and stately. There are many fine buildings, both for business and public purposes. The Town Hall is a large edifice, occupying a central position: and the city appears to be thoroughly well governed;—to be proud of and contented with the dignified and efficient traditions of its mayor and councillors, who, while occasionally, perhaps, using municipal politics as a stepping-stone to public life, have never allowed their desire for popularity to override their duty to the ratepayers. No scandals as to corruption of municipal officers or councillors have occurred. The streets are well kept and well lighted. Electric lighting companies commenced the work; but recently the city established a plant of its own, and it has now made arrangements to buy out the private companies, and to supply electricity not only for street lighting but for private use.
Melbourne has an abundant water supply; a matter of the very first concern in a warm climate. It was carried out by the Government at a cost of about three and a half millions, and was a splendidly paying concern. So lavish is the use of water that it was stated that, during one very hot day of my stay, the consumption rose to 1 20 gallons per head of the population, without exhausting the supply. A great work now in progress is the sewage of the city. This is being carried out by a specially constituted authority named the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, upon which all the municipalities are represented. The Melbourne water supply was handed over to it, Yan Yean reservoir and all, together with the responsibility for £2,400,000 borrowed by the Government for the construction of additional works. At the time this was handed over, it was thought that there would be sufficient surplus revenue from the water to enable the sewerage to be effected without any additional rate; but this has proved to be too
