participate in eoinc measure in tho general prosperity of tlio year, have presented each salaried meinher of their literary, printitifr, ntul commercial stuffs with a bonus equal to one week's Biliary. Originally it was proposed to inulce it equivalent, to :i month's, but that wan before tho bubble burst, and when the idea prevailed that the boom would long eotiliiiiie. Someotio told an reporter that lin proprietors were goiiifr to follow suit, and tho shuek nearly killed the poor fellow.