ENGLAND AND SPAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 139, 12 June 1905, Page 4

ENGLAND AND SPAIN.

The visit of King Alfonso to England, and the probability that our own King and Queen will shortly visit Spain, are facts of which the significance will not be overlooked in the diplomatic circles of Europe. The relations between Spain and England during the last halfcentury have not always been cordial. Spain has always been jealous of Portugal, a country which England has somewhat ostentatiously befriended. The rather ill-advised sympathy displayed in England for the Carlists, and subsequently the misguided vehemence of British partisanship during the disastrous war with the United States, have helped to alienate the Spaniards from us. The epigrams about the "dying nation" with which British statesmen freely punctuated their public speeches during the war were certainly not calculated to soothe the wounded pride of the Spanish nobles, who do not forget their glorious history and resent the contemptuous patronage of England even more than the open hostility of America. The visit of the young King to England is the first step that has been taken in the way of a reconciliation between the two "countries, and we may safely conjecture that it is due chiefly to the tact and diplomatic skill of King Edward that such a step has become possible. Butt there is a special reason that at the present juncture greatly increases the importance .of this event. Spain is a party to the Anglo-French Convention concerning Morocco; for the terms of the agreement msde it necessary for Spain to come to some definite arrangement with France with respect to her own African possessions. Very shortly after the Anglo-French Convention was signed Spain made a formal agreement with France, giving her adhesion to the treaty already arranged with England, promising not to fortify any portion of the coast of Morocco now held by her, and giving France absolute pre-emptive rights over Ceuta, Melilla, and other towns on the RifT littoral now held by her. In return France consented to allow Spain, with the Sultan's permission, to extend her holdings in Morocco toward Tangier. On the whole it is regarded in Europe as a very profitable arrangement for Spain; and in. view of the trouble just raised by the Kaiser over the Anglo-French Convention, so far as it affects Morocco, it is very satisfactory to learn on the authority of the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs that King Alfonso's visit to London is meant to express Spain's determination to adher? to all her engagements with France - "gland "with regard to pending q; ' The newly developed amity b.-tuern England and Spain will increase the difficulties that the Kaiser has to face in his self-imposed task of overturning the Anglo-French Convention and taking a free hand for himself in the affairs of Morocco.

The following is Captain Edwin's w«a> ther forecast for 24 hours from V a.m. this day: "Moderate to strong westerly winds, glass little movement."

The Union Company's steamer Moana arrived from Sydney last evening, having been somewhat longer than usual on the passage. Shortly after leaving Sydney on Wednesday evening last, sotne hours late, she encountered a heavy southerly gale, with a high confused sea, lasting until Saturday evening last> when the North Cape was rounded, fine weather prevailing thence to arrival.

The scow which was reported ashore near Wbangamata on Saturday proved to he the Rangi, bound from Gisborne to Whananaki; On Saturday the master wired that the vessel had apparently sustained no serious damage. Information was received to-day by Mr. E. R. Ford, a part owner in the vessel, that she had been sucessfully floated off by a small tug, and had left for Auckland. The Rangi is a new scow. She was launched last year by Mr. G. T. Niccol, of Auckland.

Some eleven firemen belonging to the s.s. Kaikoura went for a sail on the harbour yesterday morning, when their boat capsized in a sudden squall, the men being thrown into tbe water. The crews of H.M.s. Phoebe and the barque Anglo-Norman noticed the accident, and promptly lowered boats to rescue the men. The whole of the men got on board their steamer little the worst for their immersion. The quickness of the crews from both vessels in coming to the rescue is commendable.

The police authorities in Christchurch have inquired into the allegations that a person in that city had tampered with a girl under 15 years of age. It is stated by the authorities that whilst the person implicated may have begn indiscreet, the result of the medical examination does not indicate that the girl has been' wronged.

Mr T. Mackenzie will stand again for the Waikouaiti seat.

A political address was delivered in the Alexandra Hall, Cambridge, last Friday evening by Mr F. W. Lang, M.H.R. There was a good attendance, and in the absence of the Mayor Mr Thos. Wells presided over the meeting. The speaker's remarks were for the most part confined to a criticism of the Seddon administration. At the conclusion of the meeting, on the motion of Mr J. Fisher, a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Lang was unanimously passed.

Mr Henry Leger's White Leghorns are still leading in the New Zealand Egglaying Competition with a total of 145 eggs for six weeks.

Mr George Sandford, a resident of Marshlands, near Christchurch, met with an accident while out shooting. He was clambering through a fence when the accidentally went off. The charge entered his left arm, which had to be amputated.

The Auckland Racing Pigeon Club flew their second young birds' race of the season on Saturday last from Ngaruawahi, an airline distance of 79 miles. The winners were:—Messrs. Aiton and Smith's, S.F.C., 223, first; Mr. H. Winstone's, A.R.P.C., 74, second; Mr. W. G. Pountney's, A.R.P.C, 56, third; and Mr. H. Saunders' "Orphan," fourth.

The following have been gazetted as trustees for the newly-constituted Tvka Toka Domain Board:—Messrs. Rogers, Walton, Downs, Miller, Dreadon, Simpkin, and Berridge.

About six or seven years ago a Sydney firm of manufacturing Elliott Bros., who now import sulphur from Japan for the purposes of their business, sought to rf>btain the article from New; Zealand. A representative of the firm told the New South Wales Tariff Commission the result of their efforts. "For three or four years a trade was carried on between New Zealand and New South Wales, but the sulphur was obtained principally on Maoriland, and the Maoris seem to have some peculiar socialistic laws, by which several of them may own a certain tract of country. This meant! that when one man began to work a sulphur deposit, he was charged a fee for! going through another man's land to dol so. Then the price of sulphur went up. I think this was really due to the fact! that the Maori does not like work if he can get his money by any other means." Senator Higgs: "He is not singular in that respect." Witness: "Perhaps not. Anyway, that seems to be the trouble with him. As the tourist traffic went on increasing, the Maor' worked less, and depended more upon the tourists; and so the price of sulphur went up so high that we had to abandon the trade, and import from elsewhere."

The Tonga correspondent of the Sydney "Telegraph" writes:—"On the evening of May 10, between 7 and 8 o'clock, heavy and distant gun-firing was heard at sea from the north-east quarter. Nothing has come to hand to explain the matter. The firing was again heard on May 16, and a boat was sent out, but saw nothing."

The s.s. Waitangi will leave at seven this evening, instead of five p.m., as previously advertised.

While endeavouring to enter the Opotiki River on Monday last the ketch Albatross went aground. Fortunately the weather was calm, so that the vessel was not in the slightest danger. To make the position of the ketch more secure, a boat with two men set out to lay kedge anchors. The boat was caught in a current and upset, its occupants being thrown into the water. A boat's crew from the shore put off to Their assistance, but the two men managed to rejoin the ketch before the proffered assistance arrived. The ketch was floated off on the evening tide and berthed at the wharf.

The editorials in to-morrow's issues of the "Auckland Star" and the "N.Z. Herald" will be read and criticised by Mr. R. H. A. Potter at the Athenaeum Debating Society's meeting to-morrow evening.

An address was delivered by the American temperance lecturer, Mr J. G. Woolley, yesterday afternoon in St. David's Presbyterian ChuTch, Khyber Pass. The Rev. W. Gray-Dixon, M.A., presided over a good attendance. Mr Woolley based his remarks on the Gospel incident of the healing of the blind heggar, drawing a vivid picture of the present day state of society, and contending that drink was at the root of the whole evil. The anthem "Rejoice Ye with Jerusalem," was rendered by the choir during the afternoon. Mr Woolley spoke in the Pitt-street Methodist Church in the evening, and will deliver a temperance address at a quarter past eight to-night in the Choral Hall. The address will be preceded at 7.15 p.m. by an organ recital by Mr W. T. Sharp, organist of the Grafton-road Methodist Church. Tomorrow evening Mr Woolley will occupy St. James' Hall, Wellingtonstreet.

The annual social meeting will be held in the Newton Barracks to-night. The Mayor of Grey Lynn (Mr. Farrell) will preside.

The phenomenon witness*. M iV western sky on Friday nioht~W. ',"• seen in Wellingtonrwnere-rt &&¥ form of a "silvery ribbon,?? sobetht* " in the shape of a 2, whietsSfe on the darksome clouds behinaT"** Mr. G. W. Temperley, a reDresm*;*-! ' of the Dr. Williams' !_&£? Co! town. He is issuing, free of charsV} 1 * particularly useful booklet* wit-'' ' "Wragge on Weather." Tniß Mr. Clement Wragge's. forecast 0 ' weather for New Zealand for 1903 ' " well as other itmes of * As the 6.20 p.m. train to Henderson was approaching Z Kmgsland station on Saturday^Jw the engine crashed into _ a bise-SS had strayed on to the line. The ustau tunate animal, which was terribly mangled, Was throws id &i side of the line, where it lay until ttii! morning, when its remains were ittterwS by the platelayers. Owing to* tfie sfetf at which the train was impact was not felt very greatr/W «2 passengers. " ° •.:. -. tt A Kaipara Rugby Union !«Jtb_* match, Helehsville v. Kautspukapa *_* played at Helensville on Saturday tne ''' former winning by nine points to eight ■ points. As the stcataer Moura was pfdfre«_ifrom Suva to Auckland, the boatswain T. Pulluck, got his foot caught in thi steering machinery, with the result ttfif P his great toe was severely injuredOii arrival here he was conveyed to' tht Auckland Hospital, where he -will be obliged to remain "for two di tlidi ' weeks. '.'.'.*" At St. David's Hall, Khyber Pass, tk» first of tbe winter entertainments takw place on Wednesday next. _ai eieeileit -•'■ - concert has been arranged. Particular* appear in our advertising columns. { ' Among those who scanned the first hV telligenee of the Russian dasasiw ai given on the newspapers posters in tb* morning at Wellington there w a » tH» . man Whose checks were wet Mth feats He was a Russian, and he had the stbk pathy of those near by who noticed M» emotion. .-. '' - For present wear- Black embroidered Amazon cloths in shots and figures J/I 4/6, 4/11 yd.—Smith and Caughey,' U%'—Ad.