ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 65, 16 March 1908, Page 5

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(From Our Special Correspondent^.

LONDON, February 7. THE W.O. AND COLONIAL TENDERS.

I The Agent-General for Victoria recently had an interview with Mr. Haldane, the Secretary of State for War, at the War Office, with reference to tenders for supplies. Mr. Tavemer's object was to state a grievance with regard to tenders for tinned meats, called for some time ago by the War Office, and made returnable on February 13. On the 20th January, however, Mr. Taverner received a notification from the War Office stating that there was to be an alteration in the style of tins to be used. When this notification was received the Australian tenders were, of course, already on their way Home, so that it would be impossible to alter them in time. Mr. Taverner then obtained expert advice on the matter, and found that the tins under the altered conditions were cheaper than those in the original invitation to contractors. The difference in the cost of tins might mean the loss of the contract, for the American competitors, with plenty of time to alter their tenders, would thus be placed at a decided advantage. This was made clear to Mr. Haldane by Mr. Taverner, who strongly urged that tenders, once having been called, should not be altered, unless ample time was allowed to Australian firms to alter their tenders by mail. Mr. Taverner further pointed out that this was not the first time that the War Office had altered specifications without allowing sufficient time for Antipodean tenderers to bring their tenders into line. Mr. Haldane assured Mr. Taverner that he would inquire into the. matter, and quite agreed that no alterations should take place on terms so disadvantageous to Australian contractors. For the future he would see that no alterations should take place unless ample time were allowed. Mr. Taverner took this apportunity of informing Mr. Haldane that it was 'in the air" that the War Office leant towards the Americans, and that though he himself was not in a position to make any such allegation, the action of the W.O. in regard to the tenders mentioned might give colour to the rumour. Mr. Haldane did not think there was any foundation for the rumour.

NEW ZEALAND PENSIONS.

The Hon. W. P. Reeves contributes an interesting article to the current number of the '"Financial Review of Reviews" on the working of tfto old age pension system in New Zealand. He points out that in 1907 about 35,500 persons were eligible, but only 32 per cent of these wendrawing pensions. That is, quite twothirds of the aged among the New Zealandcrs do not apply for pensions. Mr. Reeves is of opinion that the pension system has not lessened thrifty habits amongst the public.

"Has the system diminished national thrift?" The answer is easy and satisfactory. "In so far as tnrift is shown by the growth - of deposits in savings banks, membership of friendly societies, and policies of life insurance, there has been no proportional diminution in New Zealand, but a very gratifying and solid increase during the last decade."

QUEEX VICTORIA MEMORIAL.

A portion of the great Queen Victoria memorial in front of Buckingham Palace will be completed by W-itsuntide. This refers, however, onl yto the base of the memorial upon which the magnificent statue of the Queen and decorative groups will some day be placed. At least five years, perhaps six, must elapse before the work is completed.

Mr. Brock, the sculptor, has only this week, after years of labour, completed the clay-modelled figure of the seated Queen. Moulders are now engaged in taking a cast of the clay in plaster of Paris, which will afterwards be reproduced in marble.

Seventy tons of white marble will be used in carving the figure of the Queen. Mr. Brock hoped at one time to obtain a block large enough for the purpose, but he has been compelled to use several, the largest weighing 25 tons. In addition, Mr. Brock is designing three groups—Justice, Truth, and Motherhood—and a great figure of Victory, flanked by Courage and Constancy. At least 280 tons of marble will be required for these figures, and probably another 100 tons for the reliefs and friezes. When the memorial is completed it will represent 500 tons of the finest marble. COLONIAL NAVIGATION CONFERENCE. The annual report of the council of the Chamber of Shipping of the United KingI dom deals amongst other matters with the Colonial Navigation Conference of I 1907. The Parliamentary Committee has I recently been making strong representations to the Colonial Office and to the Board of Trade with a view to induce Departments to maintain with respect to both Australian and New Zealand legislation the important principle that when British vessels had complied with the provisions of the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act, 1594 (and any subsequent Acts which might be passed amending that Act), such" vessels should thencefor" ward be exempted from any additional provisions contained in any Merchant bnippmg Acts passed by colonial Legislatures. In March and April, 1907, a conference composed of representatives of the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand met in London with the object of obtaining as much uniformity as was possible in Imperial and colonial merchant shipping legislation. The result was very disappointing from the British shipowner's particular point of view. The council say: "It became obvious at a very early stage in the- proceedings that it was idle to settle with' the colonial delegates standards applicable to all British shipping in all ports of the Empire. The delegates from the colonies, and in particular the majority of the' delegates from Australia, were determined to maintain jurisdiction over shipping in their ports, whether such shipping belonged to the United Kingdom or to other nations; and in regard to such shipping to lay down such standards as they thought advisable. . . . The colonial delegates, and in particular the majority of the delegates from the Australian Commonwealth, would listen to no arguments based on mere business considerations, nor on the compelling force of economic competition, and they were ready, if necessary, to face the loss or diversion of trade rather than forego in any way their right to regulate trade in what they believed to be the b«st interests of the inhabitants of the colonies. It was, therefore, obvious to the shipowners' representatives at the conference that if any practical results were to be obtained from it they must ba by limiting colonial jurisdiction and securing, so far as possible, tie acceptance of Imperial certificates iat vessels within colonial jurisdiction. . . ."