ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 234, 5 October 1886, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(VIA BRINDI3I AND SYDNEY.)

(erom our own- correspondent.)

London, August 20th,

Tho Exhibition.

The guarantors of tho Colonial and Indian Exhibition, who up to tho present have felt fairly comfortablo as to tho financial success of the big show at South Kensington, aro looking painfully glum ovor the Trince of Wales's philanthropic echomo for admitting working folk at something less than half-price duringthenextthreemontha. " It is all very well," say they, " for Koyalty to gracefully confer 'an inestimable boon' of thia sort on tho mastes, but if (as seoms probable) tbo dead loss incurred during this period means a balance-sheet showin" a serious deficit instead of a sur plus, who will pay the piper ? Certainly notH.RH." None of the guarantors would for a moment grudgo the peoplo their cheap tickets if Sir Philip Cunlilfe Owen could assure thorn that a surplus ot somo sort was a certainty. But this is just what that wily gentloman doclinos to do Talk to him of leviathan takings or probable profits, and he talks to you of heavy expenses and unfores&en outlays. 'lis tho samo with all tho Executive. Ono cannot get bver the impression that they desire to pave the way for Unpleasant disclosures. Meanwhilo the Exhibition is crowdod from early morn to'dowy eve with vast hordes of sightseers from " working London," whu (to tho despair of Spiers and Pond) usually como woll supplied with provisions, and prepared to spend a long day. Most of them return home between 7 and 9.30 in the evening, and tho horrors of the Underground Railway during this time baffle description. Seventeen and eighteen persons are often crushed into compartments licensed to hold 10 or 12, the platforms boil over With swaying, crushing, cursing crowds, and free lights abound. Police and porters survey the scone smilingly, as if it was all a good joke. Somo night there will bo a horrible accident, I'm afraid. The daily papers aro full of tho subject, yet nothing seems being done.

Loniion, August 20th, 4 p.m.

tUrtess of Mr Hurst,

Mr and Mrs W. J. Hurst, of Auckland, arrived in Liverpool yesterday from NewYork by tho Arizona, and came straight on to London. Thoy aro staying at tho Hotel Motropolo, which is not precisely one's ideal of a quiet residence for a sick man, but I suppose some American fellow-pas-sengers persuaded Mr Hurst to go there. I called at the Metropole this morning, and found two doctors going up to see Mr Hurst, who is very bad indeed. Mrs Hurst saw me for a moment. She said Mr Hurst was very ill during tho journey across America. They went to the Metropolo because they thought South Kensington too far off.

Frozen Mutton.

Today's "British Australasia " says : — The f«U effect of tho holiday season is now being folt in the Metropolitan Moat Market, and a slow trade consequently prevails all round. Prices of homo killed mutton are, however, slightly firmer as compared with those wo quoted last week. Frocen sheep apparently show no alteration in value, but lower prices have beon accepted in some instances to effect sales. At tho samo time the meat is not being pressed for sale, and as regards the Falkland Island consignment, this has been for tbe present withdrawn from tho market. The present

quotations are as follows : —Per stone: New Zealand sheep, 2s Sd to 33; Melbourne sheep, 2a 6d to 2s lOd : River Plate sheep, 2s 7d ; Scotch sheep, 5s to 5s 4d ; English sheep, 4s to 5s 4d ; Dutch aud German sheep, 4s to 4s Bd,