OUR LONDON LETTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8449, 23 March 1889, Page 6

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(From Odb Own Correspondent.;

London, January 25.

THE ANTIMONY COMPANY.

Sir Walter Buller presided over the first annual meeting of the New Zealand Antimony Company on ihe 16th inst., when the directors were authorised to dispose of the company's interfist in the 30 acres of gold quartz reef at Jackson's Head on such teems as they think fit-. I am informed by a good authority that a good deal of disappointment is being expressed at the results o£ the first year's workings. Indeed, the shareholders are kept in good temper not by the antimony, but by the gold which is to be obtained from the gold quartz above mentioned. ART AND THE ANTIPODES. The Grosvenor Gallery authorities are sending out to Sydney a very valuable consignment of pictures for exhibition and for sale. Among the works are some by G. F. Watts, Jacomb Hood, Arthur Hacker, W. L. Wylie, Frank Walton, A. W. Weedon, and E. T. Brewtnall. Mr Ingram goes out with them to-day, and also takes 20 etched plates by Whistler, and etchings by David Law, Mortimer Menpes, Wilfred Ball, Roussel, (the Whistlerite), and Short. Sir Frederick Leighton sends his beautiful" Phryne." : ME MOETIMER MENPES "AT HOME." Apropos of art matters, why is it that Mr Mortimer Menpes, the South Australian artist, has obtained so much publicity within a comparatively short time ? Last week he, or to be correct Miss Menpes, gave a children's fancy dress ball, which was really a " gorgeous affair," little Mand Menpes, attired as a Japanese princess, receiving her many guests. The beautiful Misses Savile Clarke, lovely in white, worked hard at one end of the ballroom, while the handsome Misses Lehmann energetically manoeuvred their squadrons at the other. Minnie Terry, otherwise Bootleg Baby, looking sweet in her Puritan gown, danced with Mephistopheles to the music of "Bootle's March." Dora Labouchere, as Princess Poppet, tripped it merrily with a blackamoor; Yum-Yum piloted a bull-fighter through the mazes of Sir Roger de Coverley; while a distinguished Burmese nobleman looked solemnly on. Miss Brooke Alder, as Pierette, was charmed to meet one of the princes who were murdered in the Tower; and one of the brightest and prettiest dots in the room was Mignon Hervey, who as a vivandiere looked exactly like a little miniature Phyllis Broughton, Competent critics declared it was far finer and more enjoyable than that of the great nitrate king himself. Mr Menpes' grand new etchiug after Frank Hals is, by the way, now on view. AUSTBALASIAN LETTERS AT HOME. Mr Patchett Martin's book " Australia and the Empire," now issued, has received from tho Scotsman a very long and favourable notice. Professor Tynclall has written to the author : " I am glad you have spoken your mind freely regarding the Gladstonite press and party. I feel deeply the truth of your concluding paragraph, that the reckless conduct of Mr Gladstone has increased enormously tho difficulty of your social and political problem in the colonies. What the end of his evil-doing will be in Ireland no man can tell." Mr Martin has also received letters from Lord arid Lady Sherbrooko, now in Italy. " Bobby Lowe " has road the chapter on himself, aud pronounces it " excellent." "The literary style throughout is admirable—at once so forcible and so simple." The confrere of Mr Martin, Mr Douglas Sladen, has been calling upon John Whittier in America. Mr Whittier is now in his 82nd year, and had an interesting conversation with the Australian bard, who presented him with a copy of his " Edward, the Black Priuce." Mr Sladen has been elected a life honorary corresponding member by the Royal Scottish Society of Literature—a distinction shared only by John Greenleaf Whittier, Mark Twain, Oliver Holmes, Jules Verne, aud Max O'Rell.

Mrs Hetley's "Flowers of New Zealand," just issued, is well worth attention. In the preface she relates how she went about painting with the generous assistance of che Government and the steamship companies, who gave her free passes on many of her journeys. Among those to whom she expresses her gratitude are Mr Kirk, conservator of forests, and Mr Cheeseman, curator of the Auckland Museum.

Young Mr Kerry, who hails from Auckland, and was, I believe, one of the Argus exploration party to New Guinea, is now here, busily seeking a publisher. He was in treaty with Messrs Phjllips when I last heard. But people arc; inclined to look somewhat coldly

illr dotin Dillon sails for Australia on the 2nd °'1 February in tho s.s. Ormuz, and hopes to " raise vi the wiud "in the colonies foe the Irish cause. I th clip the following statement from a weekly j n paper:—" According to Mr Parnell, the assist- , auce granted to evicted tenants amounts to 25,000 a year; but these figures do not at all tn accord with the league grants which have been m acknowledged during the last two years. From w: the published statements of tho league expeudi- dc ture it would seem as if £13,3D7 10s was dis- gi bursed to evicted tenants during 1887 and 18S8, Je or almost £G7OO pe;r aunum. The Irish Brigade fa in Parliament divide £10,000 a year between it: them, so that they nre plutocrats as compared e\ with the miserable peasantry who adhere to the w Plan of Campaign. Mr Dillon's explanation tl upon these points will be read with interest in tl tho antipodes." tl THE PARIS EXHIBITION. P' In al!lß,oooEthavc beenallottedto Victoriaand ai New Zealand at the Paris Exhibition. Victoria n: applied for 40,000ffc; of that which is conceded fi New Zealand will occupy only 4000 ft, the bulk tl of which will bo utilised, in a mineral " show," c: Victoria taking the rest. The New South p Wales Government will not erect an annexe, but -E have applied to Lord Knutsford to v< the French Government for space for their tl exhibits of minerals, timber, and wool now at p the Melbourne Exhibition. If the request is fi not granted New South Wales will refuse to d exhibit. In any case it is late in the day to J petition, for the exhibition opens on July 4. C THE SEAFIELDS. A good deal of talk has been causod in certain . circles-by the death of the Earl of Seafield, J news o? which has just come to hand from your * world. He had been looked for here for some mouths past, but people are now saying that the £ reason he did rot come was that there were no * surplus funds to throw away upon what would ] have been as a matter of fact a useless trip. The A history of the Seafield family is rather * curious. The seventh earl died in 1581, and was succeeded by his son, who was | always a delici-te young man, and who, as will : be remembered, died in 1884. His uncle, Colonel ' Ogilvie Grant; once an M.P., whose son was at that time acting as a bailiff in Oamaru, succeeded his nephew (who died unmarried) as ! ninth earl. Now the unfortunate thing was that thu eighth earl held the whole of the property in fee simple, and consequently was able to dispose of it as ho wished, and on his death it was found that he had not left it to Colonel Grant, his successor, but to his mother, the dowager couutess. The reason given for this is scarcely satisfactory, for it is said that the sixth earl, s } whose son Colonel Grant was, had married a B i gamekeeper's daughter according to Scotch c ( aw, but that the marriage had been annulled, 1 and tho issue consequently debarred from ins heritauce. But it is further alleged that the t Grants got to know that there was some idea of s contesting the inheritance, and in order to avoid c the property passing out of the family's hands 2 the eighth earl left' it to his mother. All thi?, if true, is not very convincing; but it is difficult to see why the property could not have been a left by will to Colonel Grant. However, the fact c remains that ha did not get it, and the dowager t countess (his sister-in-law) allowed him £500 a c year till his death in June last, when the title c devolved on Viscount Reidhaven, of Oamaru. i The allowance, however, was not continued tothe •- tenth earl, who has only lived some six months , r to enjoy his dignity, and therefore there was c practically no property with the title, and this ,j. perhaps explains why the earl did not come j. home. The Seafield estates amount to an ' annual value of £80,000, but are very heavily I mortgaged. It is considered probable here that II the dowager-countess wil! send for the youthful D earl and undertake his education with the view ;s of his succeeding to the property on her death. PS THE POSTS. 0 Mr Henniker Heatou, M.P., has been invited ;s by the New York Chamber of Commerce to 3- address them on the subject of the ocean psnuy y postage. MR EEES' PROGRESS. c Mr W. L. Rees' co-operative colonising projl ject will shortly be submitted to the public in j r the form of a company under the Limited , s Liability Acts. Mr Rees proposes to unite the ' capitalist, the producer, and tho consumer in , one partnership. His friend and coadjutor, the " Maori chief, Wi Pere, has returned to New Zea--W land, the London foga proving too trying to his a constitution. Mr Rees hopes to send out a ie small party of emigrants to the East Coast of al New Zealand next month, and a large party in ie July or August. He has already received applia- cations from 100 families. er TUB TICTORUN LOAN, t 0 The Victorian loan, which was launched on £q the market on the 15th, has been a complete t success. The sum applied for^-£3,000,000, the . first instalment of the £4,500,000 conceded by the Victorian Parliament last year, mostly for °* railway extension—was more than doubled by 511 the tenders iv spite of the fact that this is the :>e first 3J per cent, loan floated by an Australian o- colony. The average price of the stock is £103 ij Gs, which means that Victoria cau cow borrow it. at 3§ pe:r cent, with confidence,aud undoubtedly ag less when the market has grown accustomed to in the lower price. The rush for stock was so great u f; that tho price went up to 4 premium at" the 1( j outset, and consequently Bomeone must have n _ lost in the speculations. DINNER TO THE EARL OF ONSLOW.

A complimentary dinner was given at Lim mer's Hotel, Hanover Square, on January 21, to the Earl of Ouslow by the Onslow Lodge of Mark Master Masons, No. 361, of which lodge the noble earl was the first Worshipful Master. His lordship, who takes a great interest in Freemasonry, was appointed Grand Senior Warden in the United Grand Lodge of England in 18S0; and in other degrees the Earl of Oaslow has always taken a prominent part. The Earl of Euston presided at the dinner, having the Earl of Onslow on his right. The Earl of Lathom, Lord Bgerton of Tatton, the Earl of Limerick, and several other peers were unable to attend, and sent apologies for their absence. The Earl of Euston, in giving the toast of the evening— "The Earl of Onslow"—said that as Lord Onslow had marked well in the past in everything he had taken up, in every office he had held, so, as her Majesty's representative in New Zealand, ho would leave his mark there, and God prosper him in everything he did! When he came back, after a brief absence, he would receive as hearty a welcome as he now received a God-speed and good wishes. The Earl of OnsloW, in responding, said the Onslow Lodge had already paid him the greatest honour a lodge could pay by calling it after his name. He could not say that in undertaking the duties he was about to assume he did it with unalloyed feelings of pleasure, for there were many ties to be severed and many matters to be uprooted, but it was only for a short period, and there was none he felt more deeply than his severance from the Grand Lodge of England, Grand Mark Lodge, and the Onslow Lodge. Ho had undertaken something that was exceptionally interesting; he was goiog to see a great country, a young, strong, prosperous country, which combined many diversified and conflicting elements; it was a country which was loyal to the backbone, which honoured and respected respected Freemasonry and Grand Lodge, and yet was more democratic even than democratic England; and with all those curious combinations it was, above all, a hater and abhorrer of the great principles of Freetrade. He was pleased to think that, as Governor of a great Australasian colony, he should not be far separated from one who had honoured him with far greater distinction than he could pretend to in the mastership of this lodge—viz, Lord Kintore ; but it was an augury for the future of the empire that there were men who were willing to go away and leave the pleasures and comforts of a civilised land for a very few years for the sake of promoting the welfare and happiness of the empire. A great change had come over the spirit of Freemasonry in Australasia. It was not long ago that, for the first time, the Australasian colonies proposed to establish a Grand Lodge and a Grand Master of their own, and he believed it would be for the greatest usefulness of Freemasonry in Australasia that they should bo self-sustained and cohesive. The Prince of Wales, who fully appreciated these matters,, had not hesitated to declare that a closer union of hearts should be brought about by acknowledging such a Grand Lodge. After all, though many thousands of miles away, they were not so far separated. It was not only true that a girdle had been put around the world in 40 minutes, but that those who wished to go to Australasia on a visit could do so in a very short time, and he hoped that those brethren he saw around him would come out to New Zealand, and he promised them a hearty reception at Government House. Wherever he might go he had this consolation, that he should always meet warm Masonic hearts who were willing to work with him, to set aside all distinctions and differences in the one bond of Freemasonry, and ho should not easily forget those words he had heard pronounced by the Worshipful Master, thai wherever they might be they would always find among Mark Masons true friends.

Victorian soil. Having a lively recollection of the earliest efforts of our old colonists in the interests of the game, I nin more than surprised at the creditable position it now holds among the field sports of the colony. I can well remember the difficulties under which the game was played in the fifties. In^he Richmond paddock ou the site of the present Melbourne ground many an exciting match was decided, regardless of turf. Later on, the now ac famous Melbourne Cricket Club was in it 3 infancy, how marked the interest H evinced in the game by all and sundry, what genuine cnthusiam prevailed. Those were pi the good old days. From a scientific standpoint in the play then could not compare with that of d: the present day. Still even then veterans U played as good cricket, according to their lights, y< as even wo witness no?/. The improved game tl may be dated from the time of the visit of the d< first All Bnglaud Eleven, aud in no other part of ti the world has the game found more able c( exponents than in Australia. Who would have it predicted, 25 years ago, that an Australian d Eleven would be found to hold its owu s: with the best of all England? Though, v the quality of the play has mostly im- i proved, I question very much if you could v find players of the present day Vy'qo coutd t do much better than our old favourites—Wills, s J. Mace, George Marshall, Bryant, Sam Costick, f Conway, Gibson, Kelly, Wardell, W. and D. x Campbell, J. O'Mullane, and a host of others, on t the wickets of their day. Be this as it may, it is pleasing to note the stake cricketers have in ! i the country. One has but to glance fit the num- i ber of excellent grounds with their splendid i grandstands, pavilions, &c., to realise the posit tion cricketers occupy in. the commonwealth. 1 Depend upon it a writteu history of the colony i would be sadly incomplete unless due promin- •, ence was given to the game.. : Like everything else, in. Victoria, the game : flourishes only in and around the metropolis. Though Ballarat, Sandhurst, and Greolong maintain clubs as of yore, and still have many familiar old players iv their midst. There is a feeling 3ino»,g followers of the game in Melbourne that it if. not so popular as in times gone by—a circumstance, in tha main, attributable to the tame monotony of the play. I heard an old gentleman remark in the stand during the progress of an important match, " Why its simply sickening to watch such pottering at the wicket. It all co/nes of that Hoff theory andl them hextra good pitches. Why don't they slam at them, and make runs or get out/ Probably he was in a sense right. Players have a penchant for a long innings, regardless of popular cricket form. It docs seem absurd to see a player with bat poised on right shoulder watching a ball break to the off, and afraid to touch it. lam satisfied that were players to lay on such balls fearlessly—as a number did in two of the intercolonial matches I witnessed— the sting would be taken out of the off theory, and tho spectators would rise to the occasion. Judging from the hundreds I saw playing daily, I should say the game yras exceedingly popular among the players. Cricket pitches are to be found upon every available piece of level ground iv parks and lanes. I took some trouble to ascertain particulars about the condition of clubs, &c, in which I was materially assisted by Mr Scott, of Boyle and Scott. What struck me particularly was the insecurity of the tenure, of the land held by most of the clubs, and the amount of money expended thereon in the erection of buildings. The trustees ci the various grounds are materially assisted by the rent drawn from the footballers, who lease them dur- I ing the season. The revenue from this source is j startling when compared with that of our chief, grounds. The game of football in Victoria is most papular with the public, and very properly so. From start to finish the excitement among the onlookers is kept at fever heat. I witnessed only one match, specially got up to enlighten the American baseballers, but saw sufficient to convince me that the Eugby game can never prosper near it. At an extra important match the attendance often exceeds 60,000. The Melbourne cricket ground is situated 3n the Richmond Park, and consists of 10 acres of land securely fenced. The land is vested in trustees for cricketing purposes for a period of 99 years. The buildings are of a most permanent nature, notably the grand stand and members' pavilion, both of brick. The former was erected a few years ago at a cost of about £6000, and should seat a few thousand. The members' pavilion is exquisitely fitted up with dressing rooms, ba.*Ji rooms, secretary's ground office, and a largo diving hall. Above the pavilion there is a stand, and to the right a ladies' reserve and pavilion. There aire tennis courts, skittle alley, pi'ess room, and scorers' room, besides a number Oiv booths for retailers of fruit, &c. The secretary's permanent offices are au town. The work of the club is con ducted by a secretary and a couple of clerks. The membership

of the club is limited to 2000 members. Annual subscription, two guineas; enhance fee, three guineas ; country members' fee, one guinea, for members living 20 miles beyond the ground, (they are not entitled to play for this amount). Hard by is the East Melbourne ground, wbJch consists of nine acres, held under .1 permissive grant from Government. Tenure very uncertain; the club may be removed in 24 hou.rs.

Nevertheless there is a good serviceable sts.nd and members' pavilion erected. Afc present there is a membership of 400. Entrance j?ee, half a guinea; annual subscription—for a playing member, £1 11s Gd; non-playing mcmi >er, a guinea.

South Melbourne ground, in Albert Pa rk, consists of 10 acres, vested in trustees, on tei ms similar to those of the Melbourne Club. In addition the club pays £50 a year rent to Government. There is an excellent stand aad pavilion erected on the ground. The club ha s a membership of 400; annual subscription, one guinea. This is considered one of the best sites for a cricket ground in the colony; situated .contiguous to the sea, the players can always depend upon a sea breeze. St. Kildaground—ExtentlO£acres,leased:from Government; annual rental, £25; grand stand cost £4000. Carlton ground—Extent, 6*- acres; has a pavilion and fair membership. North Melbourne—Extent J2h acres, held on same terms as Melbourne ground; membership, 250; annual subscription, one guinea. Richmond—Extent 7 acres, permissive grant, tenure uncertain, membership 350, annual subscription one guinea. Fitzroy—Extent 7^ acres; stand cost £2000. An additional £1500 was spent last year on this ground and buildings, Williamstown.—Stand cost £2500. Has seven and a half acres, and a membership of 250. Port Melbourne.—Has sis acres—a, Government permissive grant. Yarra Bend.—Extent six acres, Government grant. Excellent ground and pavilion.. Kew Asylum.—Extent about five acres. Essendon.—Extent,'.ll>cres part of recreation ground. Not allowed to charge admission. Excellent turf and pavilion. Beside the foregoing there are the university and public school clubs, all occupying grounds specially set apart for their respective institutions, to say .nothing of the cricket played in various parts of Kichmond and Koyal Parks. With such an array before us we can arrive at but one conclusion—namely, that cricket in Victoria lacks no support. The powers that be have been ever mindful of its welfare. Yet in Dunedin we can scarcely boast a prosperous club, much less a iecent public ground for the game. Hobart, with a population less than half our own, maintains, at a considerable cost, an excellent ground in the Queen's Domain. There is a magnificent grand stand, commodious pavilion and luncheon room; a ground keeper's cottage, embosomed in the rich foliage of flowering creepers, lawn tennis grounds, a bowling alley and gymnasium. Surrounding all are neatly trimmed flower beds, with a profusion, of the richest blooms and shrubs. On the occasion of my visit to the ground two men were busily employed in giving an extra touch to the pitches in the centre of the ground for an important match to be played in. a few days. I was informed that 70 or 80 players practised daily on the ground, six pitched -wickets being in constant use. I could not refrain from remarking to my companion the difficulties attending the prepartion of the pitch as compared with what we should experience in Dunedin. Here we have an abundant growth of green grass and fairly sappy soil, while in Hobart the cricket ground is on the top of a hill, and consists of soil so dry that unless constantly watered not a blade of grass would live for a day. In Melbourne and suburbs there is not a club with a ground that has not a groundsman all the year round. Many have three and a professional cricketer. Hobart, with half our population, keeps up a rao3t expensive ground; has a ground keeper or two, and a professional. YetT Dunedin, the boasted city of the South, has but one ground^ dying a lingering death—a ground that could be' made the rival of any in Victoria at half the cost, Before tLe next season opens I sincerely trust our cricketers will band more closely together and work their utmost in the interest of the game. I am satisfied if they fully realised what is done elsewhere in promoting cricket, they would with me deplore its backward condition in our midst. It was not always so here. I have a lively recollection of the interest taken in the game a few years ago by players and tho public. Let, say, 50 or 60 players resolutely enter into the spirit of the thing, tad depend upon ib their efforts, if properly directed, must result in a general all-round improvemunt. If matters are allowed to drift as they have for some seasons past players will scarcely have enough energy to speak of the Rame, much less to play it. For a proof of this I have merely to point to the sorry exhibition Orngo out in the recent interprovincial match. I can safely say there are score, of teams in Melbourne that could readily ,li si , osc of the -^ lo players ,fe would bo possible to get in Ota-jo. ■tthy is tl,, s thus i The secret is not f or ' t o seek. We enter into the game in a haU-hi-irteil way; neglect good, steady, profitable practiceaud are afraid to part with a shilling i n the interests of the game. While iv Melbourne I saw a few games cf baseball played by the picked players of America.