Morning journal and courier., 1892-08-03

store, an institution something after the
fashion OF Wsnamaker's in Philadeluhis.
is perhaps the finest of its kind on this
continent, and Is replete with every neces-
ssry luxury and convenience.
The public library contains in addition
| to its library a fine collection of paintings
and a museum well worth repeated visits
In the Exhibition building there is also a
fine picture gallery and an aquarium,
which contains many interesting speci-
mems. Here also are the remains of one
of the giant trees of Australia 1t meas
ures seventy-fve feet in circumference.
| The hotels do not compare fsvorsbly with
those of Europe or America; they are old
fashioned and wanting in many things.
Candles in the bedrooms are the rule, gas
or electric light the exception. The finest
| hotel here is the Grand" 1t is q family
hotel and a coffee palace" as well. No
liquors are sold and in its appointments it
| more closely approaches our first class ho-
tells. Its dining room, drawing room,
reading and writing rooms, etc are espe-
| cislly elegant, and its manager is courteous
and attentive to his guests. Its charges,
too, are very reasonable; one can live nice
ly for less than fifteen dollars per week.
The houses of parliament, when COM
pleted, will be very imposing; as yet they
lack the dome, and an outlay of sixty
thousand pounds is yet to be made to com
plete the building. There are about q
dozen public gardens or parks throughout
the city which are especially beautiful, be-
ing always rich in foliage and verdure
At present, though late in the season, Aow-
ers are growing in profusion and the grass
is in perfect condition. A rare display Of
shrubs, ferns and flowers Is found at the
horticultural gardens, and the geological
gardens contain a valuable collection of al
imsls and birds from all parts of the
world.
To a stranger here perhaps the birds Of
fer the most attraction, their hues and
plumsge being unusually rich and varied.
Here are found wonderful pheasants and
ducks, birds of paradise, and rArest and
most wonderful of all-the Tyre bird,
whose tail feathers resemble perfect Tyre.
The thesters in Melbourne are very fine
and are well patronized. The prices are
lower than with us-the best seats selling
for seventy five cents. In the dress cir
cles full dress is compulsory The Prin-
cess is perhaps the finest theater in the
city, and Miss Marie Halton (of Casino
fame) Is now the attraction in LA Cigale.
At the opera house Mrs. Bernard Beere,
from London, is drawing large houses,
aud at the Royal Mr.. John F. Sheridan
is playing in Fun on the Bristol" to
full houses. Mr. Sheridan goes from
here to New York and will open at the BIZ
jou in October next. He takes with him
Miss Whiteford, charming little Eng
lish actress who is especially clever and
attractive, and who is destined to make
a hit in New York. The postal and tel
egraph service is good-the telegraph es-
pecially go. kilograms are delivered by
messengers on horseback, and you always
see three or four messengers mounted in
front of the telegraph offices. The colo
ny has lately joined the postal union, and
| letters can now be sent to any part of the
| civilized world for five cents per half
ounce.
They still cling. however, to some of
their old ways. For instance, if steam
er is to sail at p. N. the mails close at
the office at II q. m. Then from IL to
l2 o'clock they receive letters on pay
ment of threepence extra; from 12 to .
o'clock sixpsnce extra, and from 2 to
o'clock one shilling extra.
Everything which renders life easy and
agreeable may be found in Melbourne.
The prosperity of the city is evidenced not
only by the suburban mansions of the
rich, but by the thousands of charming
villas and cottages extending many miles
out of town, affording an air of well being
and contentment. difficult to find else
where. The humblest cottage has its wa
ter supply and bath. The water is good
| and pure. There is a large reservoir about
twenty miles from the city and the daily
| consumption of water is about thirty mill
lion gallons.
One great need, however, the city lacks.
There is no sewerage! All the waste from
the houses, all the refuse and drainage,
goes into the cutters in the streets, through
which fresh water constantly flows. All
solid matter remains in drains or bitches
connected with the houses, and these are
cleaned out once in three days. Bonds
have been foated to raise the necessary
funds to construct a sewerage system, and
/ in three years it is proposed to complete it.
In spite of this defect the city is unusually
healthy and the death rate is very low.
Food of all kinds is cheap and abundant
Good beef sells at sixpence per pound, and
fish and fowl, including game, are cheap
! in proportion.
There is no state religion. all creeds be-
ing equal in the eyes of the law. Church
es are sustained entirely by voluntary con-
tributions. The state provides education
free of cost, and it is compulsory. The
parents of those children who do not at
tend the state schools are obliged to fur
nish proof that their education is being
carried on privately. For the higher
grades of education there is the Melbourne
university.
There is also Workingmen's college,
founded by the late Francis Ormond,
which has now over two Thousand pupils.
Women are admitted on equal terms with
men to an institution, which, If not to be
compared with the great eonserystOries Of
Europe and America, proves at least that
the value of technical instruction is recog-
nized in Victoria.
Out of door amusements are very popu-
lar-athletic sports-cricket, football and
horse racing are all well patroniZed- A
great deal of wine, spirits and beer are
consumed, public houses abound, and you
are in nearly all instances served by bar
maids, who as a rule are bold and entirely
wanting in womanly modesty.
Yet there is very little drunkenness and
arrests for this cause are infrequent, and
on the whole the morals of the city ar,
good.
There are very few disreputable resorts
and it may be said there are no slums-
One thir < evidences the seeming lack oi
ambition OF the people of Victoria. a.
though the adjacent colonies of New Les
land, New South Wales and Queensland
have all made appropriations for space fol
exhibits at the Worlds fair at Chicago, nj
action has been taken by the Victorian
government. 0yertures have been mad
to them by our government through on
consul, but so far without result. Th'
reason of this is the general apathy anC
indifference of the people themselves
They refuse to stand any of the expens
, attendant. They require the government
: here to pay them full price for all thei
products. Hence we shall probably no
, have any opportunity to see at Chicsg
) what Victoria can and does produce.
seems a pity. and lack of perception a
well, for in the matter of wines alone.
: large business could undoubtedly b
{ opened up with tn. United States.
Fires are infrequent in Melbourne an
e / can only surmise that 1t Is owing to e,
D trsordinsry care exercised by the tenant
0 of buildings, for the FIRE department
= most inefficient. Whenever the fire do
o partment turns out the owners of th
j building in which the fire is located ar
: taxed to pay all expenses.
8 The following item, which copy fror
Q the Age of May Z, will show what tn
Q departments is capable of doing:
y "a FIRE broke out at 0 o'clock last ever
t Sing in the warehouse of - - at =
z "LonsdAll street. An alarm was sounde
d land the firemen responded with the usui
= appliances, but were unable to subdu
!. ''the flames, and in one hour the buildin
twas completely gutted."
# There are five newspapers publishe
b here-there are no Sunday papers-sn
s. the news contained in them is mostl