MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2757, 15 March 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

(moil OUB OWN COUHE3PONDHNT). Melbourne; February 3. We aro mostly familiar with the nursery story of Fairy'a money—how seemingly good honest gold and silver coins were safely stowed away under look and key. and how when next visited they had turned to withered leaves. Those could riot have beeu fanciful tales—they muni have been true—for are not similar thimrImppening in Melbourne? Look, for in-tance, at the caso of Mr John Gibson, the pay clerk at St. Paul's Cathedral works, who went to.the bank.on Saturday for £117, the amount of wages he had to pay that afternoon. He presented his cheque and received the money in sovereigns, half-sovereigns and silver. He counted each lot, and as he found it correct that, portion was placod in a black bag upon the counter, it was the very buniest part of the day and the counter was full.. Just as he had placed the last lot in his bag hia attention was distracted for a . single moment—np more. He turned to take up his bag and found a similar bag in its place—empty. The Fairies .had. been at work, and his own bag, heavy with silver and gold, had been changed into another bag, full of emptiness. He was, for the moment too much astonished oven to an alarm, and when ho did inform the bank officials the thief was gone. A more daring robbery than this has not lately been recorded. Tho leprosy scare is coming to tha front again, and poople are beginning to enter tain tho beliof that tho complete segrega tion of every person afflicted with the disease is the only way in whioh to stamp it out. .But how is the thing to bo man aged? There are communities in which it would ba neoessary to shut up a third of the population. It may interest many people to know that arrangements have beeu made between the post-officos of Victoria and Tasmania for the exchange of postal notes issued in either colony. Thus a postal order purchased in Victoria will be j payable in any post-offico in Tasmania, and vice vena. A director of the Australian Natives Association has beon arrested lor embezzlement, What a sound the thing has. Tho sums foi which tho gentleman was taken into custody aro trifling in amount—so trifling, iu fact, that the person defrauded must be extra virtuous, j or else there is some auimosity at the j bottom. . Still, however, it seems rather strange that the president of a countn branch and a director of the central association, should bo driven to pilfer such petty sums as 10a and 15s. Tho Yarru is in such a filthy stato that mud accumulates iu the pool, and vesselsground at low wuter. The river becomes more and more polluted every day, and tho stench, arising from it is really dread ful. And yet nothing is" being done to clean-o' it. The corporation are proposing to spend £12,000 in making an ornamental drain along one of the banks, but the rapuey would be much bettei spent in trying to keep the water pure. Another indication of the changes whioh aro taking , place in Melbourne itho throwing open, this week, of the old established wholesale warehouse of Mossrs. Andrew Kins & Co., of Flindersstreet, as a retail emporium, upon thi linen of tho Mutual Stores and George & George's, The premises occupy a commanding position, opposite what in a year or two will be tho central vail wuv statinii of the colony, and within two .hundred yards of any part of the tramway system of the metropolis. The premises hav<'. been completely re-ariauj;od for tho pur pose, aud thorn will be added a waiting room, parcels ollino, and other convoniennt for tho public. I understand that a wholesale department will still be maintained ■with tho view to tho up-country connection of tho old hoaxc. There was a B"rt of christening at tho new enterprise at the premises last Friday, when a number of Mr King's frieuds met and drank success to tho venture. The close connection of the firm with the London market, fron. whence they import direct from the manufacturers, will place the establishment upon an exceptionally good footing; and there is little doubt that the house will do a large business, There- Imy ■ recontly arrived in Melbourne, andis now on view at the Waxworks, a human curiosity, and certainly not by any means a repulsive one, in the form of an Albino blackfellow, from Kimberloy, West Australia. " Jun Gun " —his name—is accompanied by two genuine • blackfollowa, and the three arc under the protection of a Mr M'Phee, who has entered into a bond with the Aboriginal Board of Western Australia for their safe return. "Jun Gun" has straw-coloured hair and a pleasant face. He cannot speak a word of Fnglish, but he proves himself very much at home with the visitors to the wiv works.