ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1898, Page 8

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(From Our London Correspondent.)

LONDON, MAY 20, 1898

'AUCKLAND AS A NAVAL BASE,

It is now fully four years since I related Mr VVitherford's first experiences in his attempt to persuade the Lords of the Admiralty to fit irp the land belonging to them adjacent to the Calliope Dock with sheds, machinery and all equipments necessary to repairing- H.M.s war vessels wiiieh j might become damaged either by stress of weather, collision or in bat- ; tie in the neighbourhood of New Zea- ; land. I confess I scarcely took the Aucklander seriously at first, and believed that even if he really meant business he would find the job such a tough one that he would give it up in despair. And I believe most of his fellow citizens looked upon his efforts for a long time as labour lost. Home of them indeed openly mocked at the idea of Mr Witberford ever obtaining serious attention .from my lords. Mr Witheford soon convinced me that he was not only serious in his attempt but that he meant to use every legitimate means to bring- the matter to the issue he desired. But for a longtime after his first efforts the, New Zealander kept his mouth closed as to the progress of affairs and this led most people to imagine that he had thrown up the sponge and meant to devote himself eiitirely to his other enterprises. I know, however, that Mr Witheford was till working- quietly and persistently in the .matter, that he had interested several influential people in his project and had received, if not encouragement from the Admiralty, at least such courteous treatment as made him hope for the best. He knew he had a very longrow to hoe, and was content to 'go slow,' feeling assured that in the enrt he would achieve success. And he has done so. I have it on the very highest authority that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have been so impressed by Mr Witheford's statement of the case for making- Auckland a naval base that after mature deliberation they have come to the conclusion that if the Harbour Board will ■undertake to erect the necessary workshops and pi'ovide the. equipments requisite for the repairs of H.M.s ships> they will be prepared to give the Board an annual subsidy, equivalent, I understand, to the interest on the twenty or thirty thousand pounds which will have to be expended by the harbour authorities in plant, etc. Mr Witheford's original proposition was of course that the Admiralty should build and equip the repairing shops themselves, but ■ I ■fancy he will be quite content with the Xord's Commissioners offer, and that the harbour authorities will lose nr> time in intimating- their compliance with the terms of the Admiralty. It would be unwise to comment upon their proposition tinttl the exact term?* of their offer are made known, and we know exactly what the harbour authorities will be required to do in order to" earn the subsidy. But whether Auckland becomes a naval base on the terms sugg-ested or not we must give JVlr Witheford every credit for having ■brought matters to a definite, issue. To have done so is a big feather in his cap, and 1 sincerely hope his work will be recognised in some fittingmanner by his fellow colonists. As a ssample of the milder discouragements which met Mr Witheford at every corner, I may mention that having interested Admiral Field in hfs project and obtained a promise from that naval expert that he would speak on the subject when the naval estimates came up for discussion, Mr iWitheford repaired to the House, and found to his dismay that when his friend got up to speak only some seventeen or eighteen members remained in their places to hear the gallant Admiral discourse on the advantages to Her Majesty's navy to be derived from having ' a properly equipped naval base in New Zealand. Mr Witheford, however, was determined that the Admiral's eloquence should not be entirely lost. lie obtained a verbatim report of a printed I ral's remarks, and sent a printed copy, tog-ether with an illustration of the Calliope Dock, with two large cruisers reposing- therein, to every member of the House, and to all the highest permanent officials.

MEMORIAL TO BISHOP SELWYN.

An influential meeting was held at Trinity College, Cambridge, on Saturday afternoon to promote a memorial to Bishop Selwyn. The ViceChancellor (Dr. A. Hill) presided, and the attendance included Sir John Gorst, M.P., Professor Jebb, M.P., the masters of Trinity, Peterhouse, Emmanuel and Selwyn, the Provost of Kings, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Melanesia and many others.

The Vice chancellor said that jn promoting1 a memorial .to Bishop Sel"wyn they \vere,in the first place, recognising- the influence of a great Dame, but, much more than that, they were recognising their own personal obligations to, and affection for, a good and true friend. The Master of Trinity proposed, 'That it is desirable that there should be some memorial to the late Right Rev. J. 11. Sclwyn, D.D., formerly Bishop of Melanesia, and master of Selwyn College. Professor Jebb, in speaking in support of the proposition, said that the late Bishop Selwyn was a man for whom he had a very sincere regard and admiration. One felt that he was a most remarkable personality. He often thought there was a strong resemblance between the late Bishop Sclwyn and another distinguished man, thoug-h they were unlike in other things—he meant Henry Fawcett. Both men suffered from physical disablement, and people sought them in the hope of enjoying the contagious high spirits and cheering influence which they always brought wherever they went. The motion was carried. The Bishop of Melanesia next moved, 'That there should be a memorial to commemora.te the Bishop's work in Melanesia, which would include, first, the erection of a church at St. Luke's, Siota, in Florida, in the Solomon Islands; secondly, the provision, if possible, of scholarships for the education of natives.' Sir John Gorst, in seconding the proposition, said the work by which the late Bishop would be most remembered was his work in Melanesia. It was right and proper that if memorials were to be erected i;o his memory that part at least of these memorials should be in the place where he laid down his great athletic powers and where he supposed he contracted the seeds of that disease which ultimately ended so prematurely his life. The Melanesinn Mission' was founded by the late Bishop's illustrious father, and he ■with singular appriateness carried on that most difficult and most dangerous task. Forty years.ago the Solomon Islands were spoken of in New Zealand as a place where it was almost impossible to preach the Gospel, and where it was |almost impossible for a white man to Mand without tiie greatest danger.

That there should now be a Christian Island among- the Solomons was a very strong- testimony of the great progress which the Mission made under the presidency of Bishop Selwyn. The proposition was agreed to. It was also resolved that there should also be a memorial to commemorate the Bishop's work in Cambridge, which should include a portrait, to be placed in Selwyn College, and the completion oil the woodwork in Selwyn College Chapel. A committee was appointed to carry on these objects. THE BRITISH EMPIRE LEAGUE. I The annual g-enei-al meeting- of the Brjti.sh Empire League was held last Wednesday at the Guildhall, and attracted a large attendance of big-wigs to listen to the usual ponderous platitudes about the 'embers of the patriotic flame,1 'the attachment to the venerable Throne,' 'the strong- bonds of common sentiment' and 'the sons beyond the seas, standing shoulder to shoulder nga.iiiHt the world,' which since last year'?; Jubilee have become crystallised catchwords in the mouths of our statesmen. The Duke of Devonshire, who took the chair, remarked in moving- the adoption of the report that the main object of the League was to maintain and strengthen the unity of the Empire without advocating constitutional or political changes. Amongst the subsidiary objects of the Leag-ue was its advocacy of periodical conferences between colonial and imperial statesmen, such as those of 1887, IS9I (at Ottawa) and 1897. In connection with the last, the League rendered essential service by arranging- for the. visits of the colonial statesmen to the provincial centres. Almost, all the other objects enumerated in the constitution of the League were under the consideration of the Imperial and colonial Governments. The exact facts about, the new Canadian tariff were that from next August L the. preferential tariff of twenty-five per cent, would be confined to the United Kingdom, India, New South Wales and the West indies, the first three because they admitted Canadian produce free, the last from a patriotic wish to help —wilh receiving any quid pro quo — an economically distressed portion of the Empire. In all probability, the Australian colonies would follow suit. The Council observed with satisfaction the increasing- willingness of the outlying portions of the Empire to share in the common duty of Imperial defence. While the majority of the Australasian colonies were in favour of renewing the existing agreement of the maintenance of the colonial squadron, South Australia and Queensland preferred a local expenditure, the former on establishing a local branch of the Royal Naval Reserve, and the latter upon the training of boys for the navy. The League had brought before the Government a proposal from its Canadian branch that, colonial seamen should be enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve. The Governments of the colonies had promptly furnished particulars of their seafaring population available for the formation of the Royal Naval Reserve, and the sug-grs-tion and information were under the consideration of the Colonial Defence Committee.

Lord Brassey, who seconded the motion, said that the Australian colonies were endeavouring to keep their end up in the matter of Imperial defence, and would do more as their resources increased. The unity of the Empire should be cemented by material interests as well as by sentiment, but there were grave difficulties in tho way of establishing free trade between England and Victoria, for in that colony the people had by a large majority affirmed the necessity of protecting the industries which they were, endeavouring to establish, and the Government could not possibly dispense with the income they derived from their Customs duties (two statements, by the way, that, from an economist's point of view, seem rather at variance). Sir George Turner's proposition to put higher duties upon imports from foreign countries, leaving those upon the imports from 'the dear Home land' at their present rate, would not help the mother country much, but there were already whole lines of articles manufactured in the United Kingdom admitted into Victoria duty free. Although the time might not be ripe for material constitutional changes they shoidd not neglect to foster those feelings of affection which were the bedrock upon which -any scheme, of mutual federation must rest. Other speakers were "Mr F. C. Danson. (President of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce), the Governor of the Bank of England, the. Hon. W. P. Ree.ves, Lords Rothschild and Crews, Sir John Lubbock and Sir Robert Herbert. LORD RANFURLY AND THE ORANGEMEN. On Tuesday evening Mr Mae/Neil again tackled the Colonial Secretary upon the matter of Lord Uanfurly's reply to the Dunedin Orangemen congratulating them on having earned their old traditions to New Zealand and. other colonies. Mr Mae.Neil wanted to know whether, having regard to the. constitutional obligations of Governors of colonies with responsible Governments to abstain, as the representative of the, Queen, from participating in party polities, the Colonial Office would 'require an explanation from Lord Ranfurly with reference to this departure from established practice. Before. Mr Chamberlain could reply, a Mr Johnston intervened with a. question concerning the Queen and the Diamond Jubilee, but what lie really meant to ask will remain a mystery, since the Speaker sat upon him mercilessly before he had spoken a dozen words.Mr Chamberlain, in answer to Mr MacNeil, said he had not received any report on the matter referred to, but he had seen an account in a New Zealand paper of a reception held by the Earl of Ranfurly at Dunedin, and the presentation on that occasion of on address from the Orangemen of that city and the Governor's re ply.lf that report was accurate he could only say that he found nothing in it which appears to call for explanation or to afford any ground for the suggestion that Lord Itanfurly in the remarks with, which he received a loyal address participated in party polities or identified himself with a political party. The HoUse said 'Hear, hear.' THE S.S. AUSTRALIA. The following sensational account of the grounding of the I. and O. Co.'s steamer Australia in the Suez Canal last Monday wjeek appeared in. the 'Daily Mail' on Wednesday, and was the first intimation avc have received of any mishap having befallen that j vessel: —'The big ship was proceeding through the canal when rounding a corner to get into the straight she took a decided list to port, grounded heavily, and then heeled over to star- ! board.' Tons of water rushed in, and men, women, and children fled in"wild panic to the port side of the rapidly slanting deck. Afternoon tea had been prepared in the saloon just before the mishap, and many pounds'

worth of glass, china, and crockery littered the floor in shattered heaps. The second class passengers' saloon was deluged, and clothes, jewellery, and property of every description ruined by water. Passengers rushed blindly about seeking those dearest to them, and cries of fear and inquiry tilled the air. Mothers clung- to their children, and wives hugged (heir husbands. One lady was washed out of her berth into three feet of water, and report says all tile ring's were washed oil' her lingers by the force of (he waves. Bui) this requires confirmation. When the panic had somewhat subsided, the deck- began to be strewn with soakinggarments spread to dry in the rays of the burning sun. Masculine and feminine garments of every description were heaped tog-ether discoloured and sodden, and the whole scene, Bays our correspondent, was strongly reminiscent of Petticoat Lane. Luckily no one, received personal damage, but the escape from a serious disaster was undoubtedly a narrow one.' On inquiry al; the odice F was informed that the vessel had touched the bank in the canal, but that the Company had received no further information, ns the. vessel had not yet arrived. 1 also sought enlightenment on the subject of an inquiry into the wreck of the China, and was informed that one was proceeding at Aden, where the officers and crew are at the present moment. As Perhn is a dependency of India and Aden is its head-quarters, according- to law Aden is the spot prescribed for an inquiry info a wreck off Periin. This may be law, but it seems hardly in accordance with common sense that the investigation should be held at a place where the evidence of passengers, the most unbiassed witnesses, is not readily available. "Undoubtedly the best place and time for nn inquiry would have been in London directly after the arrival of the ship's passengers and before they all scattered, or the evidence of those passengers who observed (he stranding of the vessel might have been taken on commission here and forwarded to the Court, at Aden.

ANOTHER NEW ZEALAND LOAN'

The canard about Mr Seddon's proposal to raise a loan of two millions for public works I hat appeared some lime afro by cable is now dished up in ihe dailies, and serves as a text lor a warning lo the colony. Says 'Morning:—The success of the loan at this juncture or even in the immediate future is very problematical. There must be shown by New Zealand a much less desire to pander to the mob and a more earnest wish to pursue an hone«t intcvrnal policy.' The '(.Hobo* expresses itself thus: 'An issue by New Zealand in the near future would not, have the slightest chance of success. Everyone knows that only two years ago the country was on tho verge of bankruptcy, and several of its banks have not been in the best of circumstances. What. New Zealand wants is not a loan, but drastic and real internal economy. The lesson of j Melbourne-or rather of Victoria at large—should in all conscience be : suflieient. Even at the risk of losing place and power, we think colonial statesmen should pause before heaping further financial burdens on al- . ready overloaded colonies, solely in order to pander to the clamour of the working man. 1 NEW ZEALAND STAMPS. The sale of stamps at the Agent(ie.ne.rar.H office, though not quite so rapid us at the outset, continues .steady, and averages about £15 worth a day. 1 fancy that up iod ate something like £1,500 lias been netted over here. EDOUAIU) KEMENYI. You will no doubt have already heard by cable of the sudden desith of the talented and eccentric Hungarian violinist, Reineiiyi, who dropped dead on (lies tagu of the Orpheus Theatre, San Francisco, while playing. I'.esides the colonies Kemenyi has visited nearly every part, of the world. His real name was Hoffmann, and he was; born in Hungary in 1830. lie was a fellow pupil of Joachim, and claimed that lie gave BrahniN the idea for hi.s Hungarian dances. He was our of tho loaders in the Httngtirian revolt, -of ls-18, but received a free pardon from tho Emperor and an appointment as violinist, to the. King of Hungary, and when he came, to London in 1851 was appointed violinist, to the Queen. The Far Bast, South Africa, the United •States, Australasia, India, the Sandwich Islands, had heard the strains: of his fiddle, and be wa.s reported drowned on the occasion of a shipwreck on his way to South Africa. Five or six years ago he caused an interviewer much amusement by providing pens and paper, questioning himself and giving answers to his own questions, even instructing the interviewer how to spell 'terra incognita.' Wherever he. went. he. picked up old violins, securing thirty (out. of his collection of forty-seven) from South Africa, to which country the Huguenots he. .said had brought them. His technique wa« brilliant, but he \va-s rather given both as a |x-rformer and in private life, to fireworks and charlatanism. llis most popular compositions wer<> his Hungarian melodies and transcriptions, but, he himsoli was very proud of his melody for 'Home, Sweet Homo,' which he composed in response to a challengel to write something better f Ivan the simple air condemned by him, and which he used to state was suggested to him by the rhythmical nittlc of a railway train. QUEER YARNS AISOUT NEW ZEALAND. ■ The following extract from an evening paper is a typical illustration of tho average Londoner's knowledge of. New Zealand geography: — 'Mr 0. It. Beaumont and Mr .!. T. McGough have perished in an attempt, to ascend Mount Egmont, one of the New Zealand Alps. As they did hot. return at the expected time, a. seii.rc.li party went up and found their dead bodies at the foot of the glacier.' Here is another gem from, another evening paper: —'Wellington (N.Z.), Thursday. — Five- hundred armed Maoris have assembled at Itawcne, a township about 200 miles from pool, gave birth to triplets this afternoon. .Mother as a protest against the taxes levied upon them, which they regard as unjust.' Surely so gigantic a protest against ■unjust taxation was never chronicled. Athena, "springing from the head of Zeus, with a mighty war shout and in complete armour, is quite eclipsed by these live- hundred swarthy imps springing from the loins of the gallant five hundred with.no doubt ;> mighty wail against the dog tax. Did the 500 hope, for the Queen's Bounty in respect of the 1,500 infants thus hurried into being simultaneously, or have the Maoris been hatching a deep plot under the advice of Dr. Schenck to increase the population by leaps and bounds, jind thus retain their lands against the ever e.iyjroaching pnkehn? The crew of H.M.s. Torch" and tho brave artillerymen will have their work cut out to 'scoop' that 'pool.' Now we begin to imderstand why Mellin's Food Company in Australa-

siVi guarantees intending shareholders a sxibstantial dividend. Since Mr Marri,s passed the Civil Service examination 1,000 marks ahead of any othe/r competitor, and the Australian papers gravely announced as a cable from London '1,000 Maoris have passed the Civil Service examination,' there hns been no item of colonial intelligence half so exciting as this valuable testimony to New Zealand's prolific climate.