Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-07-31
LIFE IN AUSTRALIA.
Sydney and Melbourne Compared
with American Cities.

There is q great difference between
Melbourne and Sydney" said young
gentleman from Australia to San
Francisco Chronicle reporter. Sydney
is quiet place, 8 rather goody-goody
sort Of town. you know, while Mel
bourne, on the contrary, is fast-nearly
as fast as San Francisco, though l must
say that have seen more in this city
than in any part of the world.
do our people remind you of those
you have left at homer"
'Yes, they do. You resemble the
Melbourne people. There the girls on
the street dress to kill. You see quite
as much silk and satin on the streets
there as you do here, while in Sydney
the women go abroad in sober gar
ments."
'.In Melbourne are they fond of
pleasure?"
Certainly they are-very fond OF it.
But, you see, your tastes are different
from ours. We are fond of outdoor
amusements. Why, the races will
bring out the whole town, and foot
ball or cricket match will attract q
crowd of twenty thousand people.
Everybody enjoys an outing in the
country, and for six months in the
year there is nothing thought of but
pic-nics."
''How do your people patronize the
theater?"
in Sydney good piece will have q
run, while variety show will not get
an audience, though in Melbourne
fol =
ronage. An old theatrical manager
told me the other day that he consid-
cred Melbourne, San Francisco, and
New Orleans the three most critical cit
les in the world; that a poor perform
ance had better chance of being pat
ronized in Paris or London than in
either of these cities.
'.Is there as much hotel life in the
Australian colonies as there is in
AmericaP"
..Not at all. In Brighton. near Mel
bourne, for instance. people hire
house for the season. They do not
seem to take to the hotels as you do
here. Perhaps for the reason" said
the speaker candidly. 'that they are
not so good as they are here"
1--WE are more luxurious thenP"
''You are. Take the matter of
saloons. Perhaps there are about two
saloons in Melbourne which have a
piece of dry bread and cheese lying on
the counter; and then, when | come to
think of it, drinks are penny dearer
in the colonies than they are in San
Francisco. Colonial beer is great
beverage out there. "
Il have heard good deal of your
horses and riders. Are they really so
extraordinary"
at depends good deal If you
want to see really good rider just
take up a mounted policeman. Do
you know what the qualifications are
for admission to its ranksp Well, sir,
they have an old horse, well up in
every knack. that is bound to throw a
man. They put you in a small in
closed space; the walls have an apol-
ogy for padding, while the ground is
somewhat hard. They let you mount
and then the horse is goaded to des-
peration by being whipped by men
stationed within the inclosure. :"
':Does fall debar you at once from
the service?"
Ou, AOs 4uOJ dIO SOOu CuouSL W
give you'enough chances to kill your
self. For you may depend upon it.
these falls are sometimes serious. 1
know young squatter who had no
reason to join the service, but did so
for the fun of the thing. He went
through the ordeal without once being
thrown"
What is the object of making the
test so severe?"
You see the mounted police often
have to go out into the bush alone.
The country is pretty rough and
man has to fire from off the horses
back. 1t would never do for a man to
be thrown, or worse still, to be un-
skillful with his weapon. so the authori-
ties take every precaution to be sure
their men,"
'How about your horsesP'
There is something peculiar about
them. 1t would surprise you to see
how many sorry-looking animals there
are in the colonies. The truth is, that
the best horses are shipped off to India
and elsewhere"
'.How do the colonies feel with re-
gard to England?"
There is the very best of feeling ex-
listing. l am certain that if Great
Britain was in any trouble the colonies
would come to her assistance, though
can not help thinking that the day is
not far distant when they will follow
the eYamnla GOT hv thio raDn hlio