MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2590, 16 February 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

(t'BOM OUB OWN COKKKSrONDKNT). The "move on" clause has been the cause of considerable trouble lately, and tho officious policeman, if he is destined to reap all the ill wishes that have been bestowed upon him by visitors from the country, will have a pretty bad time of it. He is, of course, only carrying out his duty when he saunters up to a Utile knot of people that have stopped for a moment on the sidewalk to speak to each other, but if he would only adopt a more agreeable manner and exercise some little discrimination in the business, it would be the better. The very people whom he should move on—the bookmakers who hang about certain quarters to the inconvenience and amioyaiuc of pedestrians generally, he avoids altogether—but the moment two strangers happen to meet and exchange a few words, he pounces down upon them and orders them off as if they were criminals. The duty is, I know, a disagreeable one, but it has always puzzled me to understand why a policeman cau be so short tempered and manifestly uncivil to the respectable portion of the community. It seems as if directly a man puts on a police uniform he becomes absurdly officious and looks upon unoffending persons as his natural enemies—to persecute whom is his sole mission in life. For positive and confirmed imbecility, coupled with rudeness and hopeless incompetency, commend me to the average Melbourne constable enforcing the " move on " clause. It is freely believed in well informed circles that His Excellency the Governor will not return to the colony after the expiration of his six months leave of absence. What reason there may be for this idea, or upon what ground it is based I know not. Unless it is thought scarcely worth while Sir Henry Loch should come back to complete the very limited balance of his term of office that will then be left. The appointment of Sir William Robinson to discharge the absent Governor's duties lends additional colour to this surmise, and, it may be, the Imperial authorities have in contemplation ultimately making Sir William his successor. Sir Henry Loch, it is admitted on all hands, is fully entitled to the holiday he obtained— because since his arrival in the colony he has worked very hard. Lady Loch also has taken upon herself a large share of the duty of dispensing Government House hospitalities, and has displayed an energetic interest re. all charitable movements. She will be greatly missed in Victorian society, of which she has been for the past four years the acknowledged and very popular leader. Business of a private nature takes His Excellency home, and, in addition, it is only natural that he should be desirous of learning what his movements are to be on the completion of his present term of governorship. Sir Henry is a Liberal in politics, and his is a Gladstonian appointment. We all hope that he will enjoy his trip, and that substantial promotion awaits him.

Saturday next is to see the final closing of the Exhibition, and visitors are thronging to Melbourne in order to have a look at the great show, before the opportunities for doing so shall have passed. The daily attendances, therefore, have been exceptionally large; and if the same average could only have been maintained since the place was opened, the loss on the undertaking would probably havo been trifling. From the first the Exhibition was badly managed, and it is only within the last few weeks the Executivo Commissioners awoke to the fact that some additional attractions in the shape of amusements were urgently required. The Switchback railway uo doubt is a very popular means of enjoyment, especially for ladies and children, but it is not everything, and a visitor to the Exhibition may be excused if ho looks for some extra if less exciting form of entertainment. To a certain extent this has now been provided, and during the past week or so a variety of amusements were to bo obtained in most of tho courts. The proposition to turn a portion of tho annexos and grounds into a winter garden met with no encouragement either from the general body of commissioners, the Government, or tho public at large. Probably tbe feeling is that the Exhibition has been a big enough frost already.

Judging by appearances, that ardent student of Burns, Mr Nimmo, will have a decidedly lively time at the forthcoming general election. His quondam friends, as well as his political foes, are arrayed in a solid phalanx against him. His retirement from the Cabinet is clamoured for by the Liberal members of the Assembly, he is the special bete noire of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, whilst his present constituents in Emerald Hill are wrath over his ill-considered action with regard to the contract for iron pipes, and have expressed their intention "to take it out of his side "when the time arrives. As a last straw, the South Melbourne Temperance Political Council—to which body he is indebted in a large measure for his seat—have now withdrawn from him the light of their countenance, and regard him as "a traitor to the cause."

The proposal to retain the services of the efficient orchestra established at the exhibition by Mr Cowen, i.; one which all lovers of good music will hail with satisfaction, for it would indeed lie a pity if such an excellent corps of musicians were disbanded, after having contributed so much to tho pleasure and gratification of the community. Whatever may he said about the exhibition as a whole, there can be no question that the concerts have been a decided and increasing success. The music has been the one great attraction about which we were all so unanimous in our praise; and though it has involved the Commissioners in considerable expense, their policy in this particular direction will never be questioned. There is nothing so elevating or refining a.i good music, and Mr Cowen has shown us bow popular can be made tho works of Handel, Hayden, and Beethoven. Tho Hiibsidy which the Government is asked to provide for tho maintenance of the orchestra is moderate enough, seeing the advantage, from an artistic point of view, the colony will gain by its presence. Tho general public will assuredly also respond liberally with subscriptions, and by their patronage at the concerts that are to be given.

A very picturesque wedding festivity has just been celebrated at Newport. A large marquee v/as erected in tho gardens belong to the homo of tho bride's mother. Tho marquee was divided into two compartments, one being fitted up as a church for tho performance of the religious service. When this was concluded, the screen was removed, and there was then rovoalud the second division of tho marquee, in which was arranged a goodly number of small tables supplied with dainty refreshments, with seats around for groups of guests. A merry time was passed, and on tho bride retiring to assume her travelling gown, tho guests dispersed in tho garden to provide themselves with boquets, and when tho bride and her husband departed showers of flowers accompauied the farewells. The guests unanimously agreed that the wedding was one of tho prettiest novelties of the season.