MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2817, 2 August 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

(fIIOM OUH OWN OORUBSFONIIKST.) Mki.tiouhn'u, July 8. [t is not surprising that Mr Wrixon's Bill for introducing something like equity into tho relations botwoon landlord and tonaut and third partial, who have nothing to do with tho rent qitexlim, should havo met with strong opposition from mumhors of a house who are paid for their services. Tho old corrupt time of the British House of Commons, when Walepolo bought votes, ami got plenty of them at a price ho ottered, may be sooifed at in those more enlightened days of democracy. But wherein lies tho differem.,, J—that between a needy man who received, say £100 down for a single vote, or anothor man who for tho sake of a paltry £:!00 a year, will vote as he is bidden ? Both men are bought and sold. There is only one shade of dill'erenco between tl-io two. The man of Walpole's time made secret of tho bargain. I will not say anything derogatory to his successor. It is plain enough, however, that the landlord is well represented in tho Legislative Assembly of Victoria, and that any attempt that may be made by Mr Wrixou to doprivo him of some of the privileges ho now enjoys will ho strongly opposed. At the present time the law empowers him to rob third parties in order to enable him to recover payment of a debt owing by a soeoud party. This looks very much like a law that would enable "A" to knock "1! " down became "C had knocked him ("A"). This is simply absurd. But how does this principle work under tin: presout law authorising distraint for rent upon the property of third parties ? There are thousands of men and women in this metropolis who are now earuiug a comfortable living by the uso of sewing machines, which they either bold on the timo-puvmentsystom, or have bought and paid for under "that system. Does anyone oast a thought at what would be, or would have been, the fato of those thou sands if, individually, they had had to wait until they could buy a machino right out, before obtaining work ? Should not, the owners of thoso machines bo protected? At least the law should place them upon a level with a landlord. In almost every other department of legal procedure, except this oiio, the laws havo been altered from time to time to meet tho requirements of society. And in almost every other civilised country, and iu many British colonies, this vestige of a feudal and barbarous ago has been swept away. England, to her shame, ■still clings to it—and fain would the landlord "interest of Victoria. Lot the people in the Old Country do what they please', but let us in Victoria move onward. It must be remembered that the "Time-payment system" is oue of the most remarkable ooiam'Toial developments of the nineteenth century. What would Melbourne be without it? It is our boast, and a proud one too, that a greater number of working mon in and around Melbourne, live in their own houses than can bo for.nd elsewhere. Thank tho time-payment system for it. Is not a building society an establishment that builds houses and sells them on time payment ? Are not tens of thousands of these, as well as other, houses filled with furniture that is being paid for, or lias been paid for, in that way V Would they bo half as well furnished but for that system. And if not, what would havo become of the workmen who for years past have I u employed iu miikiiia the tuir-i mid »•■•>■.■■ <•■«-'/</ furniture which the operandi <<f ih ■ time piyment system Ins r.ii!iicd| pie to buy? If anyou-! wi 1 take th" ineiMe to e.viintno, in ior.ii its social and commercial aspects, tho woMdorful stroctme that has been ti'iivd u;:ori this modem time-payment

sv.''"»i-i'-11-I't iijiim t-lic comfortable, \v.'il-i ii.-!iis!n-i homes it has made —think upon t!n> in u.ner in whiri) k, stimulateproduction, and furnUhra employment for thousands, lam of opinion that they would arrive tit the couchi-ion that, although the landlord might still he conceded tl.o privilege of " distraint," ho should Ij-> limited to his just right-: and that the property of third persons shoulu be protected from his grasp.