ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11245, 10 April 1902, Page 5

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

(rilOll OUR OWTJ COBBESPtfifDECT.)

LONDON, February 26. "There is deep resentment, in New Zealand circles in London" (writes a 'St. James's Gazette' corrt?s]>ond«it, under the heading "Another Pro-Boer Lie Nailed"), "at a statement which has gone the rounds e£ tihe pro-Boer Press in this country, that the reason so many New Zealanders volunteered for active service in South Africa was because of tae large number cf unemployed in the colony. The object of publishing tha 'information" is, of course, obvious. It suits the pro-Boer book to belittle as much as possible the spontaneous outburst- of patriotism which has been so marked a characteristic of tho unhappy struggle in which the Mother Country has been engaged during the past two years. These lovers of every country but their own stick at nothing to attain their ends, knd they do act iiesi&ite to impute sinister motives to every action that does not fit in with their miserable 'creeds.' Fortunately New Zealand, as well as the other colonies, lias shown tliat it knows exactly what value may 'be attacLed to the utterances and statements of that digue which has striven and is still striving, although with ever-diminishing sxreeess, to bring about another Majuba settlement. It is nevertheless desirable to nail the latest lie to the counter. At the time the first New Zealand Contingent was raised there were few, if any, unemployed in the colony, and none of the contingents contained more than two per cent, of men wlio were out of work when they were enlisted. Ample proof of this can be forthcoming if necessary, but it is hardly likely that those who have found so much comfort in their own explanation of New Zealand's assistance will care to be oonfranted with the facts of the case."

A Loadon paper remarks that "Although much has 'been done to prevent deterioration oE frozen meat cargoes, the proportion of unsound meat is still liighex than it used to be. The cause of tiiis is traced in some measure to the system of eolteefcioa in the oolonies. The same vessel frequently calls at several porte, and as the hatches are removed every time, there is a consequent increaiae in the temperature of the hold which cannot 'be other than harmful. Colour is given to this view from the fact that meat skipped from New Zealand where the vessel loads up at one port only, usually arrives in far better condition than that from Australia."

Writing to a London Anglo-colonial journal witii reference to the cataloguing of colonial wools, a correspondent who eigns himself "Progressive" says: —"NJne-tenths of the wool grown in New Zealand are catalogued 'ex (ship name), New Zealand.' How is any man to 'know from what port these wools have been shipped? A man might give particulars of- a certain clip to an Auckland paper, and still the clip bo grown in Ofcago, when they should be reported to Dunedin. " Several new clip wools were offered last series that were grown in the Napier district in the south-east of the North Island, and yet they were simply, catalogued as coming from 'New Zealand" , How much better would it liave been if these wools had been catalogued as shipped, from Napier. The same applies to Canterbury wools, which are mostly 'shipped from Ly tt&lton,, and yet they are simply catalogued 'New Zealand. , In the case of New Zealand wools, the place at which the wools are taken aboard need only be mentioned, as the district where they are grown can . then be allocated." '

In a farewell ohat which I had with Mr J. Kersey Cooper, that gentleman expressed the opinion that there would be no more booming of New Zeaknd mining until some really payable mines with gpod results could be brought forward', not mere "puffs." "What New Zealand needs," he said, "is to get some really good mines, and then to let the wjiole world know. As it is, very few are really paying, nnd some of those are wider a cloud' for various reasons."

Prom Messrs W. Yfeddel and Co. I hear that the demand -for the best grades of New Zealand and Australian butter has been somewhat quieter this week, owing to the late .advance in prices, .but for inferior qualities the demand continues very brisk. "Choicest" brands may be quoted at XLOs to 112s, and "finest", "brands 104s to 108s. Inferior qualities, selling at about 100s, are in great demand, and "milled" New Zealand butter makes 96s to 100s. .The Oroya, which is the. last vessel carrying butter from Australia this season, is due in a <3ay or two, with only 1218 boxes on board. During the month of March last year Messrs Weddel tell mc 84,554 boxes of "butter were imported from Australia, but this j'ear there will be only 1218. Last March the import from New Zealand was 70,208 boxes, this year it will be 64,200, whichi shows a total deficiency in the import of butter from New Zealand and Australia for the coming month of 89,322 boxes, equal to about 560 tons per week. How this big deficit is to be filled it is difficult to say; At present the Copenhagen official quotation of 100' kroner compares with 96 kroner, at this time last year. The recent rise in the price of Danish butter has checked tba demand in the North of England and in London. Buyera; nearly. everywhere are retailing New Zealand at the same price as Danish, and -ac New Zealand butter can be purchased at a few below Danish, the demand for the latter must necessarily be reduced. However, the great shortage in the supplies from New : Zealand and Australia during the next month must compel buyers to seek their requirements from Danish sources, and, therefore, the check in the .demand is reganted as only temporary. As for cheese, Messrs Weddel report a better tone in the market, with more business doing at firm rates." .

Sir Walter L. Buller, E.C.M!q., F.R.S., is announced as the Chairman of the new Rhodesian Mining Compay, which is to come out hexb week under the title of "The Federated Mines of Rhodesia." The capital is to be £250,000, in £1 shares, £100,000 of which are to be set aside for worJ&ag capital. lam told that the minimum subscription of 60,000 shares was guaranteed in a few hours.