TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13170, 17 July 1908, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

We announced yesMadame Melba's terday morning Opera Scheme. that dates in 1309

had been booked locally for Madame Melba. The London correspondent of the 'Sydney Morning Herald"' reports that the groat singer has in view a long tour, which will embrace out-of-the-way corners of Australia. Let us hope out-of-the-way corners of New Zealand trill a to be visited. "I will sing wherever thera is a room an<l a piano," sb& says—a rash promise. This tour of Madame Melba is apparently quite- apart from th visit she hopes to pay to th" clonics with a first-class grand opera company.

«hen in Australia a few months ago, eh« spoke enthusiastically of the project, and, in spite of a great disappointment, she still cherishes her hope. On her way back from Australia sho laid her plan before Signor Sana, tho ■wealthy proprietor of the great opera House San Carlos, at Naples, and after some persuasion her friend agreed to help her. Signor Sana, who has more than once financed an autumn reason at Covent Garden, is 50 wealthy that it would not hare mattered to him greatly if a tour of Australasia had resulted in a deiicit of several thousand pounds. Tho whole thing was settled; Signor Sana was prepared to charter ship if necessary, and send out his entire company and equipment. Madame Melba was delighted but had hardly crossed the Italian frontier, when sho received a telegram stating that her friend had been stricken down by paralysis and lay dying. However she is now in communication with Mr Oscar Hammerstein, the famous New York manager, the lavishness of whoso expenditure has caused such a stir in tho musical world. Madame Mt'lba apparently will be content with none but siugrrs in tho very front rank. Drstinn, tho finest of dramatic soprani. Plancon and Renaud, the famous singers of tiie Paris opera, have already promised Madamo Melba that they will visit the colonies. The correspondent thinks other celebrities -will bo sure to join the company, and that when Australians find themselves listening to works sung by Melba, Dcstinn and Co.", they will understand the reason for the great reputation of European opera. An interesting example Discoxiraged of a resented kindReformers, ness comes from Melbourne. Postal reformers, says tho ''Argus," have dreamed of a time when overy houso will have a letter-box hung on tho outer gate, and the time and legs of tho letter-carrier be saved. More than one civilian has taken up the matter warmly. One man had boxes made which he sold for a shilling or eighteonponce, in the fond, but vain hopa that the public would 'Tush" '.hen. A lady living out of Melbourne, in v district where the houses have oojnparatively long walks from tho gato to tho front door, was so distressed at the unnecessary long walks of tho postman that sho entertained him with tea and hot scones in her kitchen every morning. She wrotp letters to tho "Argus," bombarded the authorities with protests and suggestions, and procured a sample letter-box and had it affirmed by the Department. Only one of these boxes was-sold. . When tho philanthropic Mr Manger became Postmaster-General she thought the way to reform was clear. But Mr Mauger, while sympathising with the suggestion that all«househojders should have lotter-boxes, cannot see his way to make their uso compulsory. Ho does not give his reason, but it is pretty clear that it is the opposition of> the letter-carrieiis. Reformers have, not reckoned with tho fact that the postman does not want letter-boxes introduced, "First, the box would save his time; saving his time would mean that he could cover a longer round; ond a longer round for each man would mean fewer men. Each man has to put in hie quantum of hours on tho round. To him it matters not whether the hours go in waiting on door steps. Probahiy each man-has (a three hours' round, with 100 houses to call at. A minute saved at each house would reduce the time of Ms round , by an hour and a half. But ho is paid for the minute lost, and has no desire- to save it. ,? Secondly, if boxes'were-introduo ed, ( he would lost another kind of box —the £10 to £20 which ho, gathers in every Christmas. He is, therefore, not grateful for the attention of the reformers, and any further movement in this direction looks rather liko waste of energy.

Tho financial aspect of Sydney the welcome of. Sydney's and citizens to the American the Fleet. Fleet has been causing

anxiety for some little time. At a meeting of the Citizens' Committee last week, the Lord Mayor said that £2300 had been subscribed, and the subscribers numbered less than 250. He pointed out that in Auckland the citizens subscribed £3000 in a few hours, and inferred that Auckland would make a bettor show- than Sydney if the citizens did not give more freol3\ The Chairman of the Decorations Committee said that the estimates had been cut down to the lowest possible point. The reports from the committee's officers regarding the attitudes taken up by the people on the route wore not satisfactory. Some who had been approached declared that the function was unnecessary. Others'had Enid it was childish, and others had exprcs&ed the opinion that it was hysterical. A business man declares that it is shocking to see a leading bank give £o, and merchants of standing, nothing at all. However, while the money is coming in slowly, suggestions are apparently to be had in plenty. No Sydney idea has that poetic fancy of the Victorian who pointed out thai tho Americans would be overjoyed at seeing a grand [flight of eagles when the Fleet approached Port Melbourne, but the suggestions of a Leichhardt gentleman are a good second. Ho wants the word "Welcome" in large wooden letters. 30 feet to 40 feet in length, hung on the. South Head cliffs, to be seen by tho men of the Fleet when far out at sea. When the Fleet has passed tho Heads, tho letters could be hauled up, stood on end. and illuminated. Another suggestion is that a Band should bo placed on the balcony of South Rrof Lighthouse, and as the first battleship swings round the reef the strains of

"Yankeo Doodle" might be hurled out into the atmosphere. The lightship, it is also suggested, might have, her sides painted to look like an American flag, and also have a brass band stationed on board to play "Hail, Columbia." The rocks known ns the Sow and Pigs might be embellished with the figure cf a well-proportioned female, after the. fashion of the Statue of Liberty iv New York Harbour. The writer was thanked, and asked io scud along a few more ideas.