AGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXIII, Issue 97, 24 April 1902, Page 2

AGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

PERSONAL ITEMS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 14th March. Very sincere and deep regret is felt and expressed by the New Zeulu.n4ers in London at the leceipt of the sad news of Mr. 0. X elverlou O'Connor's suicide. Ho was so Well known nnd widely appreciated in New Zealand both publioly as a very able and versatile engineer, and privately as a most agreeable and attractive personality, that the intelligence of his budden and tragic death through overwork has come with a sharp and painful shock. Many old friends of the late Mr. O'Connor, beside myself, now reside in England, and among all a,feeling of unfeigned sorrow prevails. Mr. Alfred Mistowski, Mus. Bac, has been appointed musical examiner for New Zealand in the current year to conduct the local examinations under the auspices of Trinity College, London. In every case the examination requirements and standards will be the same as those which aio in force in Great Britain. A very successful pianoforte recital was given by Mr. F. Q. H. Moore at the Victoria Hall, Ealing, W., on Thursday evening. Air. Moore is a young New Zealander who came to England about seven years ago. He immediately resumed his musical studies at the Royal Academy, and in three years obtained the dignity of s>ub-Professor, securing the Walter Macfarron gold medal. Two years ago be took up the position — one which he still holds — of organist at St. Andrew's Church, Mount Park-road, Ealin*. 1 . Mr. Moore is well known to London audiences, having frequently nppcarod at the Queen's Hall, Sit. James's Hall, and the Imperial Institute concerts as solo pianist. At the last leveo held by His Majesty tho King at St. James's Palace, two Ne^\ Zcalandurs had the honour of presentation. They weic Captain 13. Arthur, ot tho Fourth New Zealand Rifle Retihnont, who was presented by tho AdjutantGenpral, and Mr. J. Cathcart Wason, M.P., presented by Lord Ballour of Burleigh. -Mr. W. S. Reid, formerly of Wellington, with Mis. Reid, is back in London, and is staying at 4, Nottingham Place, W. Mr. Reid has just been made an honorary Fellow of the Imperial Institute. It. is stated that when Mr. Seddon visits England this year, a visib to Wales will bo, mooted, a suggestion having bi'di made that he should visit Carrhtf during the festivities on tho occasion of the rnmii-g-of-age of the young Marquis of Bute. Mr. J. L-ijnham Gow and Mr. H. C. Cameron left London this wi-ck for Liverpool, ManrlieMor, and other centres in the .North. They ovpeet to hd away from London for about a fortnight. To-day London papeis have no fewer th.m three cable ws-apes from New Zealand, one occupying nearly half a column. This is indeed a change fromthioo years ago, w hen two or' thieo lines once in n month or tw o supplied all the news of L.^w Zonluiid that uondon papers car-, od to piiml One of to-day's cable messages dwells on Mr. Seddou's "send-oft" from Dunedin. Another recoids his view (hut New Zealand should send a Tenth Contingent. Tho third hets forth his conviction that New Zealand and Australia should do more for a Colonial Navy. Certainly New Zealand is well advertised nowadays — to say nothing of her Premier. [Anu our coi respondent is» po&sibly unaware that the advertising— mainly of the Picmier — ia done lit the cost of a considerable annual bill incurred with Reuters Agency.] -•• *. I hear that Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Reeves intend to give a reception to New Zealand visitois who may come here for tho Coronation festivities. It will be held at tho Imporial Institute some timein June. On Thursday afternoon the list of 40 applicants for the position of Govern-mc-nt Bacteriologist for New Zealand, was gone through, and the number reduced to' Bix A formal selection will Bhortly be made. Recent callers at the Agency-Generul include Mr. C. Prebble, of Napier; Mr. T. Houston, of Duuedin ; Mr. James Patcrsan, Mr. James A. Roberts, of Dunedin j Mr. Alfred Ansell, of Dunedin ; Mrs. D. Rots, of Parnoll $ Mr. H. W. Roll, of Oamaru ; Mr. F. Hyams j Mr. W. J. Robinson, Tinwald ; and Mr. C. Tothill, of Invercargill. FISH ACCLIMATISATION. Referring to the fact that more salmon ova have been sent from the Tay to New Zealand recently, the Daily Telegraph says: — "We doubt very much,whether the Government of the colony are wise in trying to stock their rivers with salmon, for the simple reason that trout have been such an extraordinary success in New Zealand rivers that matters are hardly likely to be improved by the introduction of salmon. Many New Zealand waters feem with trout. Fish of from 61b to 81b are thought* nothing of, and 15-pounders are fairly common, while specimens have been caught far exceeding that weight. Not only has the English brown trout thriven, but so also has the rainbow' trout, which in this colony has proved an extraordinary success; For trout to' thrive in this extraordinary manner they, of course, require' all the food .that the stream can provide for them naturally. Should the rivers get stocked with salmon, they will swarm with samlets and smelts, which will almost certainly clear off the iood, and the trout will go begging, and New Zealand may find itsjelf with second or third rate salmon fisheries in place of the' finest trout fishing in the world. As it is, many of these trout migrate down to the sea, and some of the finest are caught actually 'in the surf at the mouth «df Boino of j the large rivers. Our New Zealand friends should at least consider the policy of leaving well alone. There are not many salmon rivers of importance in Great Britain which produce fine trout." v THE WOOL SALES. On account of the dense fog which prevailed on Tuesday afternoon last, tho opening of the second series of wool sales for the current year was postponed until .Wednesday evening, when three" catalogues comprising 10,519 bales (3885 bales being from New Zealand) were offered. I am told by Messrs Charles Balme and Co. that the attendance of buyers was large, and competition was animated, particularly from representatives of the Home trade. Price? for merino and fine crossbred wool ruled from par to 5 per cent, above the rates current at the close of the January-February series, while for medium and coarse crossbred a rise of 5 to 7$ per cent, over the preceding series was registered. Messrs Balme add that the net available supply for the series consists of 252,10-1 bale 1 * (47,115 being from" Now Zealand), less about 105, 00Q bales in transit, leaving 147,000 bales, to which have been ndded some 15,000 boles of old stock, leaving the available total at about 162,000 bales. NEW ZEALAND BUTTER. By Messrs W. .Weddell and Co. I am informed to-day that the demand for New Zealand butter has improved during the last two or three days and more business is passing. It li oks as if the wholesale houses were rapidly exhausting their

stocks, and would have to come on the market immediately to leplenish their supplies. Values have fallen about 2< during the week, mainly owing to a few holders having become nervous. At ene end, however, (hare is a better lone, and before the Tokomaru's butter is available tlieie will ho considerable .scarcity. "Choicest" brands are now selling at 108s to 110s per cwt., and "finest" remains unchanged at 104s to 108 v The demand for one shilling per pound letail butter has not slackened in tho least. The Huapehu left New Zealand this week with only about 15,000 boxeß on boaid, against the previous vessel's 25,000, and the one beiore that oi 30,000, so that shipments are rapidly falling away. Owing to the demand in New Zealand for butter for South Africa, and for home consumption, it is expected that only two more vessels will bring butter this season. New Zealand cheese is selling at about 2s per cwt. lower than Canadian "choicest" qualities, of which are making 545, with on occasional 555, while "finest" is bringing 61b to 535. Messrs Weddel add that prices for New Zealand cheese are expected to make a furfcjier advance shortly. GILBERT PARKER'S SCHEME. Mr. Gilbert Parker, writing to The Times, advocates the establishment of remount depots in "the four chief colonies —Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand." He thinks that the time will come when tho Commander-in-Ohief will be able to put his finger upon, among othei' places, Auckland, as easily as he docs now upon Edinburgh. I MAORIS AS FIGHTERS. ! Comment is made in the A~fricnfi Review on tho Maori offer to serve at the front, and it is said that it would be "certain they would prove excellent auxiliaries." Their employment, However, would "not be expedient." The Daily Chronicle says it would hardly do to let the Maoris go merely as scouts or trackers, "for if there were any fighting going on in the neighbourhood the Maori could never bo Kept out of the thick' of it. It is said, indeed, that many natives have already succeeded in smuggling ! themselves into the New Zealand Contingents, a fgat easy enough, for the i educated Maori speaks with a pure ac- i cent, and his liirht colour would carry him through among a crowd of sun-tan-ned white men." MISCELLANEOUS. "There is a bull point in New Zealand's (Consols), which is worth a little, ■ and that is that tho prices are below thoso of other Colonials, und it is to bo noted that the gap is closing up," says the Financier. , , "Progress in dairying has been more remaikable in New Zealand than in any other country," says the Standard, deal; ing with the agricultural position. Should a member of the New Zenland Contingent, taking his discharge in South Africa, be desirous to visit Great Britain, n free passago lo England will be given him on the uudertanding that no passage will be provided to New Zealand from England in addition. This is an official announcement made by the Secretary of State for War. A . great amount of interest is being luken in shipping circles in regard to tbe establishment of a direct line of steamers belwoen New Zealand and South Africa, and conjecture is rife as to who will get tho contract. Among those who have tendered, I learn, aie tho New Zealand % Shipping Company, the S.S.A. Company, the Union Steam Ship Compan> of New Zealand, and Mr. Sleigh, of .Melbourne, Mho is spoken of as representing the "Blue Star" Line. Throughout the week it has been several times reported that the last-named has secured the contract. To-day it was confidently stated, in good quarters, that the rumour \Vas correct, and that as a fact jdr. Sleigh's offer hud been accepted. I made special enquiries just as the majl was closing', and I am informed that no? thing has as yet been definitely settled, .