ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10267, 9 February 1899, Page 5

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

_»_ (FROM OT7K OWN COBRESPONTJEKT.) LONDON, December 30. - In "The Times" this week a most in* teresting discussion has been carried on, the subject being "Industrial War: A Danger to tho State." The controversy arose at the instance of the Bishop of Hereford, who may almost be looked upon as one of Mr W. P. Reeves's converts to compulsory arbitration, and who refers to the "beneficent results" which have followed the New Zealand measure. Now, there is no higher authority on the subject here than Sir Edward Fry. who docs not agree with Dr. Percival; he therefore replies to the Bishop, and points out, that while those responsible for the New Zealand Act aTer it is a success, colonists are equally sure that it has driven out capital and done harm. Tho division of opinion. Sir JKdwnrd holds, is fatal to New Zealand, evidence being taken as a guide. He adds, that tho colony, being largely pastoral and. agricultural, Mr Reeves's Act can only have touched a fringe of the population. Professor Steudnvvn Aldis. joining in the fray, quotes from the "New Zealand Herald," the "Christchurch Press," and other exponents of public opinion, and gives material support to fc>ir Eαward Fry's eontentiou. And now Sir Edward Reed, exChief Constructor of the RoyaflSary, and Junior Lord of the Treasury, under Mr Gladstone, contributes his pen to warn workers. Such a pretty debate as this has not appeared in tne London Pi-ess for a long time. Of course there has been considerable editorial comment on the discussion, "Tho Times" agreeing with Sir Edward Fry, whi'.e the "Pall Mall Gazette," taking Mew Zealand as an example, says: "A comparison between a microscopic colonial organism and ths vast machinery ot British industry is simply fantastic." On various occasions 1 iuwe reterred to the numerous and strange and varied applications which are received at the New Zealand Agency-General. For some little time past theso seem to have converged into a single groove, and have assumed the shape of entreaties to be supplied with New Zealand stamps. The applicants always take it for granted that an immense amount of correspondence is received from New Zealand by the Agent-General, and, further, that this correspondence must necessarily bear stamps various and innumerable. While the former notion is tolerably accurate, tho latter one, unluckily for the petitioners,- is erroneous, seem" that all the correspondence of the Agent-General is paid for periodically in bulk, and does not cany stamps at all. Mr Alexander Young has issued a circular to the debenture-holders of the New Zealand Midland Railway Company, stating* that according to caDle advices the application to the Colonial Court to establish the debenture- holders' right to the railway has lias been heard, and the decision reserved. "The New Zealand Government's newly developed objection to recognising the rights of the debenture-holders is not easy to understand, and it would be much better if a satisfactory solution of the dispute could be arrived at without recourse to legal proceedings, which, may be protracted," comment? "The Times." Penny postage, in its partial colonial phase, came into operation on Christmas Day. No change has been more widely writen about, and yet there are vast numbers who appear to be ignorant of it, in other words, who never read the newspapers. To ' places to which the .reduced rate applied there waa a proportion of five to every tlurtyeix correspondents who put a 2Jd tamp upon their "letters instead of Id, the number of letters to the reduced-rate colonies, posted on Sunday, being £>uuO with the old postage, and 36,000 with a Id stamp. New Zealand occupied a very consid.erabla portion of a lecture on "Sheep Farming Poet, Present, and Future," delivered! . re* cently by Mr Alexander Willison, at the Dallmsllington Herds Fair. The picture drawn by the lecturer as to the Home industry was rather dark, both in relation to wool and mutton, owing, in a great measure, to tho extension of crossbred wool growing in your colony, and the proposed erection oi cold etores in, London by the-"New Zealand Government. Some little time ago Mr Wigram sent to "The Times" a with NewZealand aa a field , for emigration. Rather • late in the day, another writer, who subscribes himself "A New Zealander," replies He holds that the traders in the colony ape out of proportion to the agricultural and toral population, and that there are sum- . cent shops in each of the towns to do three times the amount of business now done. And as to there being inducements for capitalists to start manufactories, he believes that a larger percentage of manufacturers have failed in the colony than ant , other .class. For'those intending to follow Mr Wigram's suggestion, "it would be well for them to consider the class of Government they are likely to bo unuer." The present Government "already run a variety of businesses; they act as trustees and executors; lend money to all classes on land and all sorta of securities if the, borrower is of the right , colour; they control the railways and'axe now , bringing in a Bill to take over the fire insurances of the colony. If Mr Wigram's misguided friends go out to start factories they, will find themselves dragged before a Conciliation Board, or an Arbitration Court, whenever it may suit any of their workmen, or the leaders of a union, to 'take them there, and altogether they can look , forward to a lively and entertaining time. , ' ' After delivering himself in this wise, "A New Zealander" predicts that the colony will go ahead, though emigration will not help ib.. • . ~ Mr William Warnand Carlile,, writing to the "Spectator," contributes an instructive -. criticism of the rate-aided hows© scheme oi the London County Counoil. Ney Zealand, he thinks, has something , to offer in the way of instruction. Taking the village settlement project- of Mr Ballance's Government, he gives hia "experience as a member of the I Land Boards in'the Wellington - and Hawke'u •. Bay districts. From the nature of the scheme be points out it is easy to see what connection arcea between such a system o? disposing of Crown lands and political corruption, and it will be interesting to observe how much of Now Zealand experience repeats itself in London. In the districts in the colony with which he waft connected, 90 per cent, of the original settlers sold out, and, Mr Carlile adds, in cases, within hie own knowledge "they obtained from £10 to £12 an acre for the goodwill of their holdings without having expended a single shilling of moneyupon it:, the Governmentin fact might have put' their hands into the Treasury and made them presents of from £200 to £500 out of tiife Consolidated Fvtod.