MELBOURNE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1098, 14 December 1872, Page 5

MELBOURNE.

(from our own correspondent.)

November 28th.

The fearful atrocities committed on boaid the Carl, in connection with the Fiji slave trade, have been recently brought again under the notice of the public by a couple of circumstances. One of these was the publication of a letter written by Dr Murray, the charterer of the vessel, and the prime criminal in this bad business. It seems that this scoundrel, finding that slave trading is a very dangerous occupation, and one calculated to bring those who follow it into dangerous proximity with the gallows, has given it up, and in doing so is desirous of spoiling the trade for any one who may come after him. In doing so he seeks to save his own neck from the legitimate consequences of his crime, by contributing to the utmost to secure the conviction of his wretched accomplices, and also by enlisting the sympathies of the religious party, to whom he represents that he is now a shining example of the power of grace, and one of the most remarkable examples of the repentant sinner seen in recent times. So he writes a letter that has been printed in the newspapers, full of pious professions of the most unctuous nature, suited to endear him to the churches, and to gibbet him in the estimation of men of the world as one of the most hypocritical villains that ever paraded his double infamy before the public. He declares that he was "converted " — Heaven save the mark ! — towards the close of the Carl's last voyage, that is, while the hold of the vessel was still reeking with the blood of the vinhippy creatures who were shot down wholesale by Murray and his men, he, while the massacre was going on, singing the tune of "Marching through Georgia." He rejoices to think that since then he " was one of the humble instruments employed by God in stamping out the small-pox " at Sandhurst, and alludes to his professional services on that occasion as " an example approved by the higli authority of Christ himself," and as instancing "the atoning power of a great voluntary sacrifice." While he has thus been earning the disgust and contempt of most honourable people, Dr Murray, by this sickening cant, has enlisted the sympathies of some of our Colonial representatives of Exeter Hall ; and it is proposed by a religious journal that he should be employed to aid in the work of putting down the trade in which he has hitherto laboured with such illustrious results.

The other circumstance which has tended to bring this shocking affair into renewed prominence, is the trial at Sydney on the charge of murder of. Armstrong, the captain of the Carl, and Davidson, one of the men. The principal witness against them was Murray, who again went through his horrible tale of murder, spiced with religious cant. The Crown Prosecutor and the Judge expressed regret at the shameful mismanagement which had enabled the chief criminal to escape from the consequences of his crime, and His Honour warned the jury that his evidence should on many reasons be accepted with great caution. But there was sufficient of corroborative testimony brought forward to show that there was no doubt of its substantial truth, and the two men were found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. So far. their sentence is doubtless a just one, but it is one that there is no reason to suppose will ever be carried out in its entirety. To hang the hired instruments of this atrocious crime, while their employer is allowed to get clear, would be an outrage on the general sense of justice in the mind of the public that no Government would venture to commit. As connected with this subject, I may add that some statements -which have been made in the course of the enquiries at Sydney have induced our Government to order the arrest of two men named Morris and Mount, residents of this Colony, who were on board the Carl at the time of the massacre, in which they were alleged to have taken part. Evidence is being collected and witnesses will be brought to Melbourne, where the trial will be held. But all this is only a very feeble satisfaction for the feeling of disgust at the blundering, officious stupidity of the Consul at Levuka, who gave the pledge of security to Murray, which our Government consider they would not be justified in disregarding. «

The only political activity manifested here for some time has been in the Legislative Council. The Assembly has done the greater part of its Avork so far as it can at present, and has sent pretty -well all of the measures of the session up to the Council, for that body to deal with. How it has dealt with some of these has been before told, but there was a good deal of interest felt as to the treatment which the Education Bill would receive at the hands of the Council. In favour of its passing there was the circumstance that it did not affet* any class interests to which the members of the Upper Chamber might be expected to be very considerate, and did not in any way touch the pockets of the "wealthy lower orders" who are so ably represented by that House. On the other hand, some strong friends of denominational education held seats in that Chamber, and would undoubtedly fight to the last against the secular character of the Bill. If by their means the measure were rejected or emasculated of its essential provisions, the whole of the labourß of the Assembly duripg a long and arduous session would be virtually mil.

lined, and the constitutional question would be urged on the attention of the Government and the country what to do in this position. After several members had spoken at tedious length against the Bill, it was read a second time by a large majority, and some members in voting for it intimated their intention of labouring to modify it in Committee. Still, it has passed through Committee without material change except in one important feature. The clause prohibiting religious instruction in State schools has been struck ou.t. This was done by the casting vote of the chairman after an equal division. The B ill is to be re-committed, with a view of re-instating this clause. If this is done a good measure will become law. If it is not done, of course the Assembly will not accept the Bill, and then what the issue would be it is impossible to forecast. This, however, is certain. The system of denominational education in Victoria is doomed, and indeed already past. If the compromise offered by the Education Bill is rejected by the friends of denominationalism, there will be no further compromise offered, or even granted. The Education Board has already resolved not to grant any money to any new denominational schools, and the Assembly, if driven to that course, will by resolution refuse to vote any more money except for the purposes of secular education pure and simple. A code of regulations to give effect to this decision would then be introduced by the Government, and, if approved of by the Assembly, would form the educational code of the State schools of the Colony. The education system would thus be reformed in opposition to the efforts of the sects, and in a way that they would do nothing to hinder. The only difference as far as they are concerned would be that, instead of getting the term of grace that the Bill allows, in all probability they would be called upon to decide at once whether they would surrender their schools to the State or carry them on without any further State assistance.

Of other matters political there are few items calling for much notice. The Bill to legalise marriage with a deceased wife's sister has been passed through both branches of the Legislature, and will no doubt receive the Royal assent, as did the similar measure passed last "year in South Australia. The question of holding an Intercolonial Conference is, as it seems from some correspondence just presented to Parliament, still forming the subject of correspondence. New South Wales is willing to change the time of the Conference from December to January, to meet the convenience of several of the Governments, but does not favour the proposal of Victoria to fix Hobarfc Town as the place of meeting instead of Sydney. The reason advanced by the Government for desiring the change is because there are some subjects in dispute between the Victorian and the Sydney Governments, specially that relating to the Border Duties, and the expressed intention of Victoria not to accede to any intercolonial postal convention for a service by way of Suez, save upon the condition of Melbourne being fixed as the terminus of the route.

The appointment of a fifth judge of the Supreme Court is still unmade. The post has been offered to Mr Fellows, who would doubtless form a valuable addition to the Bench, and would be the best judge that our colonial bar could supply. But there is a difficulty in the way. The salary attached to the post of judge is £2500 a year, and Mr Fellows's earnings by his practice average double that amount. Of course there would be advantages in exchanging the arduous labours of a very heavy practice for the comparatively lighter duties of a judgeship, and then there is the gain in dignity and status conferred by the change. The question which Mr Fellows hesitates over is— Are these advantages worth the sacrifice of £2500 a year to procure them ? It has been suggested that with the means of removing this ground for hesitation, and also to enable the Colony to secure the best man obtainable, the salaries of the judges should be increased £300 a year each. However, the whole matter is still under consideration, and we do not yet know what the result will be.

Our exhibition continues to be freqtiented by large numbers of people, and the interest in it appears rather to increase than diminish. A large number of articles have been added to the show since it was opened, and have materially enhanced the value of the collection. Amongst these are two pictures in water colours, contributed by Mr Gully, of Nelson, which have attracted a good deal of attention and praise, but this artist is not this time represented by works of the importance of those which he sent to the exhibition of 1566. Amongst other general items, I may mention that the Church Assembly of -the Anglican Church here has adopted the scheme of a general synod of all the dioceses of Australia, as lately agreed to at the Conference held at Sydney, on which occasion ten dioceses wei « represented. The change became necessary on account of the altered relations of ' the colonial church to the Church of Eugland and Ireland, occasioned to some extent by the disestablishment of the Irish Church. It became evident that it was needful for the Church here to provide for its independent government, and the constitution of a general synod is intended to meet this requirement. Congratulatory banquets have been held at Sydney and Adelaide to celebrate the opening of the telegraph to England ; and at the latter capital, of course, Mr Todd, under whose superintendence the overland line was constructed, was the hero of the occasion. The | schooner Mary Cumining, of this port, well Jmown in the New Zealand trade, went ashore a few daye ago outside Port Phillip

Heads, and was abandoned as a wreck. The post of Agent-General to the Colony is still vacant. Sir James M'Culloch, to whom it has been offered, appears to be disinclined to accept it ; but the correspondence with him is not yet closed. The Government intends to increase the salary from £1500 to £2000 a year, this alteration being made, it is understood, at the suggestion of Sir George Verdon, who was enabled to speak from experience of the responsibilities and expenses of the office. At the same time, tne "selfdenying ordinance," passed in a paroxysm of virtue by our legislators, the Officials in Parliament Act, has been amended, so that the .restriction preventing members of Parliament from accepting offices of profit under the Crown within six months after being in Parliament, has been abolished, so far as this particular office is concerned. The term of holding it is also to be fixed at three years, which will ensure pretty frequent changes, and thus the office will always be present as an object of possible attainment to the ambition of each of our 78 members of thfi Assembly and of the 30 members of the Council. There is a good deal to be said for and against the change in these arrangements, but no doubt from the individual member's point of view the arguments in its favour very much predominate.

A short time ago I alluded to a marriage of a County Court judge to his housemaid as having shocked Melbourne "society" very much, and as having produced in the minds of our aiistocracy a feeling that the end of things was at hand, and that the fabric of social life was falling headlong into chaos. I then said that the matter had given occasion to a great many rumours, some of them of a very wild character — scandals which might be regarded as the revenge of " society " on one who had outraged its laws and disappointed the expectations of some of its members. I now wish, having just referred to this, to relate something that took place the other day at the meeting of the lleligious Tract Society. The business was the re-electing of vice-presidents. One of the vice-presidents was Mr Judge Pohlman,'a man of great sterling worth aud great benevolence of disposition, and who had according to his means given as much time and money for many years to the work of charity as any man in Melbourne. In putting the names of the officers before the meeting, the Chairman (the Dean of Melbourne) alluded to "very painful rumours" that were current respecting one of the vice-presidents With hypocritical suggestiveness and tones of simulated sorrow, he said he did not wish to express any opinion one way or the other, but he could not refrain from reminding the meeting of the fact. Immediately, a clerical nobody, named the Rev. Strongman, moved that Mr Pohlman's name should be expunged; and the pious people present, following the lead of Messrs Macartney and Strongman, decided to strike off the name of Mr Pohlman. Now no doubt it is quite in accordance with the fitness of things that a transaction of this kind should take place at a religious meeting, and should be brought about by two ecclesiastics. Still it is worth while to remark the treacherous baseness of the business. Here is this man, Dean Macartney, a professed friend of Mr Pohlman, taking the opportunity to give him this stab in the back, by inviting the meeting to deal with him on shameful rumours which he did not venture to put forward as charges, which he did not dare to say that he believed, but which he wished the meeting to regard as proved accusations. And, singular to say, in the Argus following that which recorded the proceedings of this meeting, we find a report of a woman going into the Church Assembly to prefer before the Bishop some charge "of immorality against a clergyman. Shewas spoken to in private by the clerk of the Assembly, and the matter for the present passed off without anything further coming of it. Perhaps she was told how to make her charges in proper form, and no doubt this would be a correct course to adopt. But it is evident that according to the ethics of Dean Macartney, the mere unsupported allegation would have been sufficient ground for dealing with the clergyman as a man convicted, without taking any evidence against him, or hearing what he had to say in hisdeience. And yet these people are unable to understand how it is that their code of morality is scornfully rejected by ordinary selfish worldlings as being destitute of manliness, and wanting in the sentiment of honour by which most of us in the world, at least profess, to direct our conduct.

There is a "Dunedinite in Victoria" — a writer who signs himself "M. W. S," and who essays through the medium of one of your locai contemporaries to enlighten your Otago public on the state of society in Victoria. • The accounts which a Dunedin journal, with charming confidence in its contributor, has published as perfectly veracious descriptions, have reached Melbourne, and our leading journal the other day condescended to reply to them. We learn from this chronicler that in Melbourne the factory boys are accustomed by way of amusement to duck policemen opposite hotels. " Stabbing takes place in open day," and when burglaries occur— and they are always occurring — it is the usual thing, if you find the burglar on the premises, to invite him to join you in a bottle of wine. . As for attempting to arrest him, M elbourne etiquette prohibits the idea, probably on the ground that if you are the robbed one day you will very likely be yourself the robber the next. Then it is said that we are unable here to record our police offences, because if we did we should have to devote the newspapers wholly to them, and more of 'this kind of writing. I can't suppose that either you or your readers ■would thank, me for taking the trouble to attempt the re-

futation of such imbecile misrepresentation as this, or that either you or they require being put on your guard against placing any confidence in a writer of this character — even, indeed, if you were previously aware that such a writer was in existence.