ANGLO-COLONIAL CHAT.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9163, 22 July 1895, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL CHAT.

(FBOM OUB SPECIAL COBRESPONDEXT.) LONDON, June 15. Many New Zealanders who voyaged to or from the colony by the lonic in 1883, by the Tongariro in 1884, or by the Rimntaka in 1885, will recollect Captain Edwin Owen Hallett, who successively commanded those steamers. All will lam sure be sorry to hear of his death, which occurred last Friday. I grieve to add that he died by his own hand during a fit of temporary insanity.

Captain Hallett entered the Royal Navy in 1861, and became a Staff Commander in 1880. He served for several years on board the Royal yacht Osborne, which he ultimately commanded, under one of the. Naval princes. Unfortunately a mishap occurred, a yacht being run down in the Solent by the Osborne while the latter was running at the rate of 15 knots, in reality I understand that the Royal Captain was blameable, but it was more convenient to make out that his second in command was at fault, and so Captain Hallett had to retire. However, he received most gratifying tokens of the respect and regard felt for him by the Prince and Princess of Wales and other members of the Royal Family whom he had often conveyed across the Solent or elsewhere in the Osborne. He received several handsome presents from them on his retirement and other tokens of their sympathy and esteem, including fine portraits of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their family. When in 1883 tbe New Zealand Shipping Company secured the White Star steamers lonic and Doric, then building at Belfast, to open their regular direct service between New Zealaud and London (following up the tentative preliminary experiments with the British Tiling, Sec.,) it was arranged that Captain Hallett should command the lonic and "open the ball," which he did by making the run to Wellington in the unprecedented time of forty-three days. When the first of the New Zealand Shipping Company's specially built, boats, the Tongariro, was ready in 1884 Captain Hallett was transferred to her, and signalised his assumption of the command by taking her out to Dunedin in forty days' steaming time and Home in thirty-eight days. His next trip was made experimentally via the Suez Canal and occupied longer, but his second Homeward run was made in thirty-seven days. Next year when the larger steamer Rimutaka was ready Captain Hallett, a 8 Commodore of the fleet, commanded her, and he once more broke the record by landing the outward mails in thirty-nine days three hours, including all stoppages. This still remains a record. Before long, however, Captain Hallett had to give up the service. The frequent alterations of temperature, especially on the Homeward trips, told severely on bis constitution and set up severe pulmonary mischief ; so he had to retire in the prime of life, though he subsequently held for some time a shore appointment in connection with the Company. During the last few years he has had pecuniary losses, and has suffered terribly from extreme mental depression, and latterly it was never safe to leave him alone. Recently he went to stay for a time at Haslar Hospital, it being hoped that association with some old comrades might revive his spirits. He remained there only a week, and then returned to his home at Weymouth. An attendant slept in his room that night, but left next day, as he seemed much better and more cheerful. Mrs Hallett gave bim a sleeping draught, and finally left bim in profound slumber. But when in the morning the servant took up his breakfast, to her extreme horror she found him lying on the bed quite dead in a pool of blood, with his throat cut from ear to ear. From various indications, it was evident that he must have secreted a sharp knife. It is a very sad affair, and deep sympathy is felt with Mrs Hallett in her terrible affliction. Of her unfortunate husband's mental derangement there is no doubt at all, and the verdict was accordingly. Captain Hallett was, as everyone who has travelled under his care will remember, a model commander iof a-passenger steamer, commendably strict as to discipline but ever most courteous and kind, while as a seaman and navigator his skill was remarkable,' and his attention to duty unremitting. He did much to popularise the New Zealand Direct Service in its inception and his compulsory retirement through ill-health was a great loss to, the service. Miss Jervois arrived in England by the Gothic on Monday. Great sympathy was felt for her in regard to the sad news of the death of her beloved brother, Major Jervois, occurring, too, as it did so soon after the loss of her mother, Lady Jervois. By the way, I met last Sunday the Bishop of Singapore, who knew Sir William and Lady Jervois intimately when Sir William was Governor of the Straits Settlements, which of course are in the Bishop's Diocese—Singapore, Sarawak and Borneo. The Bishop was deeply grieved to hear of the death of Lady Jervois and her son, for whom he had a high regard. He spoke with the warmest esteem of the whole family. The Bishop was much interested to read the Maori version of the Lord's Prayer and was greatly struck with the resemblance of several Maori words to tbe Malay words for the same. He considered the resemblance too pointed to be mere coincidence. However, I dare say Mr Tregear could throw some light on this point. The Exeter-Truro Secretary of the S.P.G. —the Rev. T. Flavell—managed to catch tbis Bishop and get him to preach two sermons at Plymouth on behalf of the Society and also to make a speech on Monday at a garden party meeting for the same object. Mr Flavell himself preached en behalf of the Society at St. Peter's Church, Plymouth, last Sunday evening, in which ho instanced very forcibly the experience of New Zealand at the hands of the Society, and showed how largely the S.P.G. had been .he means of laying the foundations on which so admirable and successful an edifice had since been gradually reared. I was one of the congregation, and listened with much interest to Mr Flavell's account of what the New Zealand Church is, and is doing, and has done.

Curiously enough the success of the New Zealand Church formed a prominent topic in some of the speeches at the S.P.G. garden party meeting next day. One speaker referred to the New Zealand Anglican Church of the present day as having " seven bishops (including Melanesia), three beautiful cathedrals, three very creditable pro-cathedrals, | churches and clergy without number, a quarter of a million church members, and services that were fully up to the standard of average English parish church services." The same speaker described Mr Flavell as "a terrible man: a tremendous man, who thought of the S.P.G. ail day, and dreamed of it all night, and whose energy and vigour on the Society's behalf were so phenomenal as to verge on the miraculous," a description which everybody agreed did the S.P.G. Diocesan Secretary and ex-Incumbent of Merivele no more than justice. A New Zealand friend of mine met in Devonshire a few days ago Colonel Briggs, who on learning that the other came from New Zealand expressed warm-interest, saying that he himself was in that colony more than thirty years ago as an officer in the 18th Royal Irish, and took an active part in the Native war then proceeding, Rewi being the most formidable opponent encountered at that time. He was greatly interested to hear of Rewi's later days and death, and of the touching episode of the tombstone, and bore cordial testimony to Rewi's courage and skill as a commander of men in war.

Mr Mendelson, of Jesus College, Cambridge, who is commonly known as the New Zealand athlete—as he came from Christchurch—has been winning more athletic and cricketing laurels. He stands second in tbe cricket average for his College, his figure being thirty-four. He won the trial long ju_np with 21ft 9_{_n, and subsequently jumped successively 22ft 4§in and 22ft three times consecutively. His merits have been recognised, and he has secured his "blue" oa a member of the Cambridge University Athletic Team, an honour which be naturally appreciates. His knee gives him very little trouble, if any, now, so I hope to record further triumphs won by him.

Mr J. W. Hill, the New Zealand tenor singer, sailed for New Zealand to-day in the Tainui. He has excellent credentials from Sttft-M. Wi H. C-mtolfige tad ether pro*

minent English musicians, and if he decides to return to England after a visit to his parents in New Zealand I feel sure he will do well in his profession. Apart from his vocal and musical talent he has the advantage of being very popular personally, and of having won the esteem and regard of all with whom he has been brought into contact.

A young Maori lady and gentleman, Mr and Mrs Rawei, arrived in England last week, and have opened a series of entertainments, " Descriptive of Maori land and its people." I attended one of their performances at Plymouth and was greatly struck with its high merit. Rawei and his wife Hinie Taimoa lecture remarkably well, while Rawei's tuneful tenor voice gives peculiar effect and pathos to the native songs, of which he sings several each evening. As for the limelight views of New Zealand scenery and scenes of Maori life I have hardly ever seen any so good. The entertainment was enthusiastically received, and should be a remarkable success if only Mr and Mrs Rawei could get hold of a capable agent. So far their business arrangements in England have been sadly defective, and I fear they will nob win the financial reward they so well deserve until business matters are put on a better footing. They badly need an R. S. Smythe. They intend to tour the provinces before trying their fate in the metropolis. Dr. and Mrs Walter Fell, of Wellington, have recently arrived from New Zealand via America, and are now staying at Wimbledon with relatives. Among arrivals from New Zealand who have recently " reported themselves" at the Agency-General are Messrs G. W. Greenwood and Cunningham, of Christchurch. New Zealand whitebait will not, I fear, be added to the list of comestibles which we regularly import from your colony. That experimental shipment did not turn up trumps—far from it. The whitebait seemed all rignt at first, and a sample whioh was taken up to the Agency-General and cooked there was pronounced by Sir Westby Perceval and Mr Kennawt*y to be excellent. So much were they pleased with the fine quality and condition of the fUh that the Agent-General kindly gave instructions on his own account for some of the whitebait to be sent as presents to several colonists now in London and to various prominent Londoners. I may say that I was one of the fortunate ex-colonists thu3 favoured, and as I am distinctly fond of whitebait, I looked with gleeful anticipations to the arrival ol the acceptable gift. But my expectations were doomed to disappointment. The whitebait never came. The explanation was simple. Enquiries were made of the salesman to whom was entrusted the "distribution" (that is the proper "up to date" term) of the fish. He was entirely caudid. "No, sir," be said, " I did not send out parcels of those things you are pleased to call whitebait. What do I call 'em? Why I call'em worms, and so do ail my neighbours.' You are surely nob going to sell those worms as fish?' they said to mc, and I don't think they were far off the mark. Bub that ain't all! Direc.ly they was thawed, they began to stink. And, by George, they stank bad, too. Decomposition set in ; that is what you'd say, I suppose? No, thank you, sirj; no more New Zealand worms — I mean whitebait —for mc. They was all condemned by the Inspectors, and a good job too !" Sir George Grey has not yet fixed the date of his talked-of return to New Zealand. Ido nob think he has mad- up his mind on the subjecb. He seems to grow more and more infirm physically, as might naturally be expected ab his age, but talks with all his old charm and vividness. Sir Donald Currie was very anxious that Sir George Grey should form one oi the party for the cruise of the Tan tai lon Castle, when he aud Mr Gladstone might, after so many years, have enjoyed much delightful chat, while, as someone remarked, "the party would have been all the more interesting for the presence of so picturesque a personality." But Sir George did nob feel well enough or strong enough to undertake the expedition, so he reluctantly declined on the score of weak health. Everybody is very sorry and no one more so than Mr Gladstone himself. I learn thab shipments to New Zealand are plentiful, "a great revival" according to Mr W. Balchin " having taken place!" In so marked a degree has this occurred that tbe s.s. Mamari which sailed lasb week actually had to leave behind a considerable quantity of offered cargo. Such a thing is most unusual in these depressed times. To a colonial singer belongs the honour of averting a serious panic at the Covent Garden Opera House lasb Friday night. Gounod's " Fausb " was. being performed, aud Mephistopheles entered <as usual amid red fire. Uuluckily his fiery halo extended to the scenes, aud a blaze followed. A panic was imminent, and. anybody who knows the terrible ascent to the vast galleries of Covent Garden will at once : realfse what a fearful massacre would have been inevitable had a general.,stampede tonce set in. But Melba was the Marguerite of the night, aud she promptly stepped in front of the curtain as it temporarily fell, being luckily ready dressed, though of course she does nob appear (save as a distant vision) till Act 11. She reassured the audience, who resumed their seats. In a few moments the curtain again rose, and the performance proceeded as if. nothing had happened.