ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5467, 27 January 1885, Page 2

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

IVia'Brimdmi.]

(From Our London Corp.R3?'ondknt),

London, December 12. Although all tho authorities from the Agent-General downwards ore confident, that the It M.S. Aorangi, leaving the Docks on Wednesdaynext, will beat to-day's , Brindiei mail, I think it safest to send you a short summary of the fow items of interest (Anglo Colonial and otherwise) which have occurred during the week. The Mignonette Case. Tho captain and mate of the ill fated Sydney- bound yacht Mignonetto were brought up on .Friday last before a Court of five judges, presided over by tho Lord Chief Justice of England, and (to tho surprise of the public, but not the lawyers) pronounced guilty of murder. On the following Tuesday a solemn farce (severely reprehended since by almost the entire press) was enacted. Lord Coleridge asked Dudley and Stevens if they had anything to say. The pair threw themselves upon the mercy of the Court, upon which the Chief Justice (without assuming the black cap) formally ordered them to be hanged. The dire sentence had not been pronounced half-an-hour before the men were respited, and there can be no doubt the men's sentence will be a light one. Public feeling is much less favourable to them now than at first. People are beginning to see that, regard it how one may, tho taking of Parker's weak, defenceless life was a crime, and a cowardly crimo too. lie had as much right to his chanco of recovery as the others, and who is to say that, supposing lots had been drawn, and the death sentence fallen upon Dudley, Paiker might not have lived to bo saved ? The axiom laid down by Dudley and Stevens, viz., "aaciiiico the weak to cave the strong," sounds strange in the mouths of British sailor?, hitherto supposed to be models of chivalry and staunch upholders of fair play. The inhabitants of Parker's native Tillage propose, with doubtful taste, to erect a monument to his memory in the churchyard. Various Notes. Parliament rose on Saturday without any further questions being put on the recidivist question. The autumn session was a great success, more real business being got through during the short six weeks than during four months of the summer. The Rev. Thomas Spurgecn bade farewell to his friends at the Tabernacle on Tuesday evening, and Rails for Auckland, via Melbourne, to-day. He has collected £2,500 for his now chapel.

Dr. Macdonald, of Glasgow, is coming to London to assist the Agent-General in finally selecting from the HO odd candidates the new master for the Dunedin High School.

About 200 emigrants are to be sent out to the colony by the Doric.

The Northumberland has sailed for Auokland with about 100 passengers. Vesey Stewart's No 5 party is on board. It consists of six persons in the steerage. An enterprising American speculator has concluded arrangements with Madame Clovis Hugues, the heroine of the detective shooting case, to "star" through the United States as Lady Macbeth, on her acquittal, which is looked upon as certain. Lord Derbj; has written to Mr Gorsfc assuring him that Te Wheoro's departure from England will not affect the objects of the Maori mission prejudicially. A large number of country folk are up in town this week for the Cattle Show.

The Christmas numbers of all the illustrated papers, &c, are out. Tho most remarkable is (gs was the case last year) the Paiis "Figaro " extrji, a superb number, costing 3s (id in London. A great success has also been achieved by " Yule Tide," a portfolio of six excellont phototypes, originally cost ing Is. None can now bo had under 2s.

There have been no novelties at theatres or other places of amusement during the week. Everyone is preparing for Christmas. The stoeplechasing season lias commenced unusually biilliantly. Though the stakes are small, the fields have been large, and the sport good, At Sandown Park Count Kinsky's Kilworth won tho Grand Annual, after a good race with Mr Cannon's Jolly Sir John and Mr C. Archer's Dog Fox. The latter is mentioned as likely to carry off tho Grand National next March.

The death is announced of Macgregor, who won the Two Thousand Guineas of IS7O, and started the hottest favourite for the Derby ever known, odds of 5 to 2 being laid on him in a field of 15. He ran nowhere, the race being won by Kingcraft (20 to 1), Palmerston second, and Muster third. Mr Merry always believed Macgregor was got at and poisoned. Ho_ could never be trained afterwards. As a sire the horse proved a failure.

A commission of £500 was invested on Paradox for tho Derby last Monday at 7 to 1.

The "British Australasian" comments very favourably on Sir Julius Vogel's new financial proposals. George Augustus Sala, who is so Boon to be amongßt you, has just issuod a volume of rery readable short stories, entitled, " Doad Men Tell No Tales, but Live Men Do," as a shilling annual. Those who desire to make acquaintance with his style should buy the book. It teems ovor with tit-bits of odd information.

Mr Baden Powell read an interacting paper on "National Unity" before the Colonial Institute on Tuesday. Several Anglo-Now Zenlanders were present. Now South Wales has already formally guaranteed its proportion of responsibility in tho great exhibition of the yoar after next. The Prince of Wales is said to be much pleased with tho promptness of this colony's reply. An article of a most gloomy and damaging character ha 3 appeared in the " Scota man" about tho New Zealand frozen mutton trade.

Vesey Stewart's latest venture is " The Year-Book of New Zealand," a descriptive, statistical, and commercial volume, edited by himself, nnd dedicated to the AgentGeneral.

Some merino sheep carcases have been sent Home from Australia for comparison with the be3t English mutton. Word and Stimpson pronounce the merino mutton far too fat for butchering purposes. Prominent amongst the guests at theColonial Institute on Tuesday were Sir William Fox, Sir Henry Buckly, Sir Rawson W. Rawson, Sir Richard Temple, and Professor Bonamy Prico. Shipping and Passenger Notes. The s.s. Doric passed Madeira on Sunday, December 7th, and reached Plymouth on the 12th. She will leave again for Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago on January sth. Great satisfaction prevailed at the London office of the New Zealand Shipping Company when the message announcing the fa»t passage of tho Kaikoura to Port Chalmers j arrived. '

The new steamer Tainui, which Messrs Denny and Company are building foi Shaw.Savill'3, is rapidly approaching completion. The owners expect her in London early in January. The New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Rimutaka is also very nearly finished. She will leave Messrs Elder's yard in the first week of January. She'is announced to leave on January 15th, a fortnight before the Tainui.