MELBOURNE GOSSIP

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6308, 4 August 1888, Page 4

MELBOURNE GOSSIP

EXHIBITION NOTES. [FEOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THE OPENIXa. Considering the near approach of the opening day ofthe Exhibition, andthe fact that the great Show is the topic of interest par excellence, I cannot do better this weei than to devote a few pars to it, fauU dt micitx. I was fchere on Saturday, and had a long talk with Mr Lavater, the Secretary, who does not seem at all nervous. I see from his figures that the estimate for the entire cost ia .£275,000, a good round sum everybody will admit, and which would have been raado to do a marvellous amount of good if otherwise expended. A great deal of it will, of course, come back to the Treasury — some it is expected — but there .is sure to be a heavy deficit. As a rule Exhibitions are not run on the strictest business principlea, and I suppose ours of 1888 will be no exception. THE SECRETARY. My friend the Secretary, by the way, is an able man of his kind, though when I come to think of it, I do not remember his having done anything very distinguished. Mr Lavater is about forty-three, short, dry and thin a3 regards his features, and wears a rather imposing moustache. He was Accountant to the Eailways previous to his getting the Secretaryship of the Exhibition, and if I remember aright got into some odium through trying to abolish monthly tickets. He is rather individual as regards dress, and probably considering broadcloth unnecessary to mark so distinguished a person, invariably wears tweeds. He is furthermore addicted to pipes, and is a, man of varied tastes and pursuits, being a cricketer, musician, athlete, and artist, though in each of these walks I have been unable to discern any superiority which would entitle him to be placed on even a medium-sized pedestal. But really, to do him justice, I must say that my friend Lavater is a useful and energetic man, and I doubt not is as good a one as could have been got to fill the all-important post of Secretary. SIOE SHOWS. The Executive means to make the public pay ono way and another, by the number of side shows in preparation, each of which will cost an extra shilling or sixpence to soe. Prom the "switch-back" to the aquarium, from tho concerts to the fernery, visitors will have to pay extra for everything. I think it is rather hard, for it will cost about ten shillings to "do the whole thing, and those who have not many ten shillings to spare will be debarred from a good deal of what will bo going on. .However, somebody must pay the piper, and of course it will be the poor public as usual. I popped into the aquarium and fernery on Saturday, and think it will make a very attractive side show. One of tbe bits of local colour will be a real " ATarrumbidgee whaler," one of those Esaus of the interior who live largely by catching fish and cadging flour. I notice a speculator has already offered .£SOOO for the hire of this Court during the Exhibition, and the Executive, I think, means to close with the offer. VICE-REGAL FETES. As the opening of the Exhibition approaches there are visible signs of a stir among the Government House people and that ilk. Already something like a programme has been published, and it is understood Lady Loch intends giving a series of balls, and Sir Henry official dinners. The first dance will inaugurate the opening of the Exhibition, and of course the manceuvring3 for invitations have been manifold. A great deal is being said about studied ignoring of claims to recognition at Government Honse, and that unless one "knows the ropes," one stands a good chance of getting overlooked. But of course there is always a good deal of disappointment on the part of somebody or other smarting nnder non-invitation to these functions, so one cannot always believe what one hears. Government House is not full at present, though there are some half-dozen guests. In the courso of a week or two, however, it will be quite full, and then we shall be in the midst of all the gaiety. Lady Loch, lam sorry to say, has not been quite up to the mark lately. She caught cold recently, and it threatened to attack her throat in a somewhat alarming manner, but fortunately passed off innocuously. It would be most disappointing and unfortunate indeed if anythin cccurred to the Loch family jnst now, for everybody of courae looks to the Vice-Regal f&tes as part and parcel of the Centennial Carnival. THE INTERRUPTED CABLES. I think onr late experience of cable interruption will have had one good effect among the many bad. It will have made us realise, at all events, that Australia is not, after all, the " hub of the universe." The inconvenience and loss resulting from the break can hardly be estimated by those having no business interests with the Old Country, but to tbose that have, the knowledge is patent enough. A friend of mine largely interested in tin, copper and other metals told me he considers the interruption has cost him JBIO,OOO. Apropos of this, a funny incident occurred in the Argus office, which was related to me by a pressman, who is one of the staff. It seems that there was wild excitement in the office. Cable communication had just been restored, and a telephone message had come through the Telegraph office to say that the first cable news had been received, and a messenger was on his way up with it. Steam was got up, and preparations made for a special edition, whilst every man on the literary staff waited impatiently for that tardy messenger with his news of what the world had said and done in a fortnight. Five minutea passed — ten — a quarter of an hour — half an hour —and the whole office was half mad with anxiety, when the messenger arrived. The editor burst the seal — opened the packet — unfolded the precious document — and found that the match of the Australian cricketera versus— (l forget for the moment which club ifc was) had been stopped by rain ! Bathos ! That in actual matter of fact was the first news received. Could burlesque go any further ? LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC. It is not often I venture on a literary par, but thia week I think I will. The opening chapters of " A Black Sheep : Some Episodes in Hia Life," appeared in Saturday's Age. The writer ia Mrs Cross, who, under the initials "A.C." in the Australasian, must have made the acquaintance of most of my readers. She is the wife of the clergyman at Beechworth, and though delicate herself and with a delicate family, gets through a great amount of literary work. She has published in England several volumes, both prose and verse, and is without doubt the best writer of the day in Australia— despite . lucky young Fergus Hume and his "Mystery of a Hansom Cab. Mrs Cross' works — "Across the Grain," " Dinah" and others —are well-known, and lam sorry indeed that she has nofc won a world-wide repute, which her genius certainly merits. We have few good writers now in Melbonrne. The best we have had of late years^ is Garnet Walea, but he, alas ! has laid his pen aside — he writes no more, confining his attention to publishing only. Another literary worthy was lost to us last week in the person of Mr Eobert Savage. 'This gentleman was a moßt remarkable man in his way, and I mourn in his loss, that of a dear and valued friend. He was a regular contributor tp j the Argus and Australasian, and a most ; graceful writer. Ot late, however, he had ; turned his attention to inventing, being a skilled mechanic. He was in partnership with Mr Wolseley, of sheep-shearing fame, and his last invention on which he was experimenting, previous to his death, was an electric shearing machine. It will, in all probability, be perfected before long, co my country friends may be on the gut vive ( for something atiU newer and moremodern • in the shearjsgline.