ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14052, 25 May 1911, Page 4

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Cfbom ora owx corkespokdbst.) LONDON, April 13. "John Bull" has discovered in a daily paper in "what is supposed to bo the ultra-loyal colony, New Zealand," ono of those advertisements which have mado- Canada so unpopular in England:—"Butcher, good all-round, wanted; no English chum need apply." Somo time ago it was announced that there wonld nrobably. bo no New Zealand concert "at the Crystal Palace in connection with tho Festival of J-m----pire. Two reasons were urged, the first the alleged lack of any New Zealand comix>sers, ai-d the second i paucity of New Zealand musicians. Fortunately, these excuses were noticed by Mr Cunningham Bridgeman, ivho spent some time in New Zeuland with Ins brother, tho American Consul in Dunedin, and he at once assured Dr. Con-en that not only had that Dominion a battalion of talented musicians in London, but it had also, in Mr Alfred Hill, a composer whose work would stand creditable comparison with that of the other Dominions. As a consequence, there will probably he, on July 18th_ a concert worthy of New Zealand. The latest scheme in Imperial projects is an Overseas Club, which has already obtained distinguished support. Its purport is to encourno-e >vi intimate and sympathetic knowledge of the British Dominions, and it intends to devote special attention to social problems. The interchange of Imperial scholarships is one part of its promised activities. The club wll not be purely "social," but it will seek the aid of social tics to promote aims* of Imoerial importance. Tliere will also be a business bureau. An important feature of the institution will be tho denartment to keep an oversight of children who may, be sent to England for educational purposes. It is hoped tliat suitable premises in Piccadilly will shortly be obtained. The number of original members will be limited to four hundred, with a subscription of five guineas. Afterwards the subscription will be seven guineas, with an "entrance fee of a similar amount. Tlie Imperial Overseas Club is at present being directed from 90 Jermvn street. Tho value of the South African preferential rebate on British goods in 1910 amounted to £594,297, made up as follows:—To the United Kingdom £539,405, to Canada £15,462, to Australia £38,051, and to New Zealand £1379.

The general understanding of the Declaration of London is still hopelessly meagre. Even men engaged in shipping aro frequently quite in the dark as to what the Declaration provides. An interesting noint is put by a correspondent in "Fair Play": "The Declaration first says by article l * 23 that food is conditional contraband, it then says, by article 33, that such contraband is liable to capture if shown to bo destined for the armed forces or a government department, unless in tbe latter case they cannot in fact.be used for the war in progress (suppose, for instance. Great Britain were engaged in a European war and no troops were being raised in New Zealand, a destination to a New Zealand Government department would raise no presumption that the food was going to bo used by Great Britain in her waiO; it then, by article 44, says that the presumption that the destination was the trooDS or. navy arises if thc goods are consigned to enemy authorities, to a trader who is notoriously a government contractor, to a fortified place, or to a naval or military base." „