ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 110, 9 May 1895, Page 2

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(FROM OCR SPECIAL CORRESPOND:

!nt.)

' .V London, Marci? 29. , fIOW TO; SAVE £15,000 A IIEAR Thoughl the news ..has nob reached me through" eithefc.Sir Weßtby Perceval or;Mr Ward, I am in a position to say that it is ; almost certain-New- Zealand will-follow-the i lead of South Australia and manage the inscription of its own stock in future, thereby achieving a saving of upwards of £15,000 a year. Atf! present the< Colony pays the Bank of England £500 per million for this operation.';1 Mr Playfbrd, making inquiries for his Govornmonfc, found that the agents f6r the - Grown -colonies' (Sir • MonbagU. Ommanney and Mr Ernest Blake) managed the"' inscription 'of their own stock, and that the cost amounted bo mniiy-iivz pounds five shillings per million; only. Ha disebverod that there was really no earthly reason why tho Australasian Agents shouldn't follow the example of their shrewder Crown comrades. An I office (a single room) in tho city, a couple of ciet,kß,-and a sacrifice of time on the Agent-General's side, appear to be the only essentials* When in South Australia on his way home, your Treasurer heard of this move, on that Gpyernmenb's part, and as soon as he arrived he saw Mir Playford on the subjecb. Sir, Weafcby Porcaval has also interviewed hia confrere, and is now I assume, inquiring into- the matter on his own account. .., ~ ......... ■ : • •;.■ ■'- :' '• v ' MR WAtab IN THE CITY. Whatever:may be Mr Ward's intentions re influencing the banks amalgamation scheme, he has not so far seen anybody on the subject. The Treasurer paid his first viHib to tbe city on Wednesday when Sir Edwyri Dawes (of; the New Zealand Shipping Company) and Mr Martin (of the Loan and Mercantile) entertained him ab lunch. This was the first occasion of Sir Edwyh and Mr Ward meeting, and they were mutually struck with one another. Dawes is a useful ally for any Government or politician, bo make: In a quiob way he controls the Anglo - New Zealand shipping interest and holds more than one great company in the hollow of his hand. Few of his puppets are conscious that be drives them, but drive he does, though nob invariably dexterously. .Opinions differ as bo his manipulation of the N.Z.S. coach. On Wednesday afternoon, Mr Ward paid the Messrs Nelson a visit ab Bowgate, and inspected their cold storea. He was shown round by Mr Nelson, and expressed himself much pleased with the arrangements. In the evening Mr and Mrs Ward went to Olympia, where-they dined and spent a pleasant time, inspecting the wonders of the Orienb, and witnessing the great ballet. MR W TARD'S VISIT TO WOOLWICH:'

On Tuesday the Agenb: General sponsored Hon. J. G. Ward to Woolwich, where they spenb along■■afternoon at the Areenal and ab Messrs Siemens' works. The mtin object of the visit was to inspcot the cable steamerMonarch with a view to ascertaining whether a similar vessel would be suitable bo fulfil the dual duties of Government steamer (a la Hinemoa) and cable ship. I rather gather both Sir VVeatby and Mr Ward opined ■ considerable modifications would be necessary in thab ovent as the Monarch baa only limited accommodation for passengers. ' " , LADY PERCEVAL AT HOME. Yesterday (Thursday) afbernoon Lady Perceval: gave an " Ab Home " in the Australasian Conference Room at the Imperial Insbibuie, in honour of the Hon. J. G. Ward and Mr3 Ward. Upwards of 500 cards were sent out, and between 4 aed 6.30 I suppose quite _200 or 300 persons passed through the rooms and enjoyed ai chaf wibh thair friends, and a cup of fcea.| To.; give names would be absurd. Practically the entire Colonial Institute, Anglo-' New iZoalandiand Anglo-Colonial, city sets; pub in-an:'appearance. Sir George Grey; was early on 'the scene, but looked, I was1 sorry to notice, very frail , and old.' Hn seemed, however, to enjoy a talk with that hale veteran ■;.■ Mr James Farmer, and as usual had a pleasant, word for all sorts and conditions of acquaintances. Sir Julius Vogol stumped in about five, and people rubbed their eyes, to note how gaily the erstwhile infirm cripple bopped abonb and bow excellently be seemed to hear. Ib was an extraordinary revivification. All the Agents - General with their ladies were of course present, even Mr Playi'ord turning up to do honour to Sir Westby and Mr Ward, of both of whom lie has a high opinion. The Bank of Now Zealand sent Mr Tegebmeier arid Mr Andrewes, and the National Bank, Mr Richard Maxwell. Mr Strickland smiled blandly down on lest exalted humanity, and Sir Edwyn Dawes appeared properly sensible of hie own importance. Sir Frodk. Young button - holed Mr Ward for ifully twenty minutes.' T was sorry for. M«" Ward. ,Mr. Arthur Clayden pervadedUhe company. He has always lots to say, and [knows how to say it. : Captain, and; Mrs Ashby'are. an; essential part of all' New Zealand gatherings. A capital man •-- the captain': to*'have at your elbow> on these' '< occasioriffi. His'breezy manner sets even the shyest colonial visitor ab ease. Besides he pan tell the stranger who everyone is, and, befog a general favourite, his introduction gjoes far. Mr George Beebham had so manytfriends I found it difficult to get a word in edgeways, and Mr Mandeno Jackson was monopolised by the fair sex. I mightgo on indefinitely cataloguing colonial guests thus, but probably the foregoing will suffice. I wasi almosti forgetting one of the mostobservedofail observers ab this pleasant gathering Mrs Baker, the clever aubhorees of " A Daughter of the King" and'"The Majesty of Man." Mrs Baker told Sir George Grey, with whom she' had some talk, thafaher publishers so far had pocketed all the money which emanated from her books. She was no richer for their success. Mrs Baker also complains the critics say there is boo much scenery; in her books. "I'm afraid," she observed, "I am'incorrigible in thab particular. I come from a country of beautiful scenery, and I feel I musb do ib justice." To which we should all cry "Hear, hear." As to the profits on Mrs Baker's books, well I don't suppose Mr Hutchison is; growing rich" on them. All beginuers think their books, if fairly successful, ought to yield a rich harvests They get to k\now better later. The authors who '.'strike jle " are few and far between. An occasiona 1 cheque from one's publisher of £50 or boUs the,besb an-average writer can , hope for. i J ■ . . THE FUTURE. . The Agiant-.General was presenb ab tho annual diniier of the Insbibute of Civil En-; gineers, held ab Merchant Taylor's,Hall on Wednesday^ The Duke of Cambridge and Lord Salisbury made speeches. Sir Wesbby has receivetl ;au invitation; bo attendl the banquet of tihe Royal Academy on bhe last Saturday in -April, and ifc is hoped Mr Treasnrer Ward may also get one of the mach-covebed cards for bhis Incomparable function. As Sir George Grey declined last year's dioner I fear he will not be asked this. ,' '■ :. :' ■:" ;■>: -: :-\ ■■- -. .;, MONETARY CONFERENCE. The Agents-General meb.on Tuesday at Sir Saal Samuel's office to discuss the desire of-the colonies' to be represented at the pending International Monetary_ Conference. The proceedings weie private, but the w&ole affair, is as yet so much in nubibus _ thab 'tis pretty certain nothing .could be : decided on. I may, say I don't Jseehowt Great Britain can very well ask for •a cblbhia;! represeiitaferir6,> and if she does, I doubt tlii^iPo'wlM'agreein^'th'er.et'o^.-.i.v }r: ; !■; „ SIR GEORGE GREY. *! ,vi .~i hexeitdaaa^ witfr.iKiatkiggt "defiaifce;.an;! nouncemetita concenringSir- Georg»firfcy,'a

;prospective arrangements. ; It4a boo risky altogether. One bt these' days; the old gentleman will return to -New Zealand, and.. I incline to think ib may be, -sook. -The balk is bhab he will1 accompany the Treasurer and Mrs Ward. He told Mr Kennaway f lasb week that his niecel was bb; be married; in June or July, and that he intended to be back at Auckland by then. Later, h£)>vover,. ,-iti,transpired,thatdna of, the old gentjeman's | English nieces likewise contemplates matrimony, and fchab she also wain ts Sir George to she'd the light of his counbenauce'rupontbe Ceremony.: Thia young lady beidg, ■so to speak, on the.appb, will, I; fancy, carry the day.. Sir George was much delighted to sea Mr and Mrs Ward and called on them ab'bhe Hotel Windsor last Friday. 'He has p.3r--Buaded them to take a suite of rooms ab 7 ■ Park Place pro tern, and evidently loofcs forward to Seeing a good deal •of yoiir j Treasurer. \ ■ . ] ■ Mr Talbot Bainea, of the Leeds "Mer> cury," very kindly'sends tS9 "eoffiS tiotSS'.of1! Sir George's yisib;bo .Leeds from the; Leeds JDoinb of view. He says : " Sir George was meb on 'arrival by Colonel Harding (coui-, m'andinfr First West "S^ork Artillery Volunbeer's'f, at" whose house he sbayed. Colonel' Harding; is''head: of T. R. Hardirig'and Sons, card clothing manufacturers, arid has 'been President of the Chamber of Commerce. His residence, the Abbey House, Kirkstall, is the old gatehouse of Kirkstall Abbey which was enlarged- by the1 la3t Abbo6 and added bo ab subsequent dates. A considerable portion dates from, the 12bh cenbury. Tho interior containes endless beautiful-picturee, curios^ and objects of art'which greatly interested Sir George^ : Tho gathering which assembled to greeb the veteran colonial statesman was representative of all classes, and listened abten- J bively to bis long address. Sir George did not seem tired afterwards and spent half an hour chatting to Dr. Talbob, the Vicar of Leeds, and other notabilities. Even on their return to Abbey House he did nob retire at once, but sab up till midnighb conversing with hia host. In particular he spoke ;with great pride of New Zealand, pointing out its advantages to young enterprising folk over the old country. On the following morning Sir George returned to London by an early train, declining an invitation to inspect the public buildinga of Leeds. .- ..';..-, ;, ; ':- ' :