ANCLO COLONIAL NOTES

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 178, 28 July 1913, Page 6

ANCLO COLONIAL NOTES

(From Onr Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 20. TEEHA NOVA WELCOMED HOME. Amid the firing of rockets and the cheering of thousands of spectators, the Terra Nova arrived at the Bute Docks, Cardiff, at midday last; Saturday, three years after she left the port on her fateful expedition to the South iPole. No provincial centre in Great Britain gave tbe late Captain Scott greater .practical encouragement in his enterprise titan did Cardiff, and he promised that Cardiff should be made the -first British port of call on the return of tbe expedition. (He predicted that the date of that return would probably be three years from the date of sailing. That prediction has been fulfilled within one day, for it was on the 15th June, 1910, that tbe Term Nova left the port, and she arrived in Cardiff Roads on tbe 14th j June, 1913.

The Terra Nova was sightnd soon after seven in the morning, and an hour later she cast anchor in the Roads to await the tide. Soon after eleven o'clock Lady Scott, who was accompanied by her son Peter. Mrs. Wilson (widow of Dr. E. A. Wilson), Mr. Bruce (brother of Mrs. Scott), and Lieutenant Campbell, left the pier on a tug. and joined the vessel at anchor. Another tug took out members of the Cardiff Exchange Reception Committee, while pleasrn-e passenger boats and other craft .filled with visitors cruised around. There was a great assemblage on shore, while a lavish display of fla<rs wasmade from public and other buildings. At noon the vessel weighed anchor, and when her prow was .-.eon emerging beyond Pennrth Head rockets were fired and continued until she was brcnght up just outside the entrance to the Roath Dock, where her appearance was greeted by enthusiastic cheering. Looking spick and span, with her black hnFl and yellow tonne], she flew the Cardiff <Uitv Arms on her foremast, the national flag of Wales on her mainmast, and the burgee of the Royal Yacht S<iua.dron at her mizzen. while her decks were crowdrd with visitors, officers and crew and relatives. The flat roofs of (he deck houses were occupied by twelve of the original thirty-five Siberian dogs taken out, and to the main mast, just below the tnick, was still lashed the barrel-like "crow's nest."' While the vessel was in the lock, Lady Scott, her son, and Mrs. Wilson disem barked, and as they did so they were heartily cheered. During the day the Terra Nova was removed to the berth in the east dock, which she occupied prior to her departure in lf>lo.

The Terra Nova sailed with a crew of fifty-seven all told. Sbp. brings back about thirty, some having settled in New Zealand. She lost six by death, for in a-ddition to the five who sacrificed their lives in the conquest of tbe Pole, Stoker Brissendeu was drowned in the French Pass, New Zealand.

As to her homeward passage. Lieutenant Pennell, who has now completed his third expedition to the Antarctic, said her course from Wellington took her close to the supposed position of the Nimrod Islands, marked on the Admiralty charts. The Terra Nova actually passed fifteen miles north of the charted position, and obtained soundings of over 2,000 fathoms, but, like Sbaekletou, they found no trace of tho islands. The weather in the southern seas, though too unfavourable for sounding work, was not bad, and only three real gales were experienced. The Horn was passed in a severe storm, but the Atlantic gave entirely fine weather. Two dogs had to be shot, but the remainder came through in excellent health ana spirits. On the whole the conditions favoured a ouick passage rather than opportunities for scientihe investigations, but the following work had been done: —Six deep soundings, six swings for variation, fifteen observations for dip (magnetic), four plankton hauls, and two trawls with the Agassiz. Taken in conjunction with previous work done by other ships in the Atlantic Ocean, it was hoped that the. collection of plankton would prove of value.

In regard to the events at the South Pole, no new facts of importance have transpired since the Terra Nova arrived. It was the definitely expressed wish of Captain Scott that the reports cabled to England should be as complete as practicable. This wish was observed, and Commander Evans has, in his lectures, given all essential supplementary details.

The crew of the Terra Nova is to be paid off as soon as she has finished the discharge of the valuable specimens she has in her holds, but as far as the future of the vessel is concerned, nothing has yet been definitely decided. Tn all probability she will presently be brought round to the Thames to spend a few months on exhibition. *H.P.*S EMPIRE TOTTR. At the annual meeting of the United Kingdom branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association, held in April last, it was announced that a cable message, had been received from tbe honorary secretaries of the Australian branch of the Association to the following effect: "Association extends cordial invitation to twenty members British Parliament to visit Australia this year_ Round-the-world passages provided Prime Minister of Commonwealth and the States Premiers will extend official welcomes and courtesies."

On the motion of the Speaker of the House of Commons, who presided, a resolution was carried instructing the Executive Committee of the Association in the Home Parliament "to take all necessary steps to endeavour to arrange the visit." These arrangements are now practically complete. The party w-ill comprise 20 members of Parliament representative of both Houses, and including Unionist, Liberal, and Labour members. Lord Emmott (Under -(Secretary of State for the Colonies) has consented, with file cardial approval of the Government, to join the delegation, which, with the ladies who will accompany some of tlte .members, will number altogether between 30 and 40 persons. The cable message referred to above included aspecial invitation to Mr Howard d'Egvifle (honorary secretary of the Home branch of the Association), and tbit gentleman will accotding-ly accompany the party.

It has been arranged that tlw delegation shall travel by way of Canada, on the outward journey, and return by another route, not yet definitely settled. They will leave Liverpool by tbe Allan liner Victoria, on July 16th, and will be due a* Montreal on July 23rd. Twelve days has been allowed for the journey •across the Dormnion, <by the Canadian Pacific EaEiKary. Etom Vancouver, on August 6th, the party wall travel by the: Union Steamship Compairy's EJM-s.. Malviira to Au&hcnd. Only three days) will be spent in New Zealand, as the party -are due in Sydney on September! -2nd AH -the JPur-

liaznentary institutions will be visited in turn during the stay in Australia, which will be limited to one month. The party will leave Australia on or about October Ist, and expect to arrive in England before the end of November, the whole tour thus taking a little over four months. The time the Parliamentary tourists will spend on land during their wanderings is all too brief, bnt the trip should be of considerable educational value to the fortunate twenty. Their names have not yet been made public, bnt it is to be hoped that the Association have made a special point of inviting uome of those gentlemen who by their Parliamentary utterances have made it clear that they are the sort of people Kipling had in his mind when he wrote the lines "They little Know of England Who only England know," and whose vision of Empire does not extend much beyond Brighton Beach. WHITE STAB. CHANGES. The long association of Messrs Ism ay, Imrie, and Co., with the White Star Line ceases with the change in management reeenUy announced. It was in 1807 that tbe late -Mr T. H. Ismay took over the line, whose fame in those days rested upon the achievements of its clipper ships in the Australian trade. Mr ismay formed the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, and in IS7I ventured into the North Atlantic trade with the Oceanic, the pioneer steamship under the White Star flag. There have been other and bigger Oceanics since then, but to the first of her name every steamship passenger owes an acknowledgment, since she wae the forerunner of the modern liner. This, as a writer in the London "Telegraph" reminds us. was the first boat that refused to admit that paKsengars must be carried in narrow wooden deckhouses, or that the proper treatment of people who paid first cabin fare was to berth them aft, right over the propeller. The White Star Line, in truth, laid the foundation of the "castle as we now know it. so that the best places in the vessel should he amidf-hips, where the motion of the ship and the vibration of the machinery is least felt, and light and air are more easily obtained.

It is a far cry from the first Oceanic of 3.500 tons to the Olympic of 47,000 tons, and it would take much space to recite the vast improvements introduced in the intervening period by the late Mr Ismay and his son, Mr J. Bruce Tsma v.

Of course, there were well-intentioned mistakes. Dissatisfied with -the illumination of their ships -by oil lamps, the White Star Line at one time made a gas installation experimentally. The liveliness of the ship in an Atlantic gale vraa, however, found to be conducive to leakage. Later on, the introduction of the electric light solved the difficulty. At one period, too, the White Star tried to overec/ine tbe discomforts of roiling by contriving that certain apartments should swing so as to keep level despite the movements of the ship. The great size a"3u steadiness of the modern mail steamer, to say nothing of the possibilities of anti-rolling tanks, have, of conrse, since practically achieved the object in view. Tndecd, most of the problems affecting the comfort of the ocean passenger may be said to have been solved during the association of Messrs Ismav. Imrie, and Co., with the White Star."

The lalest addition to the White Star fleet is the Ceramic, of 18.000 tons, built for "the company's Australian trade. So far, no vessel of this siy.e has ever been seen in Antipodean harbours, so that in this instance the White Star is again breaking a record. The new ship i 6 to leave Belfast on July 5, and will sail soon afterwards from Liverpool on her maiden voyage. The Ceramics mission is practically that of a huge cargo carrier to and from the Antipodes by way of the Cape route. She ought to be the embodiment of economical ocean transport, as well as n. very comfortable ship for passengers. A PROSPEROUS BANK. There should be no wry faces among the shareholders of the National Bank of New Zealand when they foregather for the 41st ordinary general meeting in London on July Ist. There is certainly nothing in the report the directors will submit on that occasion to make them rerrard their investment in the bank's shares with feelings other than of satisfaction. The directors do not waste words in tbeir report, perhaps because they think that good wine needs no bush, and that figures can sometimes tell a pleasant story as well as words. During the year ended March 31st, the operations of the National Rank of New Zealand resulted in a net profit, after providing for bad and doubtful debts and including £26,36-3 13/5 brought forward from the previous years, of £161,756 3/4. i The interim dividend, at. the rate of 12 per cent per annum, paid in January last, absorbed £30,000; £15,000 has* been placed to premises account, £15,000 to reserve for depreciation of investments, aud £6,000 appropriated to pay a bonus to the staff, leaving available for distribution £95,756 3/4, which the directors propose to allocate as follows: —To the payment of a dividend at the rate of 12 per cent per annum for the half-year ended MaTch 31st last, and a bonus of 1 per cent, £35.000; to strengthen the reserve •fund (which win then stand at £520,000), £20.000; to pension and gratuity funds, £4,000; leaving a balance to be carried forward of £36,756 3/4. In I March last 100,000 new shares were offered to shareholders at a premium of £1 5/ per share, in the proportion of one share for every two shares held. The new shares have been allotted, and the premium, amounting to £125,000, will be carried to reserve fund, which will be ! thereby raised to £645,000. As provided by the* Articles of Association, two directors retire on the present occasion, namely, the Hon. Henry Stuart Littleton and; Mr. Robert Logan, who, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. IMCEEEIAL TJBnOJSr AWD FOREIGN POLICY. Mr. Richard Jebb. M.A.. thinks there is an Imperial aspect which should not be 1 overlooked of the recent loan transaction | with China. Replying to a question in j the House of Commons. Sir Edward Grey ! stated that the Foreign Office was not responsible for the "minimum price payable to the Chinese Government." But, | says Mr. Jebb, that arrangement, which allowed the promoters a huge profit consisteutly with a yield nf about 5" per cent, to the investor, could hardly have i been proenred, as tho Crisp interlude j seems to show, if British diplomacy had j not actively supported the monopoly of i the Quintuple Group. The amount of the -issue in London was £7,416,000, and, it was subscribed twelve times over. Ou | tbe same day it was announced that of j the City of (Montreal issue (£1,430,000: 4j per cent at par) more than: half re-! inairxed with the underwriters. Four, and a-balf per cent was not went to be; unattractive as a gilt-edged investment, j «md Mr. Jebb wants to know whether it, js-anot reasonaTole _;to--erjTjsiose -that the

Montreal loan would ha-TO gone off all right had the Foreign Office not provided the British investor with a, chance to lend £7,000.000 at 5J per cent on the security of China, with the British Government behind to enforce the bargain should need arise? He adds: —""'Here, then, is the Imperial point. Are the Dominions, crying for capital, expected to provide naval force in support of a diplomacy which thus deflects British investments to foreign countries? Several other Dominion borrowers, including States and provinces, seem to have been experiencing disappointments like that of Montreal, or worse."