SIGHT-SEEING IN SYDNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6307, 3 August 1888, Page 3

SIGHT-SEEING IN SYDNEY.

Tke Capital of the mother Colony. i THE THEATRES, ART GALLERY, AQUARIUM, AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS. [from oub special correspondent.] MELBOUBNR. July 2G. I have spent one day in Sydney, and occupied another in travelling from Sydney to Melbourne overland. | PLACES OP AMUSEMENT. On Monday night I visited the principal theatres in Sydney, and one of the skating I rinks. Of the theatras the best certainly is Her Majesty's, which has been recently erected in Pitt street, and which, for size j and completeness in every respect, covn--1 pares very favourably with every London theatre. Bignold was playing there in the "Lights o' London." The French Comedy Company were performing at the Gaiety; Mies Ada Ward at the Opera Houee ; and a Variety Company, who will probably soon visit New Zealand, at the Academy of Music. My old friends, Dark and Stansfield, at another house, the name of which I can't recollect, and Brough and Boucicault wera playing "Vice Versa" at the Criterion. All the houses had good .audiences, though I was told that the business generally had been much better during the previous week. At the skating rink the crowd was enormous, and skating had to bo can-ied on at a remarkably moderate pace. The moment any individual skater appeared to be gettin g up steam, a whistle from the manager warned him to slow down. I am afraid to say how many skating rinks I" was told thero were now open in Sydney, but the number was over a score. At the Criterion I experienced another proof of how small now-a-days this world of ours is. I sent my card in to Mr Brought and was immediately admitted to his dressing-room. A gentleman was thero, and Mr Brough was about to introduce me, when we mutually recognised each other as old acquaintances in Melbourne. In the conversation which followed, the names of numerous mutual friends were mentioned, and I was asked if I had met in Sydney a lady whom I had known. The lady had married and buried her husband since I had last eeen her. After these facts had been, told me, and her married name had been given me, Dr 8., my newlyfound friend, said, " You ought to call on her before you leave Sydney." I asked where she waß to be found, and ho replied, " At the Boyal Hotel " — the very hotel I was staying at. I need hardly fay that the next day I did call on the widow, and had a most interesting chab with her on the history of the members of her family, &c. The time at my disposal was much o.ccupied in hunting up people whom I wished to sea, so that I could devote but a few hours to sightBeeing. I managed to devote an hour or so to the inspection of THE ART GALLERY, which is in the outer domain near the Botanical Gardens, which I had visited on the Sunday. This g&llery owes its existence, or at least its commencement, to the efforts of Mr Edward Eeeve, when this gentleman was a member of the fourth estate. For a time, the Government ignored its existence, but o£ Jate years Parliament has voted grants for its maintenance and enlargement.. The result is that the building, which, though unpretentious externally, is of considerable size and well lighted, contains a collection of paintings, art China, bronzes and statuary lapidly becoming worthy of tho Colony, and of which the citizens of Sydney may well be proud. On Tuesday, I my last day in Sydney, much time was ! occupied in arranging for my overland ! journey. The Government authorities at length recognised my status aa a pressman, and extended to me the privilege granted to all journali&ta duly accredited — the right to travel at half fares. The rest of the morning was devoted by our party, which included for this occasion his Worship Mr Louisson, and Mr Lowe, of St Helen's (who had just arrived after a very stormy passage from Lyfctelton direct in the Hauroto), to a visit to THE AQUARIUM, at Bondi and at EOine distance from the City. The journey was made by tram, and this was my first experience of locomotion in a Sydney tram-car. The cars are certainly inelegant, and by no means luxuriously comfortable ; but, as I have already mentioned, the pace they go ! at is almost startling. I can quite understand that at first accidents were serions and frequent. Now, however, the people in the streets appear to have learned to look out for the trams, and to keep at a j respectable distance from the rails. On I the journey to Bondi, I caught, at a dißtance, a glimpse of the Eandwick Racecourse, which appeared to be on a very suitable site. The Aquarium is situated among the rocks close to the seaside, and is well worth a visit. The fish include specimens of some of tho most curious and beautiful species to be found in the waters of Port Jackson, and we watched with great interest their movements, which could be easily followed, the water being perfectly clear, and one side of the tanks being of plate glass. Air is constantly being pumped into the water, and quite a brilliant light is thrown on to the fißh ; so that while these latter are in good health and very lively, the spectator has special facilities. In a large pond in another portion of the grounds were some half-dozen seals, which at the time of our visit were being fed. They appeared to be as tame as dogs, which they somewhat I resemble, especially as far as their heads and barking are concerned. Though without feet, they managed to run along after their keeper, and Boine of them even, in obedience to his orders, climbed or almost leaped over the garden seats. It was amusing to see one, which seemed to be an especial favourite, stand up and embrace with his flappers the leg o£ the keeper, who seemed quite accustomed to such moist caresses. Awkward -

looking as tho creatures are on land, they are extremely graceful in their movements when in the water, and the speed with which they swam, and the accuracy with. which they caught the fishes Ihtown to them were equally remarkable. Another large pond contained several sharks, but as no one in the park wa3 prepared to go in the water and tempt them to an attack they did not show to advantage. The attendant stirred them with a long pole, but this did not do more than cause them to move Bluggishly. Amongthe attractions of the Aquarium are a springback railway and a skating rink. On the former of these we caw a train run, and very curious ib appeared to be. TII9 latter could not ba ÜBed as the manager was absent, and the- skates were locked up. Yoaug M— — , who had ever since our arrival been longing to have a skate, traa greatly disappointed, but there was no help for it. The Aquarium i?, I am told, a very popular resort, especially on Sundays, and in the evening, when it is illuminated by the electric light. The ■various tanks, &c, are supplied with water from the sea, a steam-engine beicg used for pumping the water to the required height. We returned to the city by the tram, just in time to see i TUB PBESTAITENT MILITIA coming from the prorogation of Parliament, afc which ceremony we bad been anxious to be present. The Herald in the morning bad stated that it was very doubtful at what hour the ceremony would take place. But it came off too punctually, and we missed it, and with it tho opportunity of seeing the interior of the Parliament buildings. The Militia appear to be a fine body of men, and their uniform is very "fetching," I should think. By the way, we passed their barracks on the road to Bondi, but could see nothing of them except the substantial wall surrounding them. The PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS are not very imposing, at least externally, but the Government offices are really vei\y fine edifices, and, I Bbould fancy, well constructed to facilitate, as far as redtape renders it possible, the conducting of public affairs. It is well that tho public buildings should be fairly good specimens of architecture, for were taey not so, the private buildings throughout the " Queen of the South. " would put them to ehaine. As it is, the architecture of the buildings in the principal streets is, if somewhat mixed in style, a proof of the professional skill of the profession at the present time. Sydney possesses examples of every style of architecture, the detigns j of which show that carte blanche must have been given to the architects, both as to ornamental details and as to cost. The result is that old and ugly buildings have i been replaced by splendid edifices, and i that Sydney almost deserves the name of j " The City of Palaces." The material of j which the houses are constructed is ior tbe i most parb the freestone on which the city stands. This is of a warm brown colour, and I am told that whiie it is soft and easily worked when recently quarried, it rapidly hardens and is most durable. The facility with which it is carved has no doubt much to do with the fact that ornamentation is indulged in to a larger extent than it otherwise would be. Though very many Etructures are completed, many are incomplete, and many more are only just begun. As may be readily imagined, there appears to be plenty of employment for 'sSoncniasons and bricklayers, and to a more limitei extent for carpenters. Unfortunately, THE STBEETS are, as a rule, very narrow, necessitating sniall footpaths, as well as causing the traffic to be frequently congested. The side-walks are paved with stone, and the roadways with wood ; but, despite this latter fact, the noise of the vehicles is deafening. I The streets are well kept, and frequently watered with seawater, tanks for which are to seen at frequent intervals. At still more frequent intervals are found what look something like letter boxes, but what are called " sweet orderly bins," in which rubbish that may otherwise accumulate between one street sweeping and another j is deposited by little bojs employed for i the purpose by the Corporation. Tho Christchurch City Surveyor would. I think, highly approve of the telegraph j posts here, which are certainly a vast ', improvement on tho unsightly poles over j which he and Mr Heddings have lately j been having a controversy. They are light-looking pillars of iron, strong, but by 110 means unsightly. His "Worship Mr Louisson has^ taken btock of them, and of other matters ; and doubtless, in good time, Christchurch will beuciit by his observations. OVERLAND. My time in Sydney closed on Tuesday afternoon, when I took train from the Kedfern Station. The railway carriages are much the same as these in England, but the sleeping-cars, in one of which I had secured a berth (price, twelve shillings and sixpence) are scarcely so comfortable as are our Pullman cars. They are lighted with gas, which burns very brilliantly and steadily, and ia a vast improvement on the kerosene ofNew Zealand. Shortly after eight o'clock the guard, or some official, began making the beds. These are in two tiers, something like the bunks in a ship, but they are very much wider, probably 4ft 6in. The necessary supports, which are of iron, and fit into receptacles attached to what 1 may term bulkheads, were rapidly placed in position, Across these was unrolled a, combination of canvas and wooden battens. On these was placed a well stuffed cushion mattress, covered with velvet. The bed clothes, consisting of two sheets and a good wavni rug, are placed over all, and jour bed is ready. At half-past nine wo were sent to bed like a parcel of schoolboys, and there I lay in tue partial darkness, for the gas was not extinguished until about half -past five next mornißg. bleeping was out of the question, for theie was a much more sleep-repelling rumbling, uud as the train occasionally seemed to be rushing headlong down some steep incline, the nervously inclined passenger might well feel a.dread of some serious accident. However, all things come to an end, and that apparently interminable night was no exception. A hurried, uncomfortable toilet had to be made in the lavatory, which forms a portion oi! the car, and then we arrived at Albury, where a hurried breakfast was scrambled through. There trains had to be changed. This changing j of trains is the source of much annoyance and inconvenience, butlsuppose isunavoidable, as there is a change of gauge. The Customs authorities insist upon examining your luggage— at least they make a more than perfunctory inspection of any package they have reason, or think they have reason to suspect. In the case of our party the inspection was productive of a little loss of time, and possibly of temper, as one or two valises had to be opened ; but, on the whole, the authorities did their duty with as much absence of bumptiousness a3 iB compatible with official dignity. The carriages on the Victorian side of the Murray are more luxuriously upholstered than was the sleeping car, and our journey to Mcl bourne was accomplished with comfort and exact punctuality. Here I cannot but recall the journey which I made on this same soil in 1853, and contrast it with this I have just completed. Then I paid a teamster £5 for the privilege of walking by his side from Melbourne to Bendigo, a hundred miles, of sleeping under his dray, which carried my swag, and of cooking the meals. That journey occupied a week. Now, I paid less than .£3 to be carried on the whole very comfortably nearly six hundred miles, to be well served at fairly good restaurants, and accomplished the journey in less than nineteen hours. The time table said from a quarter ! past five in the afternoon till a quarter past eleven next morning, I but twenty-five minute 3 have to be added 1 to this on account of the difference in time. This is reckoned at Albury, where, [ consequently, we arrive five minutes after ! we leave, the times bein», arrival ten minutes to sis Sydney time, and the departure fifteen minutes to six Victorian time. I have jatsfc visited the Exhibition Building, which is in a terrible state of confusion. I presented niy credentials to Sir James Hector, who gave mo a hearty f welcome, and pn± matters in training for j official recognition^ nay position. J