ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 161, 8 July 1895, Page 5

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

' - fjjiOM'Onil OWN CORRESFONDENT.). ' LoNDOX, May 31. Aversion of new Zealand ojm STOCKS. itafinancial operations which have' , u ,',ied the Hon. J. G. Ward so closely j ccC. ft large portion of his stay at f«« include several which are nob a a -frioe for disclosure. Ib is, however, 7 e' pLfctbat a general conversion of the ■lie 6i *he New Zealand. Bto- cks t0 3 Per * ti ia under consideration, and may bo fl d through about six months hence. ■v rl M the prosenb Government be in Eben, Mr Ward will in all proba-i-S com? Home to see it through. Some S'BBPPIe are a3kin R why, with the ifPVtfso favourable, the present moment -m nob seized for the conversion. The ■/^j^ig thab ib-would have been inPsiderate, if not absolutely unfair, !ske brokers and syndicates holding large »ij^of the new loan. Six months !]£,-they will have "unloaded," or ab |l° ,ite;had a fair opportunity to "unf 'j"/The views of the Treasurer and the i'^ui^gtieral are.not, I gather, altogether | TVjjwi'th.regard to the desirability of the Sir-Wesbby doubtsJts pracbi/;i??jjjfo^aye.on torms which wpjald be little »6 g°od *.° the colony. People won't •i'^-fjrbiunless 'they get something mora to a iusb equivalent, and if you give them iLyonr costly operation oftener than .not 'wnes abortive, . , .:; WARD AND EMIGRATION.

•jlr'WaraV has been invited by the Gas fraction Company to inspect their new -j, locpSptiyo which 'tis thought mighb Staibljr bei used on the New Zealand light TJjjjffaW; Its strong points are that ib is Verr eoononiical and thab where coal is un.jjfjjnible; oil or mutton fat can be used as h{jj|,- Mr Ward has instructed Mr C^rotliera to report on tha engine, and ib jjpnba'bla.a sample one may be sent out Jdialinthe colony. . ■)■•;. . ■ • . Sitß/S/'Pawes (on behalf of the New foaiaiid : Shipping Company) has been Sii'gbn Mr Ward thedesirabiltiy of your jjyjintnent encouraging the emigration of i®M* settlers by paying £5 a head tofudß the!passage's of solected individuals. jj r has promised, to conaulfe his ' coliiigueß on the poinb, but told Sir&Edwyn concession were granted the jinwranfe'would have really tojbe—aa bha,y pieteaded—thoroughly eligible from the CBtaifspoint ofview. As.to thab, -Sir 11Jd*yn replied, the-, Confpany would be i-qjite willing to leave the work of selection ... . ~;, .. ■ !(i=s May Yatea has been endeavouring 'toMereßt) Mr Ward in her fruitErowinfr ■-: wbeoes, and proposes that should. ParliaBO t agree. JQ ,the £5 per head . bounty .! ( ti!firds.tbo'j}asßageß of suitable settlers, a •;'jibber of Devonians and others skilled in (rait cultnre. .should, be chosen.,. Miss liteii like most of her box mounted on a 'lobby hoise, rides' ib to death. ."..,.

IBAKK OF NEW ZEALAND . ... RESTATES COMPANY. * Mr Ward has been spending much of hia time this week at the Bank of New Zealand, trraDgiDg buainess in connection with the wiping out and conversion of tha Estates 'Companydebentures. In this-connection* Ithiuk the shortest way to describe these operations, and at the same time to show wnaViiai thought of your Treasurer's work in London, will be-to quote Mr Philip •Brtiell.-'- He says : "If the coriverjionof the remaining £750,000 of five 'and 'ahalf percent, debentures of the .Bank of lilerZealand Estates Company was part of jtte-jKbgraiß.me,which Mr.Ward had in ,w when he came over to this country, its iucceßiwillform the crowning stone of the ■ edific|J6ivPVhlch lieJaid the foundation in fitetibg the firsb three per cent. Govern.Bent loan of' New Zealand a few weeks lick ,To-morrow . will witness the repay!jn«n6pf the firab £750,000 of bonds which Ml beentirely wiped out by the application /bftfrcftlTmoney recently drawn from the shareholders, and by the employment) of Jnndiotherwise applicable for the purpose. Kodoiibb £105 is & stiff amount ■» have to pay per • cent., but no ■oi»can challenge the expedience of the en:,tira.'scheme :for .paying off one-half: and averting the other moiety of the. original ; £1,500,000 obligation. Ib was qniteimpoaeible that the Estates Company could be handled under presenb circumitances so as to profitably pay SJ. per cent?, etenon'£7so,ooo, but there can be little JiHODfor doubting that 4 per cent, can be comfortably compassed. I imagine that tery few holders of the five and a-half per Mot debentures will be so foolish aa to refuse thbir £5 in cash and their safe 4 per .tenfe "for; the future. The latter is tot easy to get on similar saenrity in any quarter that I know of jdstnowi'and the debentures are certain to toiileable whenever it may be desired to ditpose'of them ab, a substantial premium. Thertjs"not only'the security of the properfcy of; the Estates Company which, if good fen6cigh for the original £1,500,000, fflnatbisjdoubly; sufficient for the remaini.ui!.. £750,000. There is, besides, the additional;;'security of the unconditional 5 guarantee given by the Bank of/Ncr- Zealand, and in this regard it l« a most important feature that therepafttient of the £750,000 now being issued take? precedence in point of date of that of iwi £2,000,000 of preference stock which %BGovernment of the colony guaranteed for the Bauk.of New Zealand. Thus both these potential parties are equally interested in preventing a" hitch, which in toy case would be absurdly improbable, in Ite-p.iitictual' repayments of the new con'Msion issue. ' On all these grounds Icm ?aiaa to prophecy that the success of the Estates-Company's prudent and praisejjortliy; operation will, in -its own way, %eqaal that which attended the ,flotaWQ of: the, late three per cent. GovernWUfcloai).. Should this prediction be ful™,'Kew Zealandors must- be .very unP»Wal if Mr Ward does nob get,a big WatiiJnbn his return to the colony in July, Specially as he will act in a sense as the pil66; of-rthe direct steam communication pfeOanada which is likely to confer great) -%fitßon. Now Zealand commerce in the , ?«r'fujture. I may add that the sub- > tription-Hst closes on Tuesday, 4th prox., Mit''is very certain that any small ; jwplas'which the existing holders may not "kftapvWill be applied for many times over I'ytteputaide public." i . AT THE CHAMBER' Oil COMMERCE. ' j,4Mhe[Chamber of Commerce "dinner at we lletropole on Wednesday' evening the governor of the Bank of England paid'Mr ■ v;ard:a great compliment. He said that 'IBM his arrival in England.your Troasurer y< ."^Played financial abilities of a very ™Rh order, and he congratulated Now Zea''""a on having regained first-class credit ™the;Xondon money market Honeyed Pnraaea. uf this description so seldom £ttanate from cautious financial magnates, J°ab the company stared. How had Mr V Br" fiob the weather aide of this 'Mnoy-hearted official. Your Treasurer l'S m? lf| in R'short speech, discussed of Governor?, which he explained jW mostly ornamental. Bub noblemen j'»? went pub to the colonies in this capacity "orned much stronger men and with en»S™ norizong. Equally, it was a good ; lnRf?r colonial Ministers to come Home I' "a mixwith the men who were pulling |KBt^ ngs of this mighty Empire. A stay I^^on balanced, a man's sense of'pro!lm ' and tauKht him the real place and Stance of his own colony in the scheme |;w things. These were nob exactly Mr i • "a?-worda, bub they contain his meanktA ! also referred appropriately to 5S;*9?:-old criasted sentic^nb—the ties !-™aing v.9 to the Mother Country. ■■■■,■■■ ■ ■ .

WARD'S - DOINGS. The' Hon. J. G. Ward* had an unusually busy day lasb Saturday. Mrs Ward and he were present in the morning at the Horso Guards to witness the military spectacle of the trooping of the colours, and had a good took ab our Afghans vieitor, the Sbahzada ttazrullah Khan. From thence they drove to the Park and saw the meet of the Fourid»Hand Club. Here Mr Ward left his wife with friends and dashed off to Padaington to catch the Oxford express. He epenC the afternoon with Professor Lempneri discussing tjamoan affairs, in which1 this savanb takes 'warm interest. Time allowed of bub '/a hasty glimpse of. the Bodleian and other 'Varsity eights, and then Mr Ward was speeding, back to town for the Queen's Birthday dinner ab the Colonial Office. Here your Treasurer disported himself for the firsb time in court dress, Mrs Ward calling for him about eleyen to go to Brook House, where Lady Tweedmouth held a leviathan reception in lieu of the K,aual Foreign Office crush. Towards 2 a.m., both the New Zealand lion and the Shahzada, who was also present, began to feel a bib tired and went home. .

On Monday aftemdon, the Hon. J..G. Ward again donned courb dress and attended the levee of H.R.fl. .the Prince of Wales, at St. James' Palace. This .was the firsb opportunity the Heir-apparent has had of recognising Mr Ward, and his reception lefb nothing to be desired in the way of graciousness. J ;Vv;'>"'*<".' : ' "f '"

On Monday evening Mr and Mrs Ward drove down to Richmond and dined on the terrace ab the .Star and Garter, and on Tuesday they went to see Sarah Bernhardt, ab Daly's Theatre, in •' Gismonda," a deadly dull and depressing show, in my humble opinion. On Wednesday, Mr Ward had the offer of a seat on Lord Tweedmonth's drag, (and the opportunity of seeing a capital Derby in company with a bevy of Cabinet Ministers. Bub duty kepb him tied to the board table of the Bank of New Zealand, where a notable scheme for wiping out £750,000 worth of debentures and converting £750.000 more was under consideration. Bub I have dealt with this elsewhere. In the afternoon your Treasurer had a final interview with Lord Ripon, and in the evening replied to the toasb of the visitors at the Chamber of Commerce dinner. Mr and Mrs Ward had also cards for the State ball ab Buckingham Palace, bub this they were obliged to reluctantly forego. . THE HINEMOA'S SUCCESSOR — A NEW GOVERNMENT STEAMER. Tenders are being called for by the Agenb - General for the building-, and equipping *of a twin screw steamer to talce the ! place, one supposes, of the venerable. Hinemoa. The new vessel is -to be builb so as to be fitted for (1) laying and repairing telegraph cables, (2) lighthouse and survey work, and (3) the conveyance of His Excellency the Governor and his suite and members ot the Legialaturo. She ia to bo. built by SiemensMartin sfceol, thab for all parts of the hull to have a tensile strength of nob less than 28, and not more than,.32, tons per square inch. The length of the new boat (which is to be constructed and fitted so as to fulfil Lloyd's requirements for their highest class in every particular, and; also the requirements of the Board of Trade) will be 205fb, breadth moulded 30fb, depth of hold 15ft. Her mean draught to under side of keel, when loaded up to 580 tons, must not exceed 15ft 7in, or with bunkers full and equipped 9ffc 9in. The various weights to be carried on the former draught are: Coal in bunkers, 130 tons; cable, in fore and afb holds, 430 tone ; fresh water round after tank, 20 tons. She will have a raised quarter deck, a topgallant forecastle and. a bridge or hurricane deck, extending from the poop to the tore end of the deck house. The vessel will be rigged as a two-masted schooner, with pole masts and gaff 3- and her bilge keels will be builb of a single plate secured to the . shell of the ship by two angle irons. Seven watertight bulkheads capable of being manipulated from the upper deck will ensure the maximum of safety in event of collision or other mischance. The rudder ia to be fitted so as to ship and unship afloat, and is to be provided with a'Napier's scfew^steering apparatus so that steering can be done by hand or steam. The ship's boats will consist of two double-ended whaleboats, each 35fb long; one gig, 25fb.long; and one dingy, 18fb long. These are to be builb of larch, with American elm thwarts, and each is to be fitted with Hill and Clark's disengaging gear, also with a Lacey'a combined sea anchor and oil distributor, an oil flash, a compass and binnacle, and a signal lump. Tho.decks of the vessel itself will be of yellow pine, teak and red pine, whilst the ceilings in the hold and storeroom are to be of red pine. The deck houses are to be built of steel, lined with wood, and with teak doorways. The cabin accommodation will be of the best. In each stateroom there will be four bods with wire-wove mattresses. The upper bod on the inner side in each room ie to be fitted so as to fold up out of the way, and the lower one will convert into a sofa. The saloon will be finished in oak and dark mahogany with plated tittingß, and the sofas and chairs are to bo stuffed with hair and covered with best Utrechb velvet. The bathrooms and W.C.'s. in both ladies' and gentleman's quarters will be fitted with mahogany, and contain all the latest sanitary improvements. The captain's and the officers' quarters in the after part of the vessel will have oak tables, chairs and settees, and their sleeping cabins will contain every necessary. The smoke-room will, also be fitted in dark-mahogany and oak with leather chair and sofa coverings. The galley will be equipped so as to be able to dine 80 persons. . The ship is tobe fitted throughout with electric light on the incandescent system, and in addition the usual bracket and swinging lamps will be found in the saloon, cabins, etc. Tho appurtenances to be fitted for cable work will bo of the completest description and will be supplied by Messrs Phillips and Johnson of Charlton, the eminent telegraph •engineerc The vessel will-be driven by two sets of triple exansiori- engines with a,, boiler pressure of 1701b per square 'inch'; which will give a speed of at least 14 knots. The propellers are to be of bronze, and all shafting is to be 12h per cent.Uarger in diameter than is •usual in ships of this character.^ I have gleaned these particulars from a br.ief perusal of the specification which will be aenb out shortly. It is understood that tenders will be asked for in the colony, but iudging from tho specification, I should say thab New Zealand shipbuilders will hardly be able to compete with the Thames, Tyne, or Clyde firms. - THE BAILING OF LEONARD HARPER.

The shabbily^dressed and broken down Leonard Harper, who stood in the docket) Bow-streeb lasb Saturday, gazing^ with haggard and anxious eyes on the Magistrate wbb was to decide hia fate during the next six weeks bore, I was told, bub slight resemblance to the erstwhile prosperous Ghristchurch eolicitor. The proceedings were very short. Chief Inspector Swanston said he had received a further telegram from New Zealand giving particulars of the sums / the accused was alleged to have misappropriated, which ranged from £2,000 to £275. The papers on which it would be pos>sible j to commit Mr Harper to the colony, could not reach England before July 10. Mr Blancbard Wontner (for Harper), m demanding bail, explained that his client was most anxious to return ab once to New Zealand and face his accusers. He had written to the Law Society long ago that he would come back whenever they deemed ib expedient. To say that there bad been, any secrecy as to his, whereflbouts wasi moßto unjusb. He; stayed

England ab the request of, his friends to; arrange with his.firm's creditors, and lived in Jersey because he and his family were dependent on charity and bound to reside in the cheapesbposßible place. "Theprisoner's address had been published in the public "press in the colony, and had for some time been known to the legal authorities there.' In proof whereof he (Mr Wontner) produced a notice senb to Mr Harper from the Supreme Courb abChrisbchurch- and addressed to him at his Jersey lodgings. The Magistrate said he ' had been warned from New Zealand to demand heavy bail. He should require two sureties of £1,000 each. Mr Wontner asked His : Honor to accepb one bail of £1,500 and one of £500 instead of two of £1,000, and providing the police were satisfied he agreed 'to do so. Mr Harper was released about four the same afternoon, andib is understood- has pro tern j returned to Jersey with Mrs Harper. Several New Zealand gentlemen friendly to the accused were in Court daring the hearing, bub do hob wish their names mentioned. , -SIR GEORGE GREY... v^; Though Sir George Grey professes .to prefer cold to warm weather,-the lasb few days seem to have enlivened him considerably. I meb tho New Zealand G.O.M. calling on the Agenb-General, yesterday, and I hear he looked in theobher day on Mr Mennell ab the "British Australasia" Office^ and after chatting for some time, insisted on. walking to Charing Gross with him. We.have given up asking Sir George about his plans, as he doesn't like it. Had Mr Ward been. : returning, by a direcb steamer, I think he would have availed himself of the escorb, bub the fatigue and excitement of the journey through America daunted him,. . : ■• ;■, LADY PERCEVAL AND THE ENTREE Some foolish persons .who know nothing whatever of the subtleties of courb procedure are saying that if the Agent-General could- obtain the entree to ■ the Queen's drawing room for his own wife he mighb surely have gob one for Mrs Ward. Ignorance can alone excuse such remarks. As a. matter of fact, the entree to the Drawing Room of May 8 (which Mrs Ward attended); was refused to nearly 200 ladies. It is nob perhaps right to mention names, but just to show the absurdity of the complaint, I may tell you such grand dames as the Duchess of Bedford and Lady Lubbock were amongst those who failed to obtain the privilege. Had Sir Westby Perceval asked for ib then either for Lady Perceval or Mrs Ward, ib would certainly have been refused. The Queen herself supervises the entree lisb now, and on May Sbh, she struck ouh all except personal friends. The Drawing Room ot the 22nd (which Lady Perceval attended) was held nob by Her-Majesty, bob by Princess Louise (on behalf of Her Majesty), and happend to be the lightest of the season. Tho A;»enb-Goneral asked for the entree on behalf of his wife entirely becaueo of her ill-health, and the great fatigue of attending with the general,' company. The privilege being granted was • a .great compliment t_o the representative of New Zealand, nnd ib would be abeurd to minimise it. No doubt tho personalities of Sir Weatby and Lady Perceval would considerably influence Lord Carrington. The enormous comfort and convenience of th entree mny be gathered from the fact that, whereas going to Court occupied Mrs Ward nearly four hours and a half, Lady' Perceval was in and out of the Palace in half an hour.

Dr. HONEYMAIM'S FUNERAL,

la accordance with tha known wishes of the late Dr. Honeyman, his remains were conveyed from Brighton (via London) to his native village of Luchars, St. Andrew's, Fife, and-buried in the Parish Churchyard last Friday at 12.30. The cause of hie death was apoplexy, not paralysis, and the account we firsb heard of dißrbircums^nces: scarcely accurate. It seems the doctot had breakfasted, and retired to his study to write, .appearing quite well. Suddenly someone heard a fall, and, oh going to the room, found the doctor insensible. He never recovered consciousness. Captain Ashby being ill, the work of meeting Me Hay ab Plymouth and breaking the news of the doctor's death devolved on''Mr Sinclair Gillies, who is a cousin of Mrs. Honoy man's and a nephew of Mr Hay's. Mr John Hay's sjster, Miss Hay, arrived home per, Orizaba oh Tuesday, and has gone to Brighton, where she will remain at present). CAPTAIN ASHBY'S ILLNESS." The Blight stroke of paralysis from which Captain William Ashby has been suffering is, lam glad to learn, yielding.to treatment, and though., still very weak, he can move his arnvand side again. During the last tew days the Captain has seen one or two friende, and been told of his old comrade Dr. Honeyman's death. The news of the latter greatly distressed .him. Dr. Cooper Key is attending the Captain. . . PERSONAL. . Mrs Balance, using the prerogative of her charming sex, has changed her mind, and will remain in. England some time longer. • Mr fl. N. Abbott end Miss Abbotb, are enjoying the present summer weather and getting through a lob of sight-seeing. They have been to the opera once or twice, and to most of the popular plays of the day, and the Variety theatres. Mr Abbott says he expected to find (on the whole) finer Spectacle in the London performances than he sees. The Orient at Olympia, with its two thousand auxiliaries, is a big enough show for anybody, bub otherwise there doesn't appear such a difference between the play in Auckland and the play in London as be anticipated. I expect myself Mr Abbott is right. The difference between the mounting of plays like "Charlie's Aunt" and " The Case of Rebellious Susan," or even of ••Fedora," in London and Auckland must ba infinitesimal. When, however,'you come to productions like "King Arthur" at the Lyceum, or " Faust " or "Lohengrin " at Covent Garden, or "The Prodigal Daughter "or some such piece at Brury k Lane", it ia a different matter. I always urgo colonists to see these. They are spectacles peculiar to London, and possible only in London. Mr Abbott is going to hear Melba and De Reske,in one of the bie spectacular operas. ~ When he has done so I expect to hear a revised, version of the Auckland impresario's views. MrandMis3 Abbott drove down to EpEom on Wednesday and saw the Derby. Mr J. H. Witheford has taken out a passport, and is off to Russia on mining business. Unless he should be arrested as a Nihilist and sent to Siberia, or unless some Sclav princess, fascinated by the little man's beaux yeux, should carry him off to a lonely castle in the Caucasus^he will on his return from St. Petersburg seal up the sacks of sovereigns he has amassed in London and take ship for New Zealand. The comic papers which have been cracking jokes at the " Hon." Joseph Howard's expense, may then look oub, for squalls. Truth to tell, I think I could stand a good many newspaper jokes about a trip home if I'd turned travel to such good purpose as Wibheford seemß to have done. To those who know the conservatism of high-class financiers, and the difficulty of persuading them to do aught but pluck and plunder the confiding stranger, the New Zealander's successes appear wonderful. Apropos, by the way, of Witheford's excursion to the Admiralty, I hear he has supplied ..the Director "of H.M. Dockyards _ with ajl the information in writing he required. There is a very good notice of Mrs Baker's books in the current number of the "Baptist Union " by' Dr. Clifford, the eminent Nonconformist divine. Should this Jady nob geb ovor her asthma before next winter, she and Miss Ethel Baker will spend it with friends on the Riviera. Mrs Baker is looking forward eagerly to the visit of her old friend, Mr Walter Pearson, of Dunedinf who is expected Home about three months' hence. ;3 £3i>Be&b,sKiY&!g : . of whom we hope to hear

somebhing when; they have »ebbled down, include Mr W;' Daweon, of Dunedin, who has gone bo" Scotland; ISTr Eliot Elliott, the oldest Civil Servant in New Zealand, now stopping with friends in Holloway; and Mr C. Louisson,| of Chrisbchurch, who only reached London on Wednesday evening, and is a guesb ab the Metfopole. . On the day that his cousin, Dr. .Honeyman, >, of Auckland, died, Mr Sinclair Gillies, M:R.C.S., L.R.C.P;, . took V the Brackenbury gold medal ab Sb. Bartholomew's Hospital. /This gives tie ,'clever youngNNetw t Zealander the option; qf becoming one of' the House Surgeons ab •" Bartß "if so disposed. .? . v Dr. Morris, Mi;A.C.M.Q, who has been delivering a series of lectures on "Fibres" before the Society of Arts, paid special attention in Lecture 11. to the uses and possibilities of \New Zealand flax. "Those, interested in this industry would do well to procure and read it. The addresa is Adelphi-streeb,; Strand. '...■,

; Mr Sydney Ra'thbone, of Auckland, who is ab present visiting friends and relatives in:various parts of England, returns to thp colony shortly. ; ' ; r : ' Mr CO. Montrose, who sails for N<jlw Zealand: via to-morrpW, has been invested with all Borts of mysterious powers and; privileges by the Women's International Union, which is the biggest thing' known in . the way of Advanced Women's caucusqsi He has also jtfeen appointed a.traveilihg corresponde/inb of " Borderland "byW. T. Stead. "* ' v:'