ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 3, 4 January 1896, Page 2

ANGLO COLONIAL NOTES.

{FROM OCR LONDON COKKESPONDEHT.)

London ( November 30, MINING MATTERS.

Thb Anglo-New Zealand mining element in London has been strengthened by the arrival of Mr J. H. Stanley, of Dunedin, Teßidenb pro. tern, at the Grand Hotel, and Mr E. Kersey Cooper, who has found shelter ab 42, Chester Terrace, Eaton Square. I'm afraid neither gentleman will find the present momonb propitious for flotations of any description. For the time being the great B. P. seeing to have had its fill, and ib will nob be judicious to force any more " desirable properties " upon ib juab now. Mr J. H. Witheford, whoee recent illness waa attributed by the sufferer to poisoning, has been recuperating at Richmond and is now sufficiently well to attend to business. Aa soon aa he has completed tho arrangements for the issue of the Moanataiari prospectus, he intends to starb once again on hia long promised bußinesa-cum-pleasuro Continental tour. Ho does nob expect to return to New Zealand for. some months yet. 1 atn sorry to hear that Mr C. A: Harris has been very unwell recently, owing to his having contracted a very severe cold which eebfcled in the stomach. He ia now much better and iB able to get out and about, but hia condition at one time was so grave thab ha waa removed from his lodgings to a private hospital, and his friends feared the worst. As yet I have nob had the pleasure of perusing" a prospectus of the Queen of Beauty mine, and I fancy tins concern, like many other ventures, will not now be submitted to the public bill the New Year is well under weigh.

I hear that Mr David Ziman, who made what mo3b men would deem an ample fortune in South African mining speculation!?, and who recently paid a lenbhy viaib to New Zealand, is going to systematical^' exploit the Weßt Coast gold area. I'm told thab he believes moat thoroughly in the future of thab auriferous region, and is ready to back his belief to the tune of £50,000, and that other 3 possessed of wealbh are ready to embark their money on Mr Ziman'a recommendation. Well, tho gentleman in question ia no greenhorn in mining matters. Ho has seen all that is worth seeing in South Africa, and if the West Coasb is good enough for his money, ib ia worth New Zealanders' while to venture some of their own in developing the field. More on this matter anon.

THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND.

The Colonial Bank of New Zealand in London ceased to exist) on Monday evening last, and before Tuesday had dawned the whole of its effects, human, documentary and monetary, were eafely housed within tho Bank of New Zoaland's ample premises. The transfer has, so far as I can ascertain, led to no trouble whabever, and neither depositors, shareholders nor clients of either concern appear to have grumbled at the change. So far 88 London ia concerned I do not believe that the Bank of New Zealand will lose a single clienb of the Colonial Bank. The only people who do nob seem satisfied are some of the staff of the Colonial, and one or two of those in the service of the absorbing concern. Tb.e amalgamated business of the^ bank will not, require the full atreny*!; bl both staffs, and* there will be diimissals Bhorbly, unleso, indeed. ,'".'" r.ion should attract more business/as some people seem to think nob unlikely. "^"THF^ti'ATi^P. H. RATHBONE.

Ib ia with the 'deepest feelings of regreb that I have bo announce tho death of Alderman Philip Rabhbone, of Liverpool, the father of Mr Alfred Rathbone, who has for many years acted .as .London correspondent af the Star, and of Mr Wilfred Rathbone, the editor of the "New Zealand Graphic." The deceased gentleman—and this word, which so often means so little, must in this case be construed in its fulleeb and besb sense—expired at his residence, Greenbank Cottage, Liverpool, after a very brief illness, on Friday laat. He was in his sixty-seventh year, but until the fatal illness had run one-half its painful course, nob one of his friends imagined that he had lived his allotted span. Yeb so ib was, and I do nob think many men in leaving this world have left behind them a greater number of truly regretful friends than has Philip H. Rathbone. His was a charming personality. Hia wide culture and generous sympathies, his keen yeb kindly wit, gained for him lasting friends wherever he went, and he had travelled the world over, except that portion which constitutes Australasia. A brief sketch of his career may not be out of place here. Mr Rathbone was the youngest son of the late William Rathbone, whose statue stands in Sefton Park, a lasting tribute to the memory of ona of Liverpool's most generous public men. Born in 1828, Mrllabhbonereceivedhisearly education in English private schools, passing thence to Geneva, whore in '46 he witnessed the firßb of those revolutions which during; the next two years chaDged the entire political aspect of Europe. In '48—9 Mr Rathbone visited China and America in a sailing ship, in search of experience which ! might be useful to him in his destined career as an underwriter, and then, after a period of schooling in the office of Messrs Lindsay and Co., of London, he settled in Liverpool as one of the underwriting firm of Rathbone, Martin and Co.,•which was dissolved about ten years ago. Like his brothers, Mr Wm. Rathbone, M.P., and Mi Samuel Rabhbone, Mr Philip was public spirited and of active habits. As a youth he worked hard in connection with the various educational agencies connected with the Renshaw-street Chapel. He became known first through his strenuous advocacy of-improvementa in underwriting, and in 1857 commenced agitating for the establishment of an international custom of general average, theresnlb being tho York Antwerp rules, which are now inserted in most policies. He became Chairman of the Salvage Association. and subsequently of tho Underwriters Association. He also joined the Chamber of Commerce, and became its President in 1865, and for the Dexb 20 years wa3 Chairman of the Law Committee, in which capacity he had to examine every bill that was supposed to affect the commerce of tho port of Liverpool. For seven years he was a member, for three j oara Chairman, of the Liverpool Committee of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, and took an active pare in the negotiations which resulted in the incorporation of the Iron Book of Lloyd's Register, as/well as in the efforts to secure tho survey of marine engines through Lloyd's. In 1857 he organised a committee for inquiring into tho subject of trades unious, and two years later issued a comprehensive and instructive report thereon, which has still some value. In 1867 Mr Rathbone entered the Liverpool Town Council, and since then had not cea«ed to serve his native town with what) the Liverpool "Courier" has termed "excellent material and evident results, and always with such intelligence, cenial courtesy and spotless .honour as have gone far to maintain the reputation of that assembly. From boyhood Mr Rathbone evinced a rong artistic tastes, and he was at once placed nrs the Library, Museum and Arts Committee And U.S he justified his selection the Autumn Exhibition in the Walker Gallery alone ia sufficient evidence. Bub the Sure ot his services to his city In art oan bifbo summed up fa the.words o ta. T ivaroool " Daily Po3b> whjch Bftyß: U? d ilTwith the^te Sir James Piebonand Aidarman Satnueiaon the honour* of all U^coTporat. Liverpool has recently done

in the cultivation of art and literature. In whatever degree Liverpool has in recent years succeeded in reaching a higher and broader conception of arb, whether theoretical or applied, the impetus has come from Mr Philip Rathbono." By Mr Rathbone'a death Liverpool loses one of her most interesting and useful public men. Art is robbed of a staunch supporter and (within his means) a generous patron, arid tho world is the poorer by the loss of a man whose influence was always used iv the cause of Justice, Truth, and Progress ; a man who was incapable of a mean action, a gentleman in every sense of the word. Tho influence for good of Buch a man is not limited to the circle of hia private friends, bub through those friends ia spread abroad in ever-widening circles and finds its way to the farthest corners of fcho earth. Mr Rathbone's mortal remains were interred in the Smifehson Road Cemetery on Wednesday, and in addition to a large following of private mourners, representatives of every branch of municipal life were present ab the grave-eide. Very few- ladies were presenb, ib being one of the last injunctions of the deceased that hia wife and daughters should not run tho dangers of exposure to the inclement weather prevailing. R.I.P.

MISCELLANEOUS,

Lord Onslow gava a lecture last Sunday afternoon, ab Stepney, to a meeting convened by the " Men's Sunday Union," on the "Dutie3 of Citizenship." Your exGovernor impressed upon his audience that tha Bize, wealth and influence of London casb an enormous responsibility, nob only upon those who were called upon to administer the government, but on tho electors also. He did not think Londoners wore either wicked or foolish, bub they were most certainly apathetic in municipal matters. London did not lack public men of eminence who were willing to assist in its government). Only a few days before the present Cabineb was formed, Mr Chamberlain told him thab he would rather be tho chairman of the L.C.C. and guide its destinies, than accept the highest post tho Queen could offer. Ib waa necessary, said his lordship, if London was to be properly governed, thab the citizens should study the questions which affected their interests much more than they had hitherto. Similar counsel, be ib said, might be given to the municipal electorate in almost every bi« town. Apathy is municipal affairs is nob peculiar to London.

An Anglo-New Zealand marriage took place on Thursday week last ab St. Giles'-in-the-Fields, London, when' tho Rev. Norman Redcliffe united in the holy bonds Mr Albert Geo. Dew-Smith and Alice Mary, eldest daughter of the late Rev. John Frederick Lloyd, formerly Archdeacon of Waitemata, New Zealand. Bnb regarding this auspicious event I can glean nothing more than the above bald fact.

I regreb to announce the death of Mr John Nathaniel Wilson, formerly a momber of the Legislative and Executive Councils) of New Zealand, and a member of the Grey Ministry of '78-79. Mr Wilson departed this life ab Weybridge, Surrey, on tho 14bh of November, at the age of 73, after a lingering illne?s, through which he was assiduously nursed by a niece who journoyad from New Zealand to live with him. Of his career in New Zealand it i» not,r> - ■ \.j for me to speak, and sinna \i> w^lne to England some years a^o, Mr Wilson's life has been quite uiieventful. Ha retired to Weyh-idfte in the latter parb of 1594. and -li^itly afterwards the malady which terminated fatally manifested itself. Members of the National Liberal Club all likod the old fellow, who, in spite of his increasing deafnesa and rugged exterior, was very welcome whenever he visited the Club. Mr Wilson was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery on the 18th, and among those who attended ab the grave side were his former partners, Mr A. J. Cotterill, of Napier, and Mr B. A. Ferard. The deceased leaves no nearer relatives than nephews and nieces, goveral of whom are resident in the South Island. R'l.P.

A paragraph has been going round tho newspapers which states (1) thab the Duke and Duchess of York are going to pay viaits to Canada and Australia next year ; (2) that preparations for this expedition are shortly to be commenced at the Colonial Office; and (3) that Mr Chamberlain's recent visib to Sandringhara waa connected with this mabber. All of which was entirely satisfacbory. Bub now oomes Labouehere with the disturbing tidings thab the whole story is a " farrago of fictions."

©n December llbh Sir Wesbby is due ab the Whitehall Rooms for the purpose of opening a debate on "Colonial Trade" amongst member of the Article Club and their friends. The subject seems one it will be difficulb to exhaust in the space of one evening. Indeed, I should think ib would yield sufficient material for papers and discussions during several sessions of the Royal Colonial Institute. Perhaps, however, Sir Wesbby will, by his opening, manage to confine the debate to one particular aspect of colonial trade, in which case we may geb some good suggestions.

In the current " Citizen " there appears an interview with the Agenb-Generai, which, alas, contains several inaccuracies and some crudities, owing to the faco that Sir Westby, belieiving thab the article was not to appear until the week following, and being ac the time very busy, failed to correct the proof Benb him. The errors, however, are nob of parbicular moment), and Sir Weßbby'a chief regreb is ibs premature sppearanco, because an hour's work on the interview would have made ib a much better advertisement for tho colony.