ELECTIONEERING IN VICTORIA. The Melbourne correspondent of tho " Gippsland Mercury" is responsible for this : — "John Thomas Smith ia always a legitimate objoct at which to poke fun, and his oloction tactics are now tho talk of Melbourne wits. John Tom goes round Wost Bourke in company with Mrs J. T. , who is tho greatost canvasser of the two, kissing tho babies, admiring overyting, and finishing with an earnest appeal — ' Do not throw me out in my old age ; let mo die in harness, if only for tho sako of my family.' It seems tho other day that John Thomas wont to visit a certain cattle breeder's place, aad in looking round tho j farnij himself, his wife, and tho breeder got into a paddock where, thero was a splendid bull. Mr and Mrs Smith ad mired tho animal greatly; in fact, Mrs S. pressod upon her husband to buy tho 'ani mal.', Tho bujl had in tho meantime been eyeing the fair critically, and evidently not liking the look of them, he lowered his head and 'wont' for tho M.LA. and his wife with a • roar. Tho scampering that took place defies description. Mr Smith rivallod Solby in his podstrian ex ploits, and fortunately got over tho fence one second boforo the bull got to it. Mrs Smith and tho broodor had time to oacapo, as tho bull pnid tho most attention to J. T. S. I hear that Mr Smth will not canvass cattle brooders in future, oven if ho loses his seat."

A Melbourne paper nay* ;—For some time past the fishermen at Brighton have boon annoyed by the rather too constant attendance of an immense shark, which ha» at timos gone so close to the- boats that not a little alarm has been felt lest an accident should happen from which there wan no chance of escape. Efforts have been made to hook tho bruto, but without succors up till Friday morning, whon he was caught in comparatively shallow wator, off tho Brighton pier, by throe fishormon named Angolo Barlotto and James and John O'Moara. Many willing hands were lent, and in a »hort space of time the monster was safoly landed. It measured 15ft. in length, 7ft. 9in. in girth, and 7ft. 9in. from tip to tip of fin across tho head. 