ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 89, 14 April 1892, Page 2

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(Via Brindisi.)

(FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.)

London, March 4. ME PERCEVAL AND LORD KNUTS FORD.

WHAT LITERALLY OCCURRED. Mr Pekcuvai tells me fchab both Lot" Onelow and the Colonial Office have exaggerated the action of the New Zealand Governmont with rogard bo tho question of the Governor's appointment. He was never instructed to demand that the name of the eeloefcod individual should be submitted to Mr Ballanco and his confreres. To have mado any such request would simp'y have been to invito the snub a few years ago administorod to Queensland. What your Agont-Goncral did ask for, not as a right, but ac a simple courtesy, was a tip, i.e., an early hint who tho new man was. This much, he quite understood, tho Colonial Oliice was willing to give.

On (lit Downing-streob stands aghasb at Lord Onslow's indiscretions over this matter. He ought on no account of course to have breathed a word aboub being consultod concerning his succeeHor. It was a Colonial Ollice secret, never intonded to reach tho ears of Mr Ballanco's Government. . Mr Porcoval, unlike most of the Anglo-Zealandors in London, agrees with me in thinking Lord Glasgow may nob improbably prove a genuinely popular Governor. "Ho grows on you, bho more you see of him the moro you like him," was tho Agent-Goneral's remark, nob perhaps intonded to be repeutod. Still, 1 don't think it will do any harm.

On Wednesday Mr Perceval called on Sir John Bray, the freshly-arrived AgentGeneral for S.A., and a breezy, genial, altogether unad'ected person. Subsequently, when I was interviewing Sir John, ho let dron that of his new confreres (some of whom, of course, ho knew here) the N. Z. Agent-Ueneral interests him most. MR PERCEVAL'S BUREAU. In order to make room for his General Information Bureau, Mr Perceval has leased tho basement at Westminster Chambers, and all tho official papers which must bo kept, bub are nob in general uso, will in future bo stored thore. On going into things tho Agent-General discovered that his predecessor had amassed an immense amount of important information anent the resources, etc., of the colony, but that its usefulness waa greatly discounted by tho inchoate condition in which ib was kept. In tho new Bureau this great mass of pamphlets, reports, blue books, etc., will bo arranged and classified in such fasiiion as will enable tho clerk in chargo to at once lay his hand on any particular paper asked for. Tho Bureau will also bo stocked with books of reference, nowspapors, etc., as I have before indicated. Tho only portion of the original scheme thai) cannot be carried out, is the exhibition of specimens of tho minerals, industries, flax, fruit, etc., ot the colony. Mr Perceval has devoted the largest room available to tho Bureau, bub he finds shelves, drawers, pigeon-holes, etc., will occupy every inch of space. It would be altogether impossible to afford a fair display of epocimens, and to do the thing badly would be far worse than nob to do it at all. From time to time Mr Perceval proposes to issue leaflets of statistics, etc., showing the progress of this Now Zealand indusbry or that brado.

The secretaries of local societies, municipal corporations, harbour boards, echool govarnoro, art and literary associations, public libraries, etc., will, tho AgontGeneral desires mo to say, materially assist him in perfecting tho Bureau by regularly forwarding their iatest reports, etc, Tho address is New Zealand Government Offices, Victoria - street, Westminster, London, S.W. MRS GORDON BAILLIE. Mrs Gordon Baillie has returned to town after a somewhat protracted visit to H. M. prison nt Woking. Sho was committed, I ccc, on October 18bh, 1888, and has therefore oarned almost the whole of tho time which a good conduct prisoner can knock off five years' penal servitude. Her behaviour in durance vile is said throughout to have been truly admirable, and she leaves Woking a reformed character. Mrs Baillie's plans are as yet in an inchoate condition, but I may • tell you, without divulging a secret, that sho proposes to leave England almost at once. Naturally it will not be towards your part of tho world the little woman will set hor face. She would like, she frankly admits, to settle at the Antipodes. "They aro nice, soft-hearted people out there," Mrs Baillie murmurs. " I thought softheaded ones were more in your line, dear," says her companion, brutally. If she stays in England, Mrs Baillie will go on the stage.

LORD CARRINGTON. Lord Carrington, who is canvassing for a seat) in the London County Council, may, in cortain ovontualities, become Chairman. He was a good deal amused whilst going around at being frequently mistaken for Mr Charrington, tho chaste councilman, who, in tho interests of morality, some time ago inspected Zalo's baro back. Lovd Carringbon's colonial experience Ims made him greatly in favour of the municipalisation of monopolies, sucli as gas, water, and markots, in fact, he poses as ono of the extreme Progressive party. His ox-Excol-loncy likewise favours the eight hours' day, holding it answers for both employed and employers. PERSONALS. Mr Alexander Strachoy, erstwhile of Canterbury and now of Wookay House, Wells, Somerset, has been elected Fellow of tho Koyal Colonial Institute. Mr R, Barujjh, a prominent citizen of Bricllington, Yorkshire, has decided to emigrafco to New Zealand. He will sail in the e.s. lonic, in April, with his wife and three children. Mr Barugh goes in the first instance to Auckland, and will probably settle in the Waikato, where he has relatives living.

The following New Zealand paasengers are on board the P. and O. Parramatta :— Miss M. de C. Hamilton and Miss Hewitt for Lyttelton, and Mr J. P. Mibcholl for Auckland. By the Ophir the week following, the Hon. H. C. Butler, Sir James Sibson Craig, Mies Sibson-Craig, Major and Mrs Gould, Miss Mary Moon, Mr Eugene and Miss O'Connor, and Mr L. Schatz have taken passages. Mrs Napier returns to Lyitelton, aud Mr and Mre Ruck leave by tho Britannia on 18th of March.