ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8665, 14 December 1893, Page 5

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[r-tO-1 OUR CORRBSPONDKKT.] LONDON, November 4. Bishop Selwyn has taken up his reaidenol in Cambridge as Master St Solwyn College after a lengthened sojourn during the aummer months in tho pretty country near Haslemcre, in Surrey. It is hoped that his health has been materially benefited by the restful period in the pure country air of Surrey—one of England's loveliest and most salubrious countiea when you travel beyond its metropolitan portion. Thar part, I admit, is not very lovely—or nioe. Last Sunday Bishop Selwyn preached at Cambridge, and three New Zoalandors— present or ox-Cantaba—made up a party to go and hoar him. They wero Dr. F. XV. Perm .father, formerly Private Secretary to Governor Sir William Jervoia, Mr Izard and Mr Kemp. They tell mc tho exKelaneaian prelate was in aplondid form* and delivered a noble sermon with marvellous vigour and eloquence. Dr. Pennefather haa just completed hi* somewhat arduous task of writing a new . guide book to New Zealand, and loft Lon« don yesterday for Ireland on a visit to blr aged father. Dr. Pennefather has decided to return to South Australia, by the P. and O. Bteamer Himalaya in December, and resume his professional duties at the Adelaide University. I fancy, howover, that his sojourn at tlie Antipodos will not be a very long one, but that he will ultimately settle in tho Mother Country. That new guide book, by the bye, which is being brought out by Mr John Murray aa one of his famous Beries, ought to do a good deal of good to New Zealand. Mr Murray showed mo a proof copy of it yesterday, and I was much struck with its oxcollenoe oi method, judicious arrangement, handinesa of bulk and wealth of really useful information. It is just the sort of thing touriaU want, and every future tourist ought to have one. But it is alao a valuable little work even for evory stay-at-home colonist to possess. It should be in largo demand in the colony aa well as hero. One special feature ia the splendid mapa with which it ia supplied. These have been produced at heavy cost by Bartholomew, who has done his work to admiration. The series include special maps of the hot and cold lakea districts, and of each of the four cities, Auckland, Wellington, Citriatchuroh, and Dunedin. These show the main oity thoroughfares and the suburbs with ro* markable clearness, and yet within a curiously small space. Mr Murray did hope to get those maps done by the New Zealand Survey Depart* ment, he of course paying a due prioe for the work done. The matter waa supposed to have been arranged, but at tho laat moment it appeared that owing to press of business in tho Survey Department this outside work could not be undertaken. Some delay was consequently occasioned in the production of tho book, as Mr Murray was obliged to mako special arrangements to have the mans done elaewhere; but while New Zealand has thua loet a good advertisement of the excellence of Its work' manship in this particular branch, it is perhaps questionable whether anything oould be turned out in the colony equal in perfection of finish to this latest specimen of the English geographer's art. Mr and Mrs Edward Moorhouse leave London on the Ist November for Mr Moorhouse's country seat, Lamport Hall, In Northamptonshire, in time for the hunting' season. Mr Moorhouse will hunt aa usual with the Pytchley. Mrs Moorhouse is making very favourable progress toward! convalescence, and their infant eon is well and strong. Dr. and Mrs Kemp and their family have settled down quietly for tho winter at Streatham, Surrey. I hear it Is very unlikely that Dr. Kemp will ever return to New Zealand as a permanent resident. Hii health, though much improved by hia Swlsa sojourn, is not yet robust enough to warrant him resuming for some time to come tho heavy toil and anxiety of hia largo Wellington practice, and I shall not be surprised if lie should ultimately determine to take up his abode definitely in England. By the bye the English friends of Dr. and Mrs Kemp received rather a shock and fright the other day. A brief paragraph appeared in the papers to the effect that a> serious carriage accident had occurred at Tunbridge Wells, two ladies being thrown out of the carriage, and both killed on the Spot. One was "Mrs Kemp." Now. knowing that Mrs Kemp sometimes stayed at Tunbridge Wells, great uneasiness was felt. No further particulars were given by the enterprising papers, and tho matter was rather a delicate ono to make direct enquiries about. However, I am glad to be able to state that the unfortunate victim of this sad acoident was not Mrs Kemp o. New Zealand. Major Goring who came Home some little time back to consult an oculist about his eyesight, has undergone an operation whioh proved entirely aucceaafal, and his sight is, I am glad to hear, wholly restored. Major Goring returns to New Zealand immediately. 4 Progress ia being made with the idea of a ■* New Zealandera' dinner," in which not only colonists resident or sojourning in England, but also anybody having special i interest in the colony should take part. The j Agent-General, who has been approached on the subject, is understood to be favourable, and there is some talk of having the gathering early in the new year. Mr and Mrs Peter Cunningham, who have been the guests of Mr Temple, at Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells, and of Mr Walter Savill, at Hey ward's Heath, in Sussex, have returned to town, and are staying as usual, at the Langham Hotel, They still purpose leaving by the Tainul on their return to New Zealand. ■ The Rev. T. Flavell continues to "boom" New Zealand at his S.P.G. meetings. At Taunton lately, he gave so glowing an account of New Zealand's charms and advan. tages that the rector of the parish meeting subsequently said he was afraid that hafl his flock would want to go to New Zealand after what they had just heard. Cardinal Moran is not, strictly speaking, a New Zealand prelate, but his brethren oi the Roman Churoh will doubtless be interested to learn that the long-standing feud between his Eminence and Cardinal Vaughan haa at length beert healed. The Pope personally intervened and insisted or a settlement, and so the two Cardinals met at St. Joseph's Retreat; Highgato Hill, and became reconciled after their ten years' quarrel, which I believe arose from a dispute over the expenses of the late Cardinal Vaughan'■ funeral. Cardinal Moran sailed on bis return to Australia laat Saturday. A good deal of talk has been occasioned hy a letter from the Secretary of the New Zealand National Dairy Factory Company, to the effect that New Zealand cannot profitably continue to supply colonial cheese and butter in London while freights remain at their present level. He puts it in thil way :—Allowing 24 gallons of milk at 3£d a gallon to a pound of butter, each pound coats Bid, aud the cost of making and packing is put at l£d; while the expenses of freezing and shipping amount to l|d, thus bringing the total expenses up to Hit) a pound. Only tbe best of the butter sell* at Is to Is Id a pound, and after deducting for London charges, little or nothing would be left for profit: while most of the bnttei sells at less than Is, and upon this there is a loss. Cheese, at one gallon of milk to the pound costs 3|d a pound for milk, and other expenses, including London charges, brine the total np to 6£d a pound or 61s 4d per cwt., which is quite as much as the nveragt returns of the last season. Several provincial pipers have commented with joy upon this letter. A Dublin journal says :—" The home producer of cheese and butter, though certainly not the consuming public, will derive some aatisfaction from the announcement that our enterprising New Zealand competitors have, after a thorough investigation, come to the conclusion that tiicy cannot profitably continue to lay down these important products in London while freights remain at their present level." It is stoutly contended, however, by soma authorities that the estimate of 3£d per gallon for milk is unduly high, and that milk can be supplied in practically unlimited quantity to the creameries, and with fair profit to the fanner, at 3d per gallon. This, even allowing the other charges to stand foe tbe sake of argument, would leave a margin of profit. I do not pretend to be able to o«* olds the merits of the controvwsy, whis&is

•aafor experts. I merely quote for the beaefit of ywir readers interested in the qaeatioa the atat«nents made to mc by and iespo_aib-e persona. But people concerned in the dairy trade «_.pi ess great regret at the appearance of this letter, which they characterise as most tßiudkioua and mialeading, and is apt to do •eric.* injury to a young and growing trade br ia&ulling "doubt and d'atrust, while unlikely ;as a,"l to affect the shipping com-paß-esTat which of course it is aimed. lam Cold it has already affected some of the tmu-gexnenta made in advance. Some intending purchaser* have said to importers > t.pA commi-B-oa agents: —'* It ia no use fcr as to make any arrangements with you as to New Zealand butter th's season, for we •« that yonr producers say it will not pay them to send it Home. We muat kave something definite to go upon, and aa ♦.here is so much uncertainty about New jjfr-._-._t butter we mean to drop it." That is t_e way these things work in y-.gt_._- a* I bave pointed out before you _aa_t have not only excellence but also uniformity of quality and trustworthy regn\__zitj of supply. It is a. great pity tbat letter ever appeared. Steps of ihat sort oeght never to be taken without due conssliatioa. The Shipping Companies only laogh at a transparent attempt to influence them, but the p.-ope wno are interested in the trade, and wrho are doing their best to develop it, had their caida unexpectedly tramped and their hand spoiled by the imprnience of one who sho_l I be a partner. At the same time it ia quite true that the big- boia to ai_d Ir.m New Zealand are exciut-ij strong rejcntmeut, aud that wrsest effort* are being ma ie tJ arrange for j goose alternative mode of shipment. The j differ nee between 12- 6-1 freight to Svlney | aad 30* to New Zealand for mc same goods i ta too eX-iense to be revlily acquiesced in. j T-ikin- of -re.ghts and snipping, you ; Alto pcubaUy le*rastt already that the iavoonte Sb»V. is-V-ll and Albion steamer j Ar_w» has been tafcen off the Anglo- j Zealandian trade, Me**, a Huddart, Parker mod Col having chartered her to run in place of lhe lii-lated Miowera ia the Aaatrati—n - Vancouver mail service. I Knderat-_nd thmt her p'aea in tbe line will nol be fißed up, tlie remaiaiug boats being aafficteni al present for the trade to ba done. It is evp_e.ed too that the great «£-» and aapexb tu-tngs of the new steamer Gothic will render her U»e favourite boat of the line, and will enable her to secure most or all of the passengers who would have cfaotc.. the Arawa, and waited for her, had •be still be.-, .nui-ing. Much regret is exprened ia London snipping circles that her Geaarved.y popular co.nuian.ier, Captain Staart, a_cu:d be lost to the New Zealand fizaae. Dr. Fleming, of OUgo, is still pursuing Ilia special *.c ties in Uie London Hospital, attending a_r.d vr-uie-a>uig all promiuent apwm'-Mm'' and noteworthy caies. H- intended to spend some time iv Scotlaud this •at-iaa, but fa. lien too mach eugro_sed ia hia piof.saiouju pursuits to spare the teqaisite time. Air H- A. Cameron (of Wilson, Cameron CBd Co.. fia.cut-.-s Oiago), who recently arrived from NewZ _-a<i_, baa been actively investigating a. n.iabfr ot matters iuterestiag to the colony. First he endeavoured to ascertain whether anything .practical •cod— be dene to meet the feeling prevalent Ib New Zealand that the colonial produce aboold be brought into more direct touch with the Engii*- consumer. Hia resulting inapTV-_nTt-T were adverse to any such plan as that of a central distributing store. Bach a scheme would involve the investment of a considerable amount of capital. which he did not bel.eve tbe New Zealand fai-Bers would be prepared to subscribe, as tbere most necessarily be an independent company to " ran the concern.*' Nor does Mr Cameron think that anything of the kind is really needed. In his opuuoa tbe frozen meit trade, for instance, can safely rest on its own merits. New Zealand meat is being largely told at the •tores, at Whiteley's, and elsewhere ex-r-aly as New Zealand mutton, and as such steadily acquiring a favourable nam. among consumers. Batter grading is however a very needful ttfbrm. Bayers complain that the meat is not of uniform quality, and it ought to be graded boih by weight and by quality. tf-Mae details are of great consequence in the IxM-doB markets, and a little more care will well repay the producers. It does not do to have tbe matt of all sorts and sizes, English bayc.» laying great sires, upon being warn that a whole purchase will be uniform with its sample. If it prove not to be, then distra-taad dissatisfaction are engendered auad V-laea are deteriorated. Ia the dairy trade Mr Cameron found that too much butter of the "-storekeeper" eaality bad been shipped. But now that HM Government has stepped in and official dairy experts were instructing the New 55—irand producers how to aoit the markets, while bkrge factories were producing a good ttaiform article whose guaranteed ex-eat-mow and evenness of quality, a much better name was being gained, and he believes that better prices will rule henceJorward. New Zealand cheese Mr Cameron found to bear a very good name, and to sell readily in the London market. He noticed tint the brand was no guide to the actual comanrmera, because it was on the outer cloth, which tbe retainers always strip oft So, no matter whence tbe cheese may come-'-------whether bom a celebrated factory or from a mere farm dairy —it is sold simply aa •"New Zealand cheese." Thus it does not bring snch a high price as in some cases ie probably would wtr* it known to come from jmbm factory of established fame. He thinks ibe market for New Zealand cheese will "be steady, but not at a high price— ft-kaps oOs to 5-3. It can hardly go mach above that, as most retailers Ska cheese that they can sell in ** sixpenny en*_a,"***_.«., in pounds at 6d each. These are chac-iy in demand on the part of the S-ajonty of co____._c_- That of course weald represent 56a per cwt.. which does •ot leave aa eiceaaive margin over 52s for profits and expenses. Reverting for a moment to the butter question, Mr Cameron said that New Zealand batter stood slightly behind Victorian Ib I-nadon estimation, for the reason that New Zealand had been content to send too Bach mediocre "storekeeper" butter, where Victoria had always sent her best to tbaLoodoo market. She was now reaping her reward in better returns for even equal <§ai--tt-es of batter. The idea broached in New Zealand that «M large retailer might arrange to take the whole cheese supplj of each New Zealand factory, aad ao aave the intermediate charges of agent*, does not seem to be feasible. A large retailer can buy in the London market jost what he likes aad wants, and can pick aad choose as to quality. If he bought in New Zeml—od he would have to take his dkanoe of the quality turning out good and tmiform, and aiao of damage in the carriage of tb* cheese half round the world. Be prefer* to await its arrival in London and boy it there. With regard to frozen meat, Mr Cameron thraka, after careful examination, that there la not now an undue margia between wholesale and retail pries, and so that little eroold be gained by any attempt to interfere with the regular course of trade. When tbe expenses are deducted and the risks of ba taken into account — including the aacioQS item discolouration—the balance ia sot a very large one. He holds that if prices aeem low, producers most make the best oi than., as if they do not pay so well as higher rate*, they yet give a very fair return. Grain is conveyed from New Zealand to England more expensively than from America because in the faimer case it comes ia sacks which have to be opened and emptied, whereas American cargoes arrive ia bulk and are discharged by a sort of steam dredge, which scoops it out and de liven it oy the shoots into the store*. This means much less handling, and all handling means expense. That is Mr Cameron's verdict after inspecting both processes at tbe docks. All tne wheat is bought from bulk ■ample, aad so every sack has to be emptied before -ale.