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CURRENT TOPICS.
CHRISTMAS-DAY falling on a Suuday, the more
holiday pleasures of that festival were post
poned until yesterday. There was no lack
of the usual means and modes of speudiuga
day with the least possible alloy of business
in it. There were pic-nic parties innumer
able, and of course on a kind of sliding
scale of magnitude: there were pleasure
trip3 to Queenscliff, the Barwon Heads, the
Little River, Batesford and Ceres: there
were the Botanical Gardens (almost in a
state of white heat, and the grass 011 lire!)
and there were the temptations of total ab
stinence held out to all and sundry who
chose to join in the second annual festival
celebrated at the Barrahool Hills. These
and many more were the attractions offered
yesterday to the pleasure seekers of Geelong,
and judging from the almost total
emptiness of the town, we should say
they were very generally availed of
Moorabool - street was entirely in the
possession of some dozen loafing idlers, pro
bably the worst sample of eight hours' men,
who appeared to be without the energy eveu
to enjoy themselves. The coaches (several
of which were specially laid on), the railway
train, all manner of vehicles, and seemingly
every horse available through love or hire
all were in the greatest requisition. We
have heard of no accidents haying happened
to mar the pleasures of the day, and we trust
that the only drawback experienced by any
of the thousands of excursionists, in spending
a right merrie Christinas, was the weather
which certainly had a decided touch of hot
winds in its composition.
The Christmas extravaganza of" Cameral
zaman and Badoura," was produced for tho
first time last night, and for a first tune it
was very complete and successful Mr and
Mrs CJrevillo, Mrs aud Miss Wooldridgc, and
the Mikes Allen, bote the chief parts. The
scenery is excellent, and reflects credit npou
the painter. Some pains have been taken to
give a local reference to as many portions of
the dialogues as would (or would not) admit
of it, and some of the "hits" were well given
and taken. The piece will doubtless enjoy a
run and improve as it goes.
Admirers of equestriau {eats, and those
who have a Christmas capacity of enjoying
the good old circus jokes, have now an op
portunity of exercising their gift that way,
by attending Burton's Circus, in Mcrcer
street. The afternoon performance of yester
day might, we should fancy, be advantage
ously repeated lor tlie special behoof of the
younger folks who were engaged pic-nicing
in such large numbers on Boxing Day. The
circus was nevertheless well attended both
in the afternoon and evening, and the exhibi
tion was on each occasion well received.
The Commonwealth, from Sau Francisco,
brings papers to 20th October, ten days Later
than previous dates. General Harney's
braggart conduct at San Juan was generally
condemned. A smart shock of an earth
quake had been felt on 10th October, at
San Francisco, but no lives lost, aud beyond
cracking a few walls and knocking down bits
of plaster little damage was done.
A welcome change was experienced about
five o'clock yesterday evening, in the intense
ly warm weather winch had prevailed during
the day. The wind suddenly "chopped
round" to the opposite quarter, and after
bringing back in immense masses the dust
clouds which had been driven southwards
since sunrise, it'lulled into a cooling breeze,'
and a light shower of rain fell. Beyond lay
ing the dust, however, and changing the dry |
for a inoist heat in the soil (a boon to the
ripening crops), the thunder snuall of yester
day evening did very little towards clearing
the atmosphere. By the way, while the
wind was at its height, the pleasure seekers
on the Bay found themselves taken at una
wares, aud but for good seamanship some of
the boats' passengers inight have come woree
off than a good wetting inside a craft amounts
to. The Bonita and several other boats, we
hear, were very near coining to grief
Tlie hack and hurdle racing yesterday at
Belmont, under tho auspices of Mr Coun
cillor John Edward Thomas, of tho Belmont
Hotel, camo'off very successfully, and was
attended with t\ striking finish.
The desultory business , of speechifyin"
and general denunciation, which was trans°
acted a week or so ago at the Temperance
Hall, aiient the government T+and Ell,'is to
be brought to a focus to-night, A public
meeting, wo observe is to be lield at the same
place for the, purpose of considering tho re
port which the committee was iimh-tpfad to
draw up; We would suggest to' the mem
bers of the committee and the others who
will probably takepart in the proceedings
the propriety of discouraging any and every
attempt at empty oratory. In realcommit
tee business there is nothing so unpractical
nr fruiMnca ne fl snoonU .'
. i J -t . wfetutiy ami oueerhil y .
indeed, it is represented to us that no diffi
culty has occurred except with employers
who were not vary ,.c u .' J ,
QUEEXSQIIFF MECHANICS Ib'STIlM E.
Tiie first annual meeting : ot the mem
bers "of the Mechanics' Institute was held ou
Friday evening, 23rd inst, His Excellency
Sir Henry Barkly presided-Drltobertson.de
livered an address suitable for. the occasion.
It occupied.upwards of one liour in aeli
yery-contained many well timed and sen
souablt; remarks as to the advautages of Me
chanics' Institutions. Tlie lecturer con
cluded by earnestly, calling upon those pre
sent to become subscribers for tlie ensuing
year. The address was listened to with the
greatest attention by the audience. It was
well and fluently delivered, and appeared to
give universal satisfaction. Dr_ Williams,
Eon. Treasurer, in the absence of the Secre
tary, read the financial report for the past
year, which showed that the institution was
progressing favorably, notwithstanding there
is a debt of ; LaO owing upon the building,
which lias cost upwards of two hundred
pounds. The reading of the report was re
ceived with acclamation. ,
The liev. G. 0. Vance moved the adoptiou
of the report, seconded by the Bev. M.
Mc.limnot, and carried nuanimonsly. ,
Dr Williams proposed a vote of thanks to'
His Excellency for iiis kindness in presiding
that evening; seconded by Mr Vivian; car
ried with loud applause.
Sir Henry, in returning thanks, said ? He
felt as mucli gratified and iistouished that
evening from what lie had heard aud seen,
as he was the other day upon his arrival, and
lie might safely say that Queensciiff, for its
size andlimited population, was second to no
town in the colony. And he should have
very great pleasure in becoming a life mem
ber in their valuable institution. He thought
when Dr Williams rose lie was about to pro
nose a vote of thanks to Dr ltobertson for
his excellent address that evening; it seemed
an unintentional error which he would
now endeavour to rectify, by proposing a
vote of' thanks to the worthy lecturer.
Seconded by Mr Dod-supported by Mr
Nixon, and carried unanimously.
Dr ltobertson briefly returned thanks, and
said that nothing would give him greater
pleasure than to assist by all aud evety
means in his power to advance the interest
of the institute. The lucetiug then dis
solved.
A special parade of the Queensciiff Volun
teer Artillery Brigade was held lit six p.m.
on Saturday evening when His Excellency
presented to the brothers John and Francis
M'Bcan, members of the corps, two silver
medals which had been awarded to them by
the^Hiuiiane Society of Great Jlrit.itn, for
their brave conduct m rescuing from drown
ing Mr Pilot James Caught, when the pilot
boat was eapsised in Point Lonsdale Bight,
during a gale of wind, in April last. His
Excellency passed a very liighculogiumupon
their conduct. Thell'Beans inrecciviugthe
medals, suitably acknowledged the honor
conferred upon them, and tlien returned to
the ranks: when the corps were put through
a series of military evolutions.
A large concourse of visitors and inliabit
ants were assembled on the parade ground to
witness this interesting ceremony.
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