Our Melbourne Letter.

Otago Witness, Issue 1421, 15 February 1879, Page 11

Our Melbourne Letter.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) February 4th. The only signs of political activity at present aie to be found in the Press, and since the party journals have had the field to themselves they have taken to a tournament with each other. The Conservative organs have been calling upon their leaders to stump the country, but in vain. Not a single member of the Opposition seems inclined, to mount the platform, and were it not for the sake of appearances it is clear that there would be a fall-out between them and their representatives. Ministers are busy in different parts of the Colony, and occasionally deliver addresses to audiences of an appreciative character. A few Liberal orators have been visiting their constituents, but the proceed* ings were in each case of local rather than general interest. Unable to arouse any excitement among the public, and feeling that their prolonged efforts to stir up strife either in or outside the Ministerial ranks have failed, the Conservative Press have I made one more violent assault upon their opponents, and now, with relieved spleen, seem inclined to settle down to quasi-moderate utterances. The growing weariness of the people, and the increasing tendency towards placidity on all sides, is strongly infavour of the Government. There is no longer any doubt but that & large proportion of their opponents have decided to accept their supremacy, at least for a time, in patience. The' Liberals themselves have had enough fighting for the present, and are sufficiently contented with their chiefs -to acquiesce in their doings, with only an occasional grumble. Though. we are therefore climatically in the height of summer, in politics we are hybernating most industriously ; elements of discord are far from wanting, but at present there is nothing to excite or uuite them. The frenzy of last session has altogether subsided, and a most welcome season of peace has succeeded, to the satisfaction of all except the aforesaid Conservative journals, who have screamed themselves hoarse without producing any result, and are only sullenly sinking back into silence. One of their latest movements, undertaken partly in earnest as preparatory to a not impossible dissolution in a few months, partly in bravado as implying threats to the enemy, has been the announcement of the names of Conservatives who will contest the various constituencies at the next general election. This is, to say the least, rather premature or altogether unreliable. What may happen in the next few months would puzzle the wisest to foretell, and especially in such a risky matter as the nomination of candidates ignorant alike of their antagonists and the particular question upon which an election would turn the predictions are of no value. One constituency, West Bourke, is now vacant, and the air is full of rumours as to those likely to gain it, but as yet nothing definite is known. The recent occupant of the seat, Mr John Thomas Smith,. ha 3 been a very notable' man in our young community. Born in New South Wales, he received what was then a fair education, and at an early age entered into business. Arriving in Victoria 40 years ago, he found Melbourne a quiet little settlement in the midst of a vast wilderness. For some time employed by the Government in connection with the aboriginals, he afterwards embarked in mercantile undertakings on his own account, which were so successful as to gradually obtain for him the position of a wealthy citizen. Devoting a large portion of his time to public business, he received the unprecedented honour of being seven times elected Mayor of Melbourne, discharging his duties in every instance to the satisfaction of all associated with him. He was in office at the time of the Eureka Stockade riots, and distinguished himself by the yigorous steps he took to restore public confidence in the Government, then much shaken by the defiant attitude of the populace. In response to his call, 2000 special constables enrolled themselves for the protection of life and property in Melbourne. It was also while Mayor that he paid a visit to England, but did not, as his friends anticipated, receive a knighthood, though he merited one more than many of the fortunate. Always open-handed in his dealings, his generosity to the needy was systematically, extensive. A member of the first nominee House in Victoria, he has held a Beat in every Parliament since, and was once in office as Minister of Mines. Invariably upon the Liberal side, he was a capable administrator, but neither remarkable as an orator nor as a debater. At the close of laßt session he was suffering from what proved to be a cancer in the leg. In spite of change of air and all medical attention, the disease had laid hold upon him too Btrongly to be Bhaken off, bo that he sank by slow degrees until last Thursday morning at half-paßt 8, when he peaceably expired. The flags in the city were kept half-mast high for two days in honour of the deceased, who was esteemed and respected by the whole body' of citizens for whom he has so often and so efficiently acted. In spite of the most energetic efforts of the police, the Kellys still remain at large. During the last fortnight the utmost activity has prevailed. A great number of search parties have been out, and it is known that all their efforts have been gradually converging to a centre, where it is supposed that an encounter with the outlaws will be ensured. It is reported that they have been seen within the last few days by a Chinaman, whose life they spared because he was kuown to one of them, and it is also stated, though on questionable authority, that all communication between the Kellys and their relatives has been at last cut off by the police. The authorities, however, have refused all information to the Press, and the only account of the police movements is given 48 hoars after the events transpire. It is quite evident that something must be done at once, or else the police will have to yield. It ia not

possible for the persons suspected, who have been hitherto remanded from week to week, to be retained in prison under this pretence much longer. Their counsel have been loud in their protestations against the incarcera tion of their clients, and actions under the Habens Corpus Act iv the Supreme Court are threatened. On Saturday those suspected of being in communication with the Kellya were once more brought up, and once more remanded for a week, The determination of the authorities to put down bushranging at any cost is to be commended, but it is doubtful whether they are not stepping outside the limits of even martial law in acting so severely upon mere suspicion. Society in Melbourne has received a shock by revelations given at an inquest, which promises to cause the trial of one of the best- known and most widely- respected suburban doctors for a criminal offence of a most reprehensible character. Mrs Collins, a young widow possessed of some property, suddenly left the relatives with whom she was staying, under the pretence of going to Geelong for a visit. Instead of leaving the metropolis, however, or even the suburb in which she had been residing, she took lodgings only a few streets from her former abode. The house to which she removed had already a very bad name, In it unmarried women had been a'ceustomed to find an asylum while giving birth to illegitimate children, who almost invariably died within a very short time. It was suspected also that other women while there were able to take measures to defeat the processes of nature. The regular medioal attendant of this house was Dr Crookes, who, his connection with it being unknown, possessed hitherto an unstained reputation. He attended Mrs Collins during her illness, which, according to the evidence of the proprietors of the house, was of a terribly painful kind. For a little while the unfortunate woman seemed as if she would recover, but sank rapidly, and died suddenly. Another Burgeon was called ia by Dr Crookes, before whom the post mortem examination was made. Although suspiciousjof the circumstances, the second surgeon agreed with Dr Crookes in his opinion of the immediate cause of death, and a certificate was signed by the latter, attributing the decease to an abscess. The woman was. buried, but the suspicions of the detectives being aroused, it is said, by the discovery that just before her death Mrs Collins had drawn £50 from her solicitors, no trace of which could be found, although Dr Crookes was the only person she saw in the interval, they obtained an order for the exhuma tion of her body. When informed of these proceedings, Dr Crookes confessed that he had performed a certain operation of an extraordinary kind. At first Dr Crookes stated that he was in possession of a paper signed by the deceased confessing that she had used means to defeat nature, and that this occasioned the abscess for which he was treating her. This paper, however, was afterwards announced to have been destroyed, doubtless because its existence, no matter what its terms, wasrather inculpatory than exculpatory. Her relations also have testified that when she left them she was, to all appearance, in excellent health— not in any way like a woman who had been undergoing such an extremely dangerous process as that referred to. Yesterday Dr Crookes was found in his room lying insensible. The stomach-pump was at once applied, as it was suspected that he had taken poison. He has since partially revived, but is still lying in a precarious con dition. The inquest is therefore adjourned for a week, but the discovery of this house and the practices for which it has been used, as well as the circumstances of this unhappy case, have caused great excitement.

What appears to be a grave political scandal has been unearthed by the Hon. J. Munro. who has of late half seceded from the Liberal party. Having acuised Mr Yeomans, the secretary of the National Reform League, of having obtained £40 from the Ministry to organise public meetings, and of having used this fund in an unduly independent and personal way, he was called upon to substantiate his charge before a committee, from which the Press were excluded. It has leaked out, however, that £40 was paid to Yeomans, not from the Ministry, but privately collected by and amongst Ministers, and that he spent part of it injudiciously. So far, this is nothing serious, but much more reprehensible actions are laid at the door of some members of the League, who are accused of taking bribes to induce them to influence the Ministry in their decisions on certain matters of public policy. v So far, this ■ indictment has not been supported ; and as the inquiry is still proceeding, we may suppose that it will be thoroughly sifted before the matter is allowed to rest. Any tampering with the honesty of those wielding the great electoral power of the Reform Leagues will be a great danger to the Liberal party, which has been much consolidated by this organisation, and no doubt its officers will either be quite cleared of these imputations, or, if in any way implicated, will be sent about their business without delay. The tirst tender for the Exhibition build ings has been let, and the great work is to be at once commenced The foundationstone is to be laid by Sir George Bowen tomorrow with some ceremony. There are a great number of candidates in in the field for West Bourke, and it is expected that • three or four will go to the poll. The Ministerial candidate is not yet selected. At the Theatre Royal the Pantomime is still running. — At the Princess, "Rose Michel," with Mrs Gladstane in the principal character, is in its second week. — At the Academy, the Bracy Opera-Bouffe Company give way to J. L Hall's Byron Comedy Company on Saturday. —At the Opera House the latest London and Paris novelty, "Diplomacy," is being produced, with Mr Wybert Reeve. The Canterbury Cricketers, who won so much favour heie because of their bearing, were still more successful in Tasmania.

The absence of religious instruction from the State schools was discussed (says the Melbourne Telegraph of 3rd instant) at the Wesleyan Conference on Saturday, and a resolution was agreed to, in which the Conference undertook to unite with other Protestant denominations in framing such a scheme of religiouß instruction as would not involve a return tc the denominational system!