MELBOURNE TOWN TALK.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 201, 27 September 1888, Page 3

MELBOURNE TOWN TALK.

(from oub own correspondent.) Nothing of any importance has transpired with regard to the coal strike since 1 last wrote. We in Melbourne had formed no great estimate of any likelihood of a settlement arising from the conference lately e , and so nobodv is very keenly disappointed at the result. The public is bearing the small deprivation of comfort, in the shape or nail gas and high prices for combustibles, philMOphically enough, and would suffer little it things were to go on so for. the next six months. In the meantime ingenious and never-resting speculators and syndicate-mon-gers are turning the state of affairs to account in their own way. Already the prospectus of more than one Victorian Coal Company has appeared in the papers, and though, perhaps, they won’t pay dividends for years, they certainly will serve their, purpose of putting money in the prospectors pockets. 1 heard, by the-way, one of our big speculators talking over this strike question, ‘I d strike ’em" he said. “ I tell you what it is. It wants some Melbourne men to have a hand in it. If half a dozen of us who can afford it were to buy up Newcastle, we’d change things there and soon bring this blessed strike to an end.” The man I heard say this in the Athensum Club is a great boaster, but the idea of buying up Newcastle certainly amused me. There was, by-the-way, quite a knot of prominent men smoking th’ ir post prandial cigar last Saturday, when this conversation took place. Among them was a well-known Collinstreet solicitor who has made a large fortune outside his profession—in land. Well, the talk went on about the strike, and one gentleman largely connected with the coal industry gave his views on the, matter. “ People don’t half realise how serious the position is," he said. “ I do, and I tell you the supply of coal is getting smaller and smaller. The price is rising, and the public will get less and less coat, unless the masters and men ’’ “ Coalesce," interrupted the Collins street solicitor smoothly, , which, I thought very smart. The anecdote is a trivial one, but a pun is a pun after all.

In these light paragraphs such weighty matters as transpired at the cause celebre of T,.y v. Collector of Customs can hardly find fitting memorial. But I suppose I must say something of what has been the great sensation of the week. Of course all my readers must be aware that the Chinaman Toy. was a passenger on the fateful “ Afghan, and was refused a lauding in Australia. Hence these tears—that is to say, the trial And now thesis mighty judicial minds of the Supreme Court have given a verdict against the. Government and found that the exclusion of aliens is illegal and unjustifiable,. The judgment came as a shock to all. The doctrine that the Government can do no wrong has been so generally accepted that Constitutional law has been regarded merely as an abstract theory. And sure'y it is the very irony of fate that an awakening to the stern truth should have been brought about by a Chinaman Great Heavens I what a humiliating denouement after all our gasconading and rhodomontade and high-handed Autocracy that a mere insignificant wretch of a Chinaman should have taught the whole of Australia a lesson. It is a nation d disgrace, for all the colonies are sailing in the same boat and must share the obloquy. The outcome of it all we have of course not yet seen, but I think the Government, will have now to defend many an action of the same kind. It is terrible to think of—that the Gillies Ministry, in yielding to the voice of popular clamour, should have plunged the country into such a slough of predicament that it may take thousands and thousands to extricate it.

I attended for an hour or so last week the sale of stud sheep up at the head of Collins Street, and was much impressed) by what I saw. It seems a remarkable thing to me to see mere four-legged anatomies of animated wool sold at four, five, and six hundred guineas each. But such was the case, and I suppose they are worth the money to those who want them. After I left the sale I went to the Public Library. Out of curiosity I turned up the Australian Year Book, and turned up to the figures of our wool exports. Then I could understand why the sheep fetched such prices. I found that last year there were about a million and a quarter bales shipped from Australasia. I suppose £2O a bale would be a fair average all round. Take it lower, even to say the value W-s £20.000,000 only. What an industry 1 What a gigantic industry ! What does it not suggest ’The immense amount of money it brings to us—the enormous amount of labor it employs—the fine fleets of vessels it requires—the great factor it is in the making of these colonies. Truly, Australia owes much to wool. After seeing these figures, lam sure now that gold is good, wheat is good, wine is good, but wool is best of all.

The Assembly, by an overwhelming majority of 51 to 25, has at last rid itself of the burden of the want of-c-mfidence motion, which, like another Old Man of the Sea, has for nearly a month hung round its, neck and crippled its action. The termination of this crisis is at all events a relief to the country at large, and a sigh of satisiaction is given throughout all the colony at the prospect, of some progress being now made with practical busine s. In the Souse, I heard last night that Mr Wrixon the Attorney-General, will shortly take his sent on the Supreme Court Bench, and that the Premier, Mr Gillies, will relieve Sir Graham Be r ry of the AgentGeneralship early in the beginning of the year. Sir Graham will then return to Victoria, and following the example of Mr Service, seek a seat in the Council.

I must say something about the theatres, which however, just now are rather in the doldrums, and loud in complaint against the Exhibition, with its attraction of evening concerts. The only new thing to mention is the troupe of Spanish Students, brought out by Martin Simonsen, which appeared for the first time at the Royal on Saturday evening. The entertainment is decidedly novel, though it has no very varying features. The “Students" proper number 15, and play on mandolines, guitars, and on other string instruments. Their execution is marvellous, and the music they discourse highly effective. Then there is a ballet, with two principal figurantes, and also a lady singer. The entertainment is wholly Spanish, and is a mixture of long named items of doubtful nature. Mr Simonsen tells me he is going to send this troupe through the colonies, so I dare say most of my readers will have an opportunity of hearing it.

And whilst on the subject of theatricals, I might as well finish up by telling you about a charming young lady I had the pleasure of hearing a day or two ago. This is Miss Adelaide Detchon, a young American beauty over whom London society appears to have gone half crazy for the past two years. She is now in Melbourne, and is going to make an extended Australian tqur. The entertainment she gives itf of a most unique descriptibn. Gifted with almost ventriloquial power, Miss Detchon imitates the songs of birds, bringing them in her recitations in the most natural and surprising manner.