MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2635, 1 June 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

(I'KOM OUR OWN - roKUKSI'ONDKNT.) Ni''.wsr.\i'Kii rcadois who liavo followed tho proceedings at recent meetings of tho shareholders in several of the " boom " companies, cannot fail to have been struck by the desire evinced by many of the said shareholders to shirk their ro.-pOM-ibililii.'-i. Ono bad born "entrapped," another bud " misunderstood." a third whs "not aware," and so on. There was nothing so plain, however, a< tho desire—tho very general desire—of the "deluded " ones to make monoy by tho shortest possible process, except their liasto to get out of the moss by a process still shorter, if that were possible. They wore like flies caught in a honey pot, and their struggles to get out have proved equally futile. Mr Justice Hodges gave two decisions last week which must have crushed tho anticipations of those who may hiivo' cherished the hopo that the law would grant the relief they desiro — namely, tho removal of their names, by legal process, from the lists of shareholders. Several of them received circulars from a legal gentleman, who offered them advice which, it was suggested, might compel promoters to disgorge, or relievo shareholders from their liabilities, by raising certain technicalities in connection with tho formation of the companies. Many shareholders accepted the services so tendered, under the belief, it is now said, that a joint fee only ivonld be payable. They are now standing aghast, each with a separate bill of costs in his hands, and are now wondering how on earth they are to get out of this second mess. From a desire togefrout of the frying-pan they have fallen into the fire. Mr Justice Hodges has declared that their names must remain upon the respective share-lists, and the solicitor awaits tho payments of his services. (Mem. To look up the text advising one not to hasten to grow rich.) Meanwhile, it is well to remember the motto, by a strict adherence to which at least one man has come safely out of the land boom. He was some time ago the popular Mayor of Fitzroy. He attributes all his success in life by acting upon the principle that, when ho could not pay u man the debt owing to him he frankly told him so. Sonic people might think that such frankness might injure their credit. I am, however, inclined to think otherwise. A man is not always considered less trustworthy because he is not afraid to reveal his true circumstances. Our friend say that he has never, during the whole course of his life, accepted a bill, or drawn a cheque that was not honoured. I fancy the Melbourne bankers could tell a different story with respect to bundles of land boom paper. Some of the newspapers, in want of sensational subjects, have been enlarging upon the frightful plague, which is to sweep over these fair lands, in the guise of leprosy ; and a groat amount of nonsense has been printed thereanent. Loprosy is a loathsome disease, but the iimiction is not a crime, aud a leper is not to be scouted like a criminal. Yet, one paper, at least, sneras to regret that a mau affected cannot be legally disposed of as murderers are wiped out of existence; and sneers, cynically, because "ho is kept alive to be a horror to himself and liis surroundings." Newspapers, which write thus, not uncommonly fall into the error of supposing that a leper, when brought into contact with healthy people, is able to infect them with bis own , ghostly malady—that contagion may be spread by means of the railwag carriages, , steamboats, and other vehicles by means , of which ho travels. All this is mere imagination. Leprosy cannot be com- |

municated from one person to auother

in the same way as the contagion of small pox is spread. Personal contact will nol

do it if the person touched has a whole .skin, although if a leper should touch a wound upon, say the hand, of a healthy person the chances are that the taint will

ah onco pass into blood Mint previously was puro. In countries where leprosy realty does oxist, and amongst good families, it is the commonest thing in the world to shake hands—the way of ordinary social intercourse; but people would laugh at the idea of contagion, because they know better. And when it is announced that "one or more white msn have fallen victims to this grotesquely hideous disease," the chances are ten thousand to one that it is the white man's own fault.

The Rev. G- D. Uuchannn, lute Pastor of the Cairns Memorial Church at East Melbourne, has begun a series of what he calls " foundation sermons" at tho Wickham Terrace Presbyterian Church, Brisbane. His church is crowded, members of every denomination being present. It is said that his almost dramatic rending of the lessons are most enjoyable. I have hoard it said that before he entered the church, Mr JJ.jchanan was an actor. That, however, is a mistake. Ho was n banister. He was born in Oskaloosa, Mohaska County, Liwa, . U.S.A., on the Dili of November, 18o.'i. His en fly years were spent in Virginia, and " his collesri.de training was received at Wayncsburgh, Pennsylvania, After leaving college bo studied law, and was admitted to practise in the courts of Ohio, where he very soon had abundant prospects of attaining a high position at the American bar. Jlis tastes, however, where in the direction of the Church, and lie relinquished a profession which, in the Uu ; ted .States, opens the path of men of ambition and undoubted tal-nt, which h-.-eN .-trai.dit to tin) Presidential Chair si'. Washington. Me entered the Western Tiieoioj.'iea! Seminary, at Ailei.diaiiy City, in 1.570, and graduated in is',"!, i'-'l'oii! he had completed his e.msise r.t. the .Seminary a call from the la.i:i; and influential Church in Elizabeth L.>\vii, Pa., was made out in his favour, and soon afterwards a call from the Aisguith-strcct Church of Baltimore, Me., reached him. He accepted the latter, and was ordained and inducted on the 13th November, IST'J. During his pastorate in Baltimore the congregation steadily increased, and it became necessary to produce a larger Church building, and the change led to the Presbyterian Church becoming one of the finest Church buildings in the city, and the congregation entered upon the most flourishing' periods of its history. Such was the success of the young minister that he received numerous invitations from various parts of the country, but he declined them all until he came to Australia. He arived iu Victoria in March, 18S3, and the almost phenomenal success of his ministry in Victoria is well-known. He thoroughly prepares his sermon, but ho never writes m ire than the briefest notes, except for lb.) Press. The chief characteristic of his preaching is smartness. Ho is quick in all his movements—quick to announce, and then strike boldly into his sermons. Mis head is suggestive of tho bar, aDd his appearance is decidedly secular.

ig is uonoLtui wnetncr tlio rules of Parliamentary procedure will bo so fur revised as to slop tho obstructive practices which have disgraced the llouso of Assembly during the last two or three sessions. Minister* appear to bo afraid to grapple with an evil which last session assumed oollossal proportions. Vahnblrlima was wasted iu tlio most pnrilo and s(.'nselo ; s manner, find then, at tho fag oTid of the session, important measures were " rnsheu" through the. Huuvo in the inout indecent niiuiiicr. Thin is not logis- j htion. It hardly rises to a par with the proceedings of a Jifth ruto vestry meeting l in somo remote English rural district. If, however, Ministers shrink from n contest with the monster called "stonewalling/' it all the more behoves the Speaker to perform his duty with firmness, mid it is to lie hoped that he will rise to a level with the oernsion. Wo shall soon sec. Tho lion. James Serv'oe was known not so \t:vy long time ago for his strong anliOrmau proclivities. A new line of Gorman sti amors to tiado with Australia is established, and tho pioneer vessel—the J'lthborlield is to leave Hamburg for Australia at the end of this month. Herr von dor lleydo is now over, making

ariaugeinenls for the establishment of ai/oneie.s in Melbourne, Sydney, and Ad.-l.iiilc, mid it is confidently stated that. tlio Melbourne Hjrenoy has heen offered to the house of Me-srs .fames Service anrl Co. Perhaps Prince Bismarck is of a mure forgiving disposition tlum he is generally supposed to be, and may have induced the tender as a peacci-offering to one. of our foremost politicians. ]$< that as it may, Australia will not soon piirdon the German attack upon the independence, of Samoa, which was as unpardonable as the French attempt to faajr the whole Hebrides Group some while back.