MELBOURNE TOWN TALK.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 182, 14 August 1888, Page 1

MELBOURNE TOWN TALK.

(from oub own correspondent.) EiGHTY-Eight will certainly be an anus miraealis in the history of Victoria, for not only is it marked by its present Centennial Exhibition, but it is furthermore noteworthy from the fact of there being the largest surplus in the revenue that has ever blest any colony. The Premier astonished the. Colonial world last week by announcing what is practically a two million surplus, and naturally nothing has been talked about since but the wonderful prosperity of Victoria. There has been nothing like, except perhaps in the United States, and when one thinks of the handful of people we have in the colony—compared to European countries —it is certainly most astonishing and gratifying. I only hope it won’t turn the heads of our public functionaries. On every hand I hear the tallest of tall talk on what is to be done. Victoria is to show the way to progress to the whole world. Melbourne is to be transformed into the most beautiful city extant; irrigation, drainage, buildings, railways, everything is going to be done with our immense wealth, and everybody pleased.

But, poor Duncan Gillies! Never was man placed in such a position before. By his friends he is made to usurp the powers and privileges of Providence itself, by his enemies (and our Premier's are not few) he is made the object of increased envy and enmity. He is a martyr. He has shaken hands at the least with a thousand well-wishers since the publication of his marvellous balance-shheet; he has had the words “ budget ” and “ surplus ” hurled at him, whispered at him, simpered at him, expounded to him, shouted to him, and eulogised to him, that I am sure it would be decidedly unsafe to mention them now in his presence. Never before has an Australian Premier had such a triumphant role to enact, and never before has he had such cause to cry “Spare me from i¥y friends. ” The last deadly blow came from a lady, as he told me himself pathetically. Four days bad elapged, and he thought it was all over and accepted an invitation to dinner. That all-important meal was satisfactorily got through, and he was feeling that genlfl.l glow which comes to the man who has dined well, and the host gave the signal for the gentlemen to rejoin the ladies in the drawing-room. The Premier eeaoneed himself in an easy chair quite prepared to enjoy himself in a quiet way listening to the piano, when a lady crossed the room and took the next seat to him. “ Oh, Mr Gillies, ” she said engagingly, “ I hear everybody talking about the Budget and the great surplus and all that. Now, i* Rm sure you Parliamentary gentleman know all about these things. Do tell TIB, What is a Budget ? ” Poor DuncVm fled, and the innocent old lady can’t think even now why hp left her so

That one ite. ii in connection with the Budget—the in’tontion of the Government to dispose of the Kew and Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum reserves-—has caused a good deaf of talk a’ifl discussion. Of course we know it £’ ve us another million to help us on ■' people are saying what do we w, ' ut with this when we have one, or nearly one already. An agitation is being got up to petition the Government to have them reserved as a public park, and with this I cordially sympathise. The two estates are contiguous, on opposite sides of the Yarra, together, I think, some 750 acres. What a grand recreation ground this would make for Melbourne, as we are in no want of the million pur chase-money we would get for it, why should’n’t it be so ? In twenty years’ time the land for many miles round that part will be densely populated, and then the benefit would be felt. The question resolves itself into this—hygienic precautions for our 'children or more aggrandisement for the present—and I am afraid, knowing Melbourne and Melbournites as I do, that the money faction has it.

On Wednesday the Exhibition opens, and Melbourne is to be given over to revelry and merry-making. It will certainly be a red-letter day in the annals of the city, for never before has there been occasion for so much rejoicing. Of course, the announcement of the splendid condition of our finance gives a certain eolat to the proceedings, and the Premier was very clever to get his figures ready in time, for it in a measure condones to the country for the great amount the Exhibition will cost us before it is all over. I give great praise to the secretary, Mr Lavater, for the strenuous efforts he has made during the last week or two to get things ship-shape in the building, and I am sorry enough he has not been able to do more than he has. But he has had to fight against the inertia and want of experience on the part of ;the Commissioners, and the dilatoriness of exhibitors, and I feel sure not one iota of blame (is attributable to him for the shameful st ate of general unpreparedness the place is in.