ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 85, 18 April 1885, Page 4

ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE

Arthur Claydon on " Now Zealand In 1831,

(FliOM OUK LONDON COKUKS I'ONUBNI.)

Tins announcement that Mr Arthur Clayden would road a paper on "New Zealand in ISB4 " at tho fourth meeting this session of tho Royal Colonial Institute was quite sufficient to attract almost all Anglo-New Zealanders now in London to tho AVcst Palaco Hotel on Tuoeday ovoning. Thc.-e Institute reunions are far from lively. Thero is not, as you may perhaps imagino, any opportunity for colonists to gossip with ono another now and again. Tbe "Follows" of course (at least thoso who like) dine together beforehand, but persons who drop in during the evening with tho idea of meeting old friends and enjoying a chat find themselves dolefully deluded, .'ou tako any chair you arc lucky enough to discover vacant when you enter, and plant)-, la, have to stop throughout a long evening's prating. Tho atmosphero is ominently respectable, desperately dull, and commonplace. MrF. 1). Bell—mindful possibly of certain amenities betwocn himsolf and tho lecturer —did not honour the Institute meeting on Tuesday with his presence His absence was naturally commented on, and so was that of Sir William Fox, who, however, it subsequently transpired, had beeu suddenly called from town on business. Lord Normanby, but for Lady Normanby's death, would havo been in the chair. His place was lilled by tho ever genial Sir Charles Cliilbrd, who received efficient support from the Hon. J. B. Thurston, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary for Fiji), whose first public appearance in England this was, the Hon. T. C. Bray (lute Premier South Australia), Mr Thomas Earp, M.1., Captain Colomb, and othor notables.

Glancing round the room for a moment prior to tho commencement of the proceedings, my eyes lit on quite a number of familiar faces : Mr J. Kerry Nicholls, as usual,caressing his board with a lean,brown hand ; Mr G. W. Rusden, a trifle worn and sorious; Mr Thomas Russell, C.M.G., suivc and courtly ; Mr David Hean (of the National Bank of Now Zealand),genial and smiling ; Mr' W. J. Steele (also of the National Ban!:), seriously attentive ; and Mr Edward Hopkins, whoso visit to Auckland somo years ago Mr Abbott will,l darosay, remombcr. Prominent in the front row- of chairs =its Mr William Westirartb, tho leviathan speculator in colonial .locks; Mrs \Y'ost_art,h accompanies him, and not far offis Mrs Julius Angcrstein, looking exceedingly woll; tho gallant Captain I couldn't soo. Mr aud Mrs tlisborno wore present, with young Lionel Gisborne and Miss Gisborno, and so wero Mr.Moncrieff Paul (of tho Now Zealand Loan und Mercantile): Mr Robert Porter, hearty as over ; Captain Scott, just returned homo by tho Kuikoura; Mr W ,1. Allsup, Mr Labillioro, Mr and Mrs A. Donne, MrG, E. Sainsbury, Mr Donald McLean, Mr S. B. Browning, Mr Richard Maxwell, and many others.

Mr Claydon is quite at homo on tho platform. Ho road his lecture—which occupied upwards of an hour and a quarter— in a level, audible voice, using considerable hand uction.

I can't say there scouted to mo to be much that was now in tho discourso. Consul Griffin's and Dr. Hector's roports, tho New Handbook, nnd Brett's Almanac, nil appoar to have been requisitioned and pretty freely tapped. The audienco were apathetic. A round of clapping greeted Mr Claydon''* attack on Henry George and his theories, but that was tho solo demonstration during tho evening.

The discussion which followed tho reading of this paper was unusually interesting, as soveral well-known Anglo-Colonials took part in it. Mr William Gisborne was the first speaker. He approved of tho lecturer's views about the Public Debt of Now Zealand, and said that the colony was perfectly justified in borrowing largely, forthey could borrow at a low rate of interest; thoy had boundloss natural rosources ; the colonists themselves wero a fino raco, sprung from the tinost nation in tho world ; and lastly, they spent tho money thoy borrowed, not in wars or unprofitable ventures, but in increasing colonisation, in extending industries, and in facilitating and augmenting trado.

Captain Scott, 11. N., who rocontly returned from New Zoaland in tho Kaikourn, said that one thing that had struck him in tho colony was the Dunedin tramway, which was, ho bolioved, tho steepest in the world. It was so famous that American engineers had conic to New Zoalanci specially to see it. With rogard to tho " Gcorgo " scheme, Captain Scott said ho was sure tho labourers in New Zealand had no more intention of boing nationalised than the landowners had of being robbod. Ho then gave an instance of tho security of property in tho colony by ptating that the Superintendent of Police in Dunedin had assured him ho need not be frightened of leaving his houso with only ladies in it, and that there was no fear of burglars. Captain Scott concluded by making an extraordinary statement about the superiority of the West-port coal over our best Welsh.

Mr Douglas McLean was tho noxt to ventilate his views, and in introducing him Sir Charles Clifford paid a graceful compliment to the memory of the late Donald McLean by saying that as long as New Zealand existed the name of Donald McLean would bo a household word in the colony.

Mr McLean said ho had noticod with satisfaction tho omission of all roferonco to tho Maoris in Mr Claydon's paper. Wo had heard rather too much about tho Maori quostion lately. Ho noxt instanced the difficulty private individuals in the colony had in getting capital to won. with, as it was all locked up in tho big companies. There wore two things Now Zealand wanted, English capital and small farmers.

Mr Moncriefi" Paul, of tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantilo Agency, then got on his legs and made a few remarks about the development of tho wool trade in Now Zealand, He next ventured to state that a timo might como whon Australia would havo to look to Now Zoaland for wheat. This, I need scarcely say, was rccoived with ironical chcors. As a proof of the quality of Now Zealand compressed beef, ho montionod that the Government had ordered it to bo supplied to tho troops in tho Soudan in place of the American beof hitherto issued, By the holp of figures Mr Paul noxt proved that Now Zealand was better oft'than oilher America or England as regards railways.

The Hon. J. B. Thurston, of Fiji, then called the attention of the meeting to tho rapid development of the trade between the South Sea Islands and the colony, and tho benefit accruing to New Zealand from this trade, especially to the parts of Auckland and Dunedin.

Sir Charles Clifford then proposed ;i vote of thanks to Mr Claydon, who replied in felicitotiG terms, and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman, proposed by Wr Arthur Hodgson, C.M.G., of New South Wales.

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