IMPRESSIONS OF MELBOURNE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 6643, 19 October 1888, Page 2

IMPRESSIONS OF MELBOURNE.

(Br A Wanganpi Visitok.) (Concluded ) THE TRAMWAYS.

It is usual for every visitor to say how delighted he is with Melbourne, and the " wondorful " way in which everything is conducted in that city. I do not know whether I am differont from othors, but I consider many of the various arrangements which aro «o much lauded very bad indeed. Tho tramway system of Melbourne is considered the finest in tho Southern hemisphere, and so it would bo if only you could dopend upon everything going all right. Tho tram system is a most gigantic one, and the caiß pass overy half minute or so. through the principnl streets, carrying passengers rapidly and easily to the suburbs. Imuionse cables aro stretched below the roadway, driven by powerful machinery, erected in various parts of Melbourne, and tho cardrivor,by means of lovors, clutches this wire when he wants to start his tram, and when ho lots go tho car of courso stops. The system is exactly tho samo as that adopted at Mornington and Roslyn in Dunedin, which has worked so satisfactorily for some years. It is so usual for Melbourne peoplo to gaze with prido on these cars, and to tell )ou how much superior it 13 to the Sydney system, that I presume I expected too much. Everything is splondidly contrived, but it has one trifling drawback, nnd that is they are often in the habit of jibbing; at least that is my experience. Three times during tho week I was in Melbourne thoso trams stuck mo up, and whon I asked tho conductor when ho thought wo should go on again, ho provokingly replied that ho really couldn't tell. As sitting on a- motionless tram enr in tho middle of a busy street looks rather ridiculous, I alway elected to walk. These delays often occupy an hour, and thero is a delicious uncertainty about them that does not rcassuro a man in » violont hurry. I was told I was exceptionally unfortunate. Whether this was 80 or not, I cannot say, I merely givo my experience. On one occasion I hid a particular appointment, and depended on the tram to enable me to keep it. To my surprise, the whole of the trams as far as the oye coujd reach where motionless, whilo an army of officials with crowbars and other appliances Mrorc excitedly endeavoring to set matters right. Of courso tho wholo of tho trams on. this circuit were in the same helpless condition, and it appeared to create no surprise, so, naturally, I considered the dolay no novelty. There was nothing for it but a tramp for two miles, and to my disgust I found I was too late to keep my appointment, nnd yet tho tram s>y stom is considered an unqualified success !

VIOTOIUAN lUILWATS.

Whilo the tram system proved so disappointing, I must confess that tho railway system is excellent. The rush of trains all day long in ovory concoivable direction is most bewildering to the onlooker, and can excito nothing but admiration at the perfect manner in which tho thousands of passengers aro conveyed in every direction with so much safety. It is no uncommon thing to see as many as four trains starting together from tho terminus in tho samo direction, loaded with passengers. The. carriages aro comfortable and roomy, and I found the officials polite and anxious to assist tho passengers in every way. It is wonderful how cheap return tickets are issued for short distances, and is, no doubt, ono of the reasons why so many avail themselves of tho railway. Special exhibition trains runs onco a week from Sydney to Melbourne and back, and from Adekido to Melbourne and back for wonderfully low prices. The firstclass is only forty shillings return from Adelaide, and the second twenty-fivo shillings, nnd the distanco is over one thousands miles. The faro from Sydney is equally cheap. The train loaves njld-'doy and travels all night, arriving early tho next morning.

BAD DKAINAGE.

What I consider the great blot on Melbourne is tho disgraceful system of drainage or rather tho want of it. All this drainage is carried over the streets through Melbourne, and tho smells in conscqucuco aro most offensive. Opposite the Exhibition I had cause to go through some of the small streets, and I had there, a fair example of tho filthy system in vogue. The (Irainogo from each, of tho small houses, which are packed closoly together, all ran through small gutters into a larger ono in the middle of tho street, and from tlienco pours its way into ono of tho larger streets. The smell was Bickening, and although an attompt is made to flush these street drains by means of tho water supply it is altogether insufficient for tho purpose. All tho leading street' are drained m the same fashion, and or , has only to pnzo at the filthy stream r nning through Littlo Eourko Street to realise tho truth of what I say. I had occasion ono evening to w alk through Bichmond — ono of the suburbs of Molbonrne, and about two or threo miles from it— and to my disgust I found the horriblo drainage in tho gutter nearly up to tho side path, and at least a foot in depth. I asked a policoman if that was the usual state of affairs. Ho told me it was so, but now was a littlo worse than. usual, as the drainago had backed up. For half a milo at least I had to cmluro tho stench, and I was thankful when I got to ft etvect where the ovil was less. During my stay tho weather was cxceisiroly cold, and what it must bo *h«n tho hot weather sols in is too disgusting to imagine. All of this filth finds its way to tho Yarrd, which is simply a reeeptaelo for tho drainage of Melbourne. The river has bcon so much widened that tho w ator coming down it is insufficient to carry away tho filth, and most of it sinks to tho bottom. Tho rise and fall of tho tid>j is only about two feet, and is certainly not enough to model atoly purify tho water. When I was leaving Melbourne the action of tho screw of tho steamer stirred up a filthy mass of black matter that caused a stench all over tho vessel, and tho rapid application of handkerchiefs to our noslrels. This foul pool— for I can hardly call it n rivor— is situated near tho heart of tho city, and how tho immense number of peoplo crowded together in Melbourne have escaped tho outbreak of some frightful epidemic is niiinellous to mo. When I visited Melbourne some jears hack, the wretched dvamago was lad enough, but the rapid increase of population h is intensified tho ovil, and I should rust he surprised to hear of much sickness whon Hie hot wealhcrset in Typhoid fe\er is ulwajs rife in Melbourno us it is, and 1 donotttonderatit, If it cost millions of money to get proper drainage for the city, tho necessary engineering worts should bo at once undertaken, and remove tho disgr.icoful state of affairs that at presont exists I asked mnny of tho residents of Melbourne- how they put up with such an abominablo system, but tho matter does not seom to trouble them much. They aro in such ft rush to attend to thoir own business that they cannot be bothered with such a trifling matter as bad drainago. Truly, tho busy city may be called " Marvellous Melbourne," for I doubt whothor in any other city of tho Southern Hemisphere such a disgraceful state of affairs would bo allowed to oxist. I did not did -visit tho comctery, but if tho present sanitary nrrangomont3 are not altered, I should imagine a very largo one will be necessary to provide for tho wants of tho rapidly increasing crouds who are pouring in from nil parts.

paddy's market.

This woll-knon n place is almost historical in connection with Melbourne, and in comjmny with n friend 1 paid it a visit lalo on Saturday night. The " market " is infested by crowds of tho lower order, and tho miscellaneous collection of jjoods at the shops, or move properly stalls, is truly wonderful. In one- place you will soo an immense assortment of old rusty iron goods that I should imagine would bo unsaleable as old iron, and next to it perhaps is a jewollor's, while fish and lolly shops aro charmingly mixed up togothor in endless confusion, in company with vegetables of unhealthy appearance And the noise and confusion," mid smell '— or rather collection of smollB — for I don't think you can beat tho artiolo f or ariety .oven in tho eelobrated City of Naples, which is supposed to carry off tho palm in these mattors, is positively tliiok in its quality. I supposo it is considered necessary to have a market of this kind, bnt as public health in Melbourne is not of much account, I presume no one troublos about tho presence of such a place in tho midst of Great Bourko Street. Perhaps I am a littlo sonsitivo to smells and require timo to get accustomed to them, but to mo thore is something abhorrent in the idea of such foul places in the heart of a city. Tho "rough" element in this part of the city seems to be particularly numerous, and tho samples of evil countenances of the Melbourno larrikins about Paddy's Mavkot would do full justice to tho gaols. I hear about New Zealand larrikins, but m this colony we hardly know what it inoana in com-

parison with Melbourne. The police are never alone, and always go about in couples A slight disturbance took place, and in the space of a few seconds ten or twelve policemen woro on the spot, showing that the authorities are fully alive to the danger of the locality, and the necessity for the excellent organisation that seems to exist. I am told this market is necessary, and as I am not exponenced in these matters, perhaps it is true, but why, in tho name of common sense, don't the authorities see to a bettor sanitary system by which these horrible smolls can be avoided ? Doctors thm oin Melbourne,and one street in that city is devoted almost entirely to tho medical profession alone, and I don't wonder at it. Thero should be plenty of employment for them and the undertaking taternity!

COMPAEISONB.

I am not so infatuated with Melbourne as is the present fashion. The suburbs are not to bo compared with eithor Sydney or Adelaide ; and although St. Kilda is rather pleasantly situated on the sea beach, thore is a barrenness and want of beauty in the harbour that compares unfavourably with other place!. After bciig accustomed to our own beautiful harbours in Now Zealand, the port appears dull and monotonous, as far as sconery is concerned. While at StJ Kilda a few boatmen wero soliciting passen gers to Williamstown in their boats, but although the day was bright, the temptation was not strong, and very few availed themselves of the opportunity. I was disappointed also with tho Zoological Gardens of Melbourne, about which I had heard so much. I consider them in every respect inforior to thoso of Sydney and Adelaide, particularly the latter, the laying out of tho grounds of which are excellent, as also is tho collection of animals. If you want bustle and activity jou can't beat Melbourno, but if you want pretty drives and attractive rural scenery you will not find them near that " wonderful" place. I had occasion to visit Ballarat, which is about eighty miles from Melbourne, and I was much taken with it. The gardens there are very beautiful, and I was shown some lovely statuary just arrived from Italy which cost somo thousands, and which had just been placed in the gardens there. Tho people of Ballarat can't be beaten for hospitality, and although my stay was short, I shall always look back with gratification to the pleasant time I had. Before leaving th* subject of Melbourne, I am surprised to find how wretchedly the back streets of Melbourno aro lighted. While in the few larger ones electric lights and gas convert night into day, the lighting of the smaller ones is extremely dismal, and the distance apart of tho lamps makes ono form an unfavourable comparison with tho lighting of our Now Zealand cities, which aro certainly better looked after. Ido not wish to bo considered unjust in my opinions of Melbourno, and before concluding my remarks havo pleasuro in testifying to tho magnificent museum and public library which the city possesses, tho latter of which can hold its own against any institution of tho kind anywhere.