MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2769, 12 April 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT). Thk Marine Board does wake up at time?, and takes spasmodic actiou in the right direction. For some time past amateur fishermen have been in the habit of making fast their boats in the fairway of the Yarra, near its debouch into the bpy, to the manifest danger of themselves and the inconvenience of ships passing either way. On Sunday (yesterday) a police constable cruised about the mouth of the river, and took the names of the occupiers of at least 20 boats, which were comfortably made fast to the bottom. The people were highly indignant at their " rights" being thus questioned. Probably the Harbour Trust, never too energetic, will let them off with a caution. Steps ought to have been taken a long while ago to suppress a nuisance that has so great an element of danger in it. Our brave defenders will have to mind what they are about, should they ever go into action, or they may inflict as much harm upou their paymasters as upou the enemy. Some artillery men were at practice at Point Franklin battery last week, and they very nearly sent one of the Government launches to the bottom. I suppose they were firing at a target of some sort, and seem to have been to intent upon their business that they let fly just as the launch "Spray " came nicely within range. The practice appears to have been fairly good, for the shot just cleared the boat. An inquiry will be held into the matter. The densely crowded audience at the Princess' Theatre on Saturday night was on the tiptoe of expectation until Mrs Brown-Potter and Mr Kyrle Bellew made their appearance in their respective parts in the much discussed French plav, "Caroille." Report had given out that Mrs Potter exceeded Mrs Lmgtry in beautv, and that she would quickly electrify Melbourne theatre-goers; also that Mr Bellew, who was known as the "handsome reporter,'" when he occup : el a position on the Melbourne Press many years ago, would astonish his friends by his brilliant ucting. Of the lady first: Mrs Potter is certaiuly a beautiful womau, of commanding presence, but it is scarcely fair tojudsje hor claims to a high position on the stage by her performance in the part of "Camille." The play itself is of a sickly sentimental class, and its moral tone is low. In "La Tosca,'' which is to be produced next Saturday, Mrs Potter will 110 doubt, be seen at her best. Mr Bellew received quite an ovation when ho appeared before the footlights in the part of Armand Duval, and the pressmen—maDy who worked side by side with him in this city years ago were there—cheered right lustily. Mr Bellew made a favourable impression. Ho has a fine manly bearing and his acting is polished and refined. It should be mentioned that the mourning of " Camille" is most admirable, and that Mrs Browu-Potter's dresses by Worth of Paris are superb.