MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2820, 9 August 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE GOSSIP.

(FROM IHiK OWN CORKKSI'OXDKNT.)

.Mr.r.nouKSK, July 14. Wiiatkvi'lv liny be fh'i merits or demerits of Olimt'l Temploton, the official liquidator of tho Premier IVnniuipnt Building A-socintinn, it i< quite evident that those who iii-o responsible for tho conduct of t.hu Asre newspiper are deterrniued that he shall not, ho lust, sight of - No one believes for rmn moment that tho news paper in question mires morn for tho unfortunates who are iuvolved in the ruin fit' this society than for tho other unfortunates with whom Melbourne nbounds just now. Yet they nro singled out, und their misery is paraded day after day for no other purpose, it would seem, than for tho opportunity afforded to have a knock at Colonel Tompleton. Sl£r Templeton, the Age stylos him, and that is no doubt correct. Parenthetically it, may be observed that wo should soon be as ridiculous as tho Americans used to be in respect of dubbing our civilians with military titles. Why, that very estimable wholesale, warehouseman, Mr Savgood, was a full-blowu colonel—until he was knighted. Then tho "colonel" was laid asido for the hisrhnr prefix, " Sir Frederick." But, to return to Colonel, or Mr Templetoi), tho original cause of disliko I know nothing about. But his appointment as '■ liquidator " was strongly opposed by tho Age, and, later on, the opposition afforded by tho same paper was ho marked as to provoke comment. J'ho question is—Do the interests of the publiu call for such persistence in a practice that seems u little at variance with tho rules prescribed by good taite?

Tho Rev. Plow Kane, who occupied the chair at the third quinquennial meeting of the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society, on tho Tthinstaut, had not u very dilHoult tack to perform. When the story to bo told is one of steady progressive success, there is not much need to study ovor the selection of words in which to convey tho information. Independently, however, of tho approbation of those whoso pecuniary interests are bound np with the society, the chairman's statement will be plensiint reading to everyone who is interested in the material prosperity of the Australian colonies, because it a"ffords unmistakable evidence of their progress and prosperity. Thus, at tho last quinquennium, ended December l>l, 1885, the actuarial investigation of the period showed a cash surplus equivalent in reversion to .€IOO,OOO. This was thought a great deal of lit the time ; hut the actuarial investigation of the transactions of tho last quinquennium ended Dec. SI, 18S9, prove that business has been trebled during the five' years— tho cash surplus then shown to exist being equivalent in reversion to £300,000. In the same way the policies issued during the five years ended 1880 amounted to £4,40 , -',40), whereas those issued durinsr the last five years reached .£B,S3.">,4C:{ .'ss ad, and the 'funds, which, at the date of tho last investigation, amounted to ;f:?SS,2(iO, had risen to :C1,000,y73 on 01.4 of last December. The annual income of the Society now exceeds C3.J0.00!).

But ihe thins that strikes one ino.-t, as (in evidence of the inori-nsiiiy prosperity of the people, i.s Ihe circumstance th it duriiur the period between :ilst, 1880, the average poliey issued was t'J U ; and that during the succeeding live years—ending :!lst Dee.. 1880—tho average poliey had risen to Cll!). This shows that people must bo saving more money. Taken as a whole, tho results shown must lio gratifying to thn proprietary, as thoy are certainly gratifying to the immixcraent.

Civility costs nothing, but it is becoming a scarce commodity amongst ccrt'iiu classes in Melbourne , . A man, said to have been under the influence of liquor at the time, asked anotber mn.il, c-illcil Michael Treinbath, at the Clifton Hill railway station, when the next train would start for Heidelberg. The time the question was put was about noon, and the man Treml'iitb said the next train would s'art about ten o'clock, whereupon the querist said th.it ho thought a civil question culled fur a civil reply. Evidently he (lid not tako into account the proclivities of the class of man with whom ho had to deal. Had he done >jo lie would have turned bis back upon the fellow, and asked one of the railway oliicials. Instead of diiiiui th.it lie abused the man, and both were ordered oil' ihe platform. Outside ,-i qirirrel ensued, and a li,'ht. The men fell, tin! questioner get tins; the Wiir.it of it. He fell upon Ilia head, f.\»; tured his skull, and died. Poor devil ! lie loat his life partly tbvouijli trying to resent a slight, and partly from not knowing that it is wiser not to ask questions of tin! first larrikin ho meets with. Should E ever meet Mr Treinbath, I .shall «ivt! him it wide berth.

A gunner in the Victorian Artillery, n;itne(l Henry Jack man, wan stabbed in tin: wrist, and groin in Swanston-street on S itm-f];) y night. I!" '-t-itc! flat he was pi-wi , :;.; down i'e s'.reet wit It two or three comp ■:ii!i!i-: :\': jilsOTlt h ilf-past 11 ii'.-i'Ajli, wli'-'M inn.- of a group '■' ""-'" ■■ v ' lo u ■ ■■■• ..i i-, li,i.< n>) I:,- c<l.' : iif tiro path\viv ;ri i !■: ii,; -if .iii in-iultiny expression 1 i iivi. ,\ tight om-iio.l, in which Jack man ■■;■ :■:■..! 1 iVi!v s'.ibbed twice, and the i i: : !i i i;>11 -i.v ay u|) Little Flind<"-s----,t.■•-.:. .t'lclfuiiiii wan taken to the Td.4!i> !iii ( ; Hospital, where his wounds vert: heuted, anil hi: was progressing favourably ] ist niiiht. Ho sta:e;> that he c.ui ideatil'y th : in in wh'> as-'iulted him, ami the p;lieo in , . , : in .iking inijutric-s fnjiii the description furni'shi" , !