SYDNEY SKETCHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8812, 27 February 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

SYDNEY SKETCHES.

[BV THOMAS BRACKEN.] (Written for the New Zealand Herald.) No. 11.

SYDNEY PAST AND PRESENT. It is about twenty-six years ago since I first visited Sydnoy, and tho change in the place and tho people since then is most marked. After leaving Melbourne, with its broad and well-laid out sbreets, bydnoy seemed a very old-fashioned plac§ indeed. It appeared as if one had loft) a modern city of tho New World and entered an old English provincial town. Narrow streets, narrow footpaths, high buildings and low uildings, strung together in the most confused manner, all combined to indicate that tho pioneers of tho place had no idea of tho importance which Sydney wag destined to attain in tho space of a quarter of a century. Then, again, tho primitive stylo of tho people was in striking contrast to the smart go-aheadism of tho Melbourne folk. In tho Victorian metropolis the old free-and-easy manners of tho early settlers had nearly died out in 1860— tho year of which I treat. Tho cabbage tree hat was getting to bo a thing of tho past, and tho bluo slurb and moleskin trousers, which were the pride of the bulk of tho male population in the early fifties, were seldom seen in tho principal streets of the city. Owing to the gold discovery, Melbourne went ahead by "leaps and bounds." Plucky, enterprising men from all parts of tho world were attracted to Melbourne by the "yellow fever," and tho colony could not help flourishing. In a marvellously short spaco of timo a city sprung up on the banks ot tho dirty Yam Yarra which would have done credit to some of the oldest nations in tho world. The civilised habits and customs of Europe and America, with tho fashion and frivolity which follow in their train, stamped Melbourne as tho premier city of Australasia, while poor old Sydney was asleep. Tho people of tlio New South Welsh capital seemed to take little or no interest in tho vagaries of fashion. The time-honoured cabbage tree still held supremacy over tho stately bell-topper, and well-to-do settlers were not ashamed to bo seen in their moloskins and flannel shirts. Blackfellows, with their lubras and piccaninnies, might be observed any day of the week doing tho block" round George and Pitt Streets. I remember meeting a sable daughter of tho forest parading Wynyard Square attired in a crinoline, with tho waist portion fastened round the ankles, and the balloon part fixed round her waist. Under these circumstances her locomotion was naturally impeded to a considerable extent, yet tho dusky beauty puffed away at her black " dhudeen," and moved along with the air of an empress, quite unconcerned at the jeers of the larrikins who were enjoying themselves at her expense. I experienced another strange sight in what is now the most fashionable part of George-street. Near where the General Post Oflico now stands I witnessed a very seedy-looking old gentleman sitting 011 the pavement, and paring his corns, while a constable at the opposito corner of tho street leaned leisurely against a lamppost and took not tho slightest notice of tho undignified proceeding The principal railway station in those days was a rickety old structure, and very few of the public buildings had much to boast of in an architectural sense. There wore a few good hotels, but the majority of the places of entertainment were very ordinary publichouses, in which vile rum, bad brandy, and wretched she-oak" formed the stock in trade. In the back slums there was a very large number of wretched tenements, where vice and squalor held undisputed sway. The suburbs wore still more old fashioned than the city itself. Roughly-built houses and quaint country inns, with swinging signs anil strange devices, met you on ail hands. Here you were confronted with "Tho Currency Lass," and there "The Three Black Crows" were perched above an ancient hostelry. I had occasion to spend a night at one of theso .suburban inns, when an interesting incident took place, which is worthy of description. A small party from the country were holding a jollification in one of the bar-rooms in celebration of a young couple's marriage. The father of the bride was a genuine "old hand," who loved to expatiato on tho departed glories of the good old days of Jack Donohoe," "Johnny Troy," and tho other worthies who ruled tho road and bossed the bush in those times. The fun grew fast and furious, and tho squeaking strains of an antiquated fiddle excited tho terpsichorean proclivities of tlio merrymakers to such a degree that tho floor creaked and the roof cracked to the wild jigs and rollicking reels of the wedding party. During a lull in the performance tho " old man" was called on for a song. After the usual excusos made on such occasions, he informed tho company that he would favour them with a ditty composed by tho celebrated bard " Frank the Poet" in praise of the world-renowned bushranger "Johnny Troy." For the information of unenlightened New Zealanders 1 may state that "Frank the Poet," or Frank Macnamara, was a very popular versifier in the convict days. He was sent out from Ireland for some trifling offence, and in consequence ho hated the law and its myrmidons, and his muse was constantly em ployed in denouncing those in authority and glorifying those who " took to tho bush." One of Frank's most renowned heroes was " Johnny Troy," an outlaw who had spread terror through the country by his daring deeds. Johnny had been a member of tho notorious " White Boy" association in the Green Isle, and the British Government had given him a free passage to Botany Bay. So much for tho subject of the song under notico. consisted of several verses, in which tho noblo exploits of tho redoubtablo " Johnny" were highly eulogised. One verso narrated an incident in the bushranger's career, when ho wits about bo "stick up" a wealthy settler. Just as ho was thinking of "drawing the trigger" his intended victim gave him the " White Boy" sign, exclaiming at the same time : " I've left my nativo counthry For being a bould White Boy." " Olil hi in, puss 011, you'll ne'er be robb'd By me," says Johnny Troy. It is needless to observe thab the song was received with " thunders of applause ; and when tho enthusiasm had subsided the wife of tho singer, who had evidently not belonged to the "old hand" class, exclaimedreferring to tho subject of tho song—" And was ho a good man, Bill ?" " My blessed colonial oath, ho was, old woman," was tho reply. And such is fame! thought I, as 1 listened to the. eulogiam on "Johnny Troy." In the eyes of those good people tho great Napoleon was a mere pigmy compared to the enterprising bushranger. The "old hand" element has "gone from our gaze, like a beautiful dream," and so have the cabbage-tree hats and all the other emblems of the past. Talk of " Marvellous Melbourne 1" No doubt it is a wonderful place, bub, compared to Sydnoy, its progress during the past two decades has been inconsiderable. The Victorian capital had the start, and, as I previously remarked, jumped into prominence and prosperity at one leap—which may be designated tho golden leap; but Sydney waited until her younger sister had expended a good deal of her strength, and then rushed forward to tho front, and became whab ib undoubtedly is to-day—the London of tho Southern Hemisphere. The transformation which has taken place sinco my first visit is marvellous. Magnificent buildings have been erected and numbers of new streets have been built, while the small, simple suburbs of tho past are now cities in themselves. Some people think it is a thousand pities that Sydney has been built so irregular. The principal streets are long and crooked, and many of the finesb public buildings are hidden away in miserable sites. Still there is a charm in its irregularity, which relieves the eye and pleases the senses. Melbourne, after a short time grows monotonous, bub in the case of Sydney— Time cannot change, nor custom stale Its infinite variety. The park and pleasure-grounds around Sydney are immeasurably before those of 1 Melbourne, while its world-famed harbour

is nob to be mentioned in the same breath with that of Port Philip, • Its system of sewerage reflects the very highest credib on the City Fathers ; but then nature has given the place immense advantages over Melbourne. On the other hand, in the matter of tramways, Melbourne is a hundred years ahead of Sydney ; and, in an intellectual sense, I think the Melbourne people are superior to the Sydney folk, The New South Welshman is passionately fond of outdoor sports. He will bet his " bottom dollar" on a horso race, break his neck over a regatta, and go crazy over a cricket match ; but I don't think his eyes will ever grow weary through poring over standard literature. I am referring now to the typical " Cornstalk," and not to that class, which has thousands of representatives in all civilised countries, who love literature and prize mental above physical culture. That both are necessary, in order to produce a sound mind in a sound body, is a truism as " old as tlio hills bub the nation that makes the mental subsidiary to the physical is pursuing a suicidal course, and cannot hope to take a foremost position in the van of progress. The scholastic institutions of Sydney are very fine indeed, and no expense has been spared in order to bring the advantages of education within the reach of all. The authorities, to do them justice, have made ample provision for the mental culture of the people. This is highly commendable in its way ; bub unless the youth aro induced to read good books after they leave school, the mind will soon become barren again. A great deal has been hoard from time to time regarding the prevalence of larrikinism in Sydney. No doubt the place has its fair share of the larrikin element, but I think it has been maligned in repecc to the number of its "hoodlums.'' There are gangs of young ruffians who prowl around the dark corners ot the town at night and molest inoffensive citizens, but these should not be taken as representatives of the Sydney natives. There are several "pushes." I don't know what the deuce is the origin of the word "push," bub I understand that ib means an association of juvenile rowdies who are banded together to bully helpless drunkards and to set the laws of order and decency at defiance. Only a week ago a mob of those cowardly young brutes attacked a Swedish sailor in George-street and kicked him to death. It would bo, however, a most unfair act to place the typical Sydncyite on the same level with those who constitute the scum of society here. The genuine Cornstalk" is manly, generous, outspoken, brave, and patriotic, Ho is, however, led by tho nose" to a great extent in his patriotism. The leading newspapers here are ultraloyal, and the hysterical "gush" indulged in oil the occasion of the death of the Duko of Clarence was more calculated to provoke laughter than to excite sympathy. There is a strong undercurrent of Republicanism in this colony, and this has been fostered by the fluent ami facile and scathing articles of the Bulletin. The Sydney Morning Herald has the ear of the leading commercial men and the " upper ton" generally ; tho Daily Telegraph has a big general circulation among people who skim the news columns and care nothing about politics ; the Evening News is read on account of tho smart pars and small "ads," which go to it in consideration of its ago and wide circulation ; and the Australian Star commands an audience of independent people who denounce monopoly and like to hear both aides of tho question. Tho Bulletin hits all round, and although there are tens of thousands of people who would like to see it crushed," it is read almost by everybody. The press of Sydney, taking it on tho whole, is a credit to the country which it represents. Tho policeman is generally regarded as a very prosaic individual, and anything said in his praise is regarded with suspicion. Notwithstanding this fact, I feel disposed to pay a tribute to the guardians of the peaco who uphold law and order in Sydney. Since tho days of tho celebrated " Branigan Clan" in Otago, there has been no body of constables in the colonies in the matter of physique to equal tho members of the Sydney police force. There aro very few men in it who aro nob six feet high or over, and tho number under five feet ton is infinitesimal.

Of the membors of tho Civil Service generally it is difficult to speak boo highly. As a rule, they aro well-trained, well-dis-ciplined, active, and energetic, and if they have one fault in the world ib arises from the fact that they aro too busy to be civil. Of tho Sydney ladies generally one can speak with commendation. The women, as a rule, are good-looking and modest, and pictures of Sydney immorality which have often been painted by prejudiced persons have been over-coloured. In tho matter of morals Sydney is neither worse nor better than other largo cities. As regards female attire, I have never seen anything to equal tho outdoor uniform of the hospital nurses hero. It consists of a plain merino or print dress, whito cuds and round collars, large circular cloak reaching to the bottom of tho dress, small bonnet and long veil hanging down the back below tho waist. Each hospital has its own colours. Ono is brown, another blue, and another black. The costume is a charming one, and tho plainest girl or woman looks actually pretty in it. On tho subject of fashion tho metnbors of the rougher sex in Sydney display a lamontable lack of common sense, to say nothing of good taste. A few years ago putjgeries and helmets were worn in summer, bub now black and brown hats aro the rule. Tho puggory was extremely comfortable and very becoming, but you never meet with ib now. The hoavy folb hat and the towering chimney-pot attract tho broiling rays of the summer sun as if tho wearers were tempting Providence to strike them down with sunstroke. Ib is quito a common thing to meet citizens carrying huge umbrellas,like so many Chinamen, to shield themselves from bho scorching sun, whereas if they wore puggeries or helmets there would be no nood to oncumber themselves in so absurd a manner. The tyranny of fashion and custom is a big power in this part of the world. The Sydney policeman is an individual who desorre.s a spocial article to himself, and tho same may bo said of tho Sydney newsboy. In other papers I shall deal with both of theso characters. In tho meantime I may conclude this sketch by observing that whatever Sydney may havo been in the past, at the present time it is a real live city, containing all the elements of future greatness. It is to bo hoped that capital and labour will nob wage war with ono another and create disorder in this great territory. Ib will be a sad day for New South Wales, and for the sister colonies also, if associations of capitalists or workers will attempt by class legislation to foster hatred and to breed discontent. It is to be hoped that we shall never Beo . . . Banded unions persecute Opinion, and induce a timo When single thought is civil crime, And individual freedom niuto. Prior to the departure of Lord and Lady Onslow from Auckland, Mrs. Henry Burcher, of Conquest Place, Parnell, presented to Lady Onslow a hand-painted cup, saucer, and plate, painted by Mrs. Burcher herself with suitable designs and flowers emblematic of New Zealand, and fired in the furnace erected at her residence for the use of herself and pupils in this beautiful art. In a letter to Mrs. Burcher, dated 23rd February, tho Countess of Onslow says :—" I thank you most sincerely for your beautiful present of cup, saucer, and plate, and shall long keep thom in memory of New Zealand and your kind thought of me." Her Ladyship further added, " Lord Onslow and myself were extremely pleased to hear of the success wo had in connection with our first exhibition, and feel highly honoured by our Society having asked me to give the annual badge, which I would have gladly done had I remained in Now Zealand, bub I think that under tho circumstances it would be robbing Lady Glasgow, my successor, of the honour." Tonics.Many so-called tonics utterly fail to impart renewed vitality to the weak. The Genuine American Hop Bitters, made by Dr. Soule, never fails to do good. (3 " Facts are stubborn things," and the fact of the large amount of property which has changed hands lately through Thornes' Agency, Queen-street, should convince everyone that it is the best agency in Auckland for the speedy sale of property,