ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13104, 1 May 1908, Page 8

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(frum orn special correspondent;) LONDON, March 20 : 1908. Pe£»iengcrs by the s.s. Athenic on

her recent voyage from New Zealand , included Mr E. S. Laversedge (Christclmich) and his two daughters; they ti-'l nte they had a very pleasant passage. After spending a few-weeks in London they will go into Somerset to stay with friends, returning to town again ii, time for the opening of the FrancoBritish Exhibition at Shepherd's Bush. Aα they expect to bo back in New Zealand by August, their stay in tho United Kingdom will Iks only of come three months' duration. Mr and Mrs A. E. Flower (Christchurch) came Homo by the s.s. Peparoa, arriving after an excellent trip. During tho seven or eight months at their disposal they intend to visit a number ot' centres of interest in the British lies and on the Continent, particularly (scholastic institutions. Just

ito-w, Mr and Mrs Flower aro staying :\t Bedford with Contain Wood. Tlit? Turin Academy of Science has recently conferred upon Dr. Ernest Rutherford, Professor of Physics at; . Victoria University, Manchester (forI merly of Nen- Zealand), tho Bressa ; prize of £384. J I hear that Mr Gilbert Anderson (kto cf Christchurch) has been appointed by tho Now Zealand Government to represent tho Dominion at the International Congress of the Refrigerating which is to tako place in Paris from the 17th to 23rd iS»>ptombcr—not Juno, as had originally been mentioned. Mr Anderson has "boon connectod with the industry from the inception of tho trade and is well-known ne a strong advocate of tho benefits of refrigeration and meat inspection. Tnc inaugural meeting of tho now circle, tho "United Colonial Circle"—a i union of Australian, Canadian and New Zealand interests—was held lately, -Mrs Roy-Batt initiating tho proceedings, and being subsequently invited to become its first president. Tho following New Zealand ladies were elected : —Vice-president, Mrs Percy jl/eake; council, Mrs Chosney, Mrs E. ' Orossmahn, Mts Pharazyn, Mrs Alfred Philip, Miss M. H. Reynolds, Miss V. \ Reynolds, and Mrs Downie Stewart. The first inaugural dinner is announced for. May llth, whon Lady Frances Bal- ; tour will occupy the chair, antl Mrs Alfred. Lyttelton will bo , ono of tho speakers. Tho High Commissioner for New Zealand will represent his Dominion at three important conferences, to be held abroad in. May. Ono is the International Telegraph Conference, to tako place at Lisbon, tho second is the International Agricultural Conference, to bo held at Itomo, and tho third will tako place at Brussels, the subject for discussion being Polar Research. Callers this week at the London, Office of the New Zealand. Government have included:—Mr Clement W. Govett (New Plymouth), Miss Grace Joel (Dunedin). Mr L. M. Reynolds (Christchurch), Mr Allison Smith (formerly of Dunedin and ■ Christchurch), Mrs A. llobinson ("Wellington), Mr Hamilton Gould (Christchurch), Mr E. 8. Lever-j sedgo (Ohristchurch), Mr and Mrs A. l<). Flower (Christchurch), Miss M. E. Warren (Welllinigton), Miss Barker (Wellington). . Mr L. M. Reynolds (Christchurch), who has served his time as an electrical CiHginwr ■ with Messrs A. and T. Burt (uumxiin) has just come to England to gain experience in his profession, and to go through one of the principal colleges here. Ho will remain in England for about a year, and they go across to America, for further experience still. s Over i'he signature the following letter appears tihis morning in the London "Morning Leader": — '•'Liko many others, I hsive been t3xinikin°c very seriously about emigrating. I have gone through the Government liandbooks on Canada and New Ze>a/land; and; taking all tilings into ©on>s [deration', decided u.poh the latter I thought of going in for dairy farming, and expected to get land suitable for pasturo fairly cheap, judging from the prices given in the handbook. A returned emigra-nit, however, strongly advises anyone to stay in England. He says that the prices of land given in the handbooks and other particulars aro inaccurate. The land is? poor, and no good for farming, and instead of being cheap it is quite the reverse. Prices cf provisions are hioh. and altihoiisih they say Now Zealand could supply the 'world, they cannot supply themselves, and have to buy potatoes from America." 'Ho adds: "The- country at present is overdo.n.t>, and even worso than in England. I saw more poverty and slums in proportion to t.Tio . population tliaji in tihis country. This applies to tho principal towns and neighbourhoods of tbo North Island." Such damaigin.2; altagations as these ouoiht to meet with a prompt and oa-tepjorioal official refutation. Brilliant weather prevailed at Nice on Saturday and Sunday, play in the various South of France Tennis Championships proceeding on both days. In the second round of the Gentlemen's Open Doubles, Messrs Wilding and Ritchie defeated Messrs R. J. Stone and W. S. Andrews (6-3, 6-2), but this event is declared to have been' better contested than the score denotes, for all four' played briHiantly, and! each man took his part in tho prolonged rallies. In the semi-final round Wilding and Ritchie had as their opipononts Messrs Widmann and Harrnn, who were disposed ot at 6-1, 6-0. The defeated pair had played well in a previous round, but they were unable to reproduce the same form against the hard hitting of Wilding and Ritchie. The final round came off on Monday, in bright but windy weather; a large number of spectators were present, anxious to see the play between Wilding 'and Ritchie on the one side, and tho brothers Dohe-rty on tho other. Tho Dohertys were not at their best, shortness of practice telling its tale, and Ritchie and Wilding, t»1io played a brilliant game, won by 3 sets to 1, riz.. 6-1. 6-4. 7-0, 6-2, and so are the holders of the Doubles Championship For Nice. The tournament was concluded on Tuesday in beautiful weather, and one of the moat interesting contests was that between Wilding and Ritchie in the final round of the Gentlemen's Singles. In the result Wilding had revenge for his defeat at Mentc.no tiie previous week, for he beat Ritchie this time in a love rubber. The New Zealand player gave a magnificent exhibition of tennis, tho game being one of tho best he has ever given. Ritchie, too. showed ?corl form, but ho was outplayed, and succeeded in winning only three games, tho scores being 6-0, 6-1. 6-2. In the Nice rournament, therefore, Wilding has iron every event for which he entered md by defeating Rifchie in the sinsrles ho retains possession of the south of France Championship in that particular event.