ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES,

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7372, 25 January 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES,

(From Our London Correspondent.)

LONDON, December 13.

The "Nursing Record" congratulates the nurses of N.Z. on the professional status accorded to them by the Nurses Registration Bill, and reminds them that responsibility is inseparable from privilege, and that State registration is the starting point,' not the goal of their professional progress.

Dr. Bakewell writes to the "Speaker" suggesting cnat the Boer war might be finished in similar fashion to the Maori war, viz., withdraw the troops, arrange an informal armistice with the Boers, allot a small portion of territory to them, and arrange that any person attempting to pass the boundary line on either side might be shot at sight. The "Spectator," Mr Bakewell tells us, declined to publish his letter. No wonder. Surely the doctor doesn't expect us to take his suggestion seriousty, and English journals don't like having "their leg pulled."

Englishmen are very fond of poohpoohing' New Zealand's "experiments," but I notice that when a sound commonsense reform is required the little Antipodean colonj r — beg pardon, State — is generalty the country from which a precedent is sought. When Mr Rossik. the Surveyor-Gene-ral under the Boer Government, wai giving evidence the other day before the Commission in the Transvaal inquiring into the working of the Gold Law, and expressing his opposition to free prospecting on private lands, the chairman, Mr Richard Solomon, read to him the safeguards provided by N.Z. laws protecting owners against damage by prospectors. Mr Rossik at once admitted that such safeguards would minimise his objections. Another trick for the "experimenters."

I am glad to be able to report at last that Messrs. Cadman and Smith have made final and definite arrangements with a^ leading London firm to float a private company to develop the iron and steel industry of X.Z. with. a capital of £500,000, of which £250,000 will be working capital; there will be a reserve fund, arid the balance of the capital will be used in acquiring the concessions and in the expenses connected with the erection of extensive works. As there are a few details in connection with the concession that require arrangement on the spot, Mr Cadman will return with Mr Smith by •the Karamea on the 19th, and attend to these matters himself in the colony, returning, if required, to England in March to make final arrangements.

Mr Smith is expecting to receive early next week from Sheffield some finished articles of cutlery made from Taranaki ironsands, in the shape of surgical instruments, amputating knives, razors, and carvers, of which the manufacturers speak in high terms. A pair of carvers in a box of N.Z. ornamental woods is, I believe, destined for "King Richard" himself. The carvers are guaranteed to glide through even the meat supplied to the Newtown Park encampment.

A few days ago an application was made to Mr Justice Wright in re New Zealand Trust and Loan Company, Ltd. In this ease the Company petitioned for the sanction of the Court to a reduction of its capital under the Companies Acts, 1867 and 1877. Mr Justice Wright said that the pagers appeared to be in order, but that a very large reduction was proposed. Mr Macnaghten, one of the counsel for the petitioners, said that the assets were large. He asked that the order might not be produced to the Registrar until December 28, by which time the money would be in hand which would be required to make the returns to the shareholders involved in the reduction. Mr Justice Wright, sanctioned the reduction, aud intimated that the order might be kept backas desired. He also allowed the company to discontinue any further use of the words "and reduced" as part, of its name.

If it were not impertinent, I should like to pat iae Government of Queensland hard on the back, for they have recognised in a practical fashion a duty which every Australian Government, through its Minister of Mines, should perform, viz., that of warning the British investor against "wild cat" promotions which within their knowledge are being "readied" for the Home market. On December 4 papers were laid upon the table of the Legislative Assembly referring to an article on the Great Northern Copper and Gold Mining Company of Queensland, which had appeared ir a ] i-per published in England, called "British Mining," of September 18. The Gold Warden and Inspector of Mines at Rockhampton recently visited the field,, and reported adversely upon the prospects of this enterprise, ami. the Government intimated their intention of publishing all letters and reports, . as they considered that if tne people were not warned harm might be done to the Queensland mining industry. This is the sub-

stance^ of a telegram received by the Agent-General, and L r Horace. Tozer hasidone his duty by communicating the same to the committee of the Stock Exchange, who have had it posted in the building.

The announcement that the manager oi' the National Bank of Australasia has joined the Board of the X.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) raises a point in connection with bank management -of interest alike to shareholders and the public. Thereon the "Globe" says: "So far as can be ascertained there is no precedent for a bank manager accepting a seat on the Board of any other company; indeed, the duties of a manager in these times are sufficiently exacting to admit his employers demanding that the whole of his time is at their disposal. But it would seem that the Board of the X.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency has been pre\iously recruited from the officials nf the National Bank of Australasia, since the name of Mr W. W. Oswald (the present manager's predecessor) in office) appears to have a seat on the N.Z. Company's Board."

Our latest volunteer corps, the "King's Colonials" to wit, has received ;•„ signal mark of Royal favour in th:.^ the Prince of Wales has accepted the honorary colonelcy of the regiment. His appointment was duly gazetted last Friday evening, and on the morrow Lieut.-Colonel Willoughby Wallace, the commanding officer, issued a ;iea to "Colonists and those connected in any way with the colonies, who are residing in the United Kingdom," to assist in placing the corps on a sound financial basis, either by subscribing annually to the regimental funds, by donations, or by making presentations of some of the various military requirements. The qualifications- for commissions and enrolment in "The King's Colonials" are as follows: — 1. Subjects of the British Crown who by birth, parentage, or residence have been or are connected with any British colony or dependency. 2. Those who have rendered special service to any British colony or dependency, or to "The King's Colonials," at the discretion of the commanding officer. It is intended to divide the regiment on the following broad lines: — (a) British-Asian squadron. (b) British-American squadron (including West Indies). v. j British-Australasian squadron. (d) Britisn-African squadron. I sincerely hope that "the discretion of the Commanding Officer" will not yield too often to mere donations to the corps' funds. The sweep of the regimental net is quite wide enough as it is, and the "signal service" door ought to be carefully guarded now that the Prince of Wales has linked his name with the corps. Snobs with money are almost certain to be drawn to the corps by the magic of H.R.H.'s name, especially as there seems to be a good chance ol the "King's Colonials" taking a prominent part in the coronation junkettings. Even the naive announcement that each application for a commission in the new regiment will be considered "on its merits" will not scare "gilded lickspittles" off.

The date fixed for the coronation, .26th June, was the date originally fixeu for the coronation of Queen Victoria, but rejected by her as being the anniversary of the death of her uncle, oeorge IV. Her coronation did take place on Thursday, 28th June, 1838, the "Vigil of St. Peter, and a fast day — a fact which gave offence to many of the High Church party, then just springing into prominence under the influence of the Tractarian Movement. Thursday, the day of the week selected by the King for his coronation, was also the coronation day of Stephen, John, Richard H., Charles 1., James 11., William and Mary, Queen Anne, George IV., William IV., and Victoria.

King Edward's coronation day will also be the anniversary of Cromwell's installation as Lord Protector in the chair of Scotland, which was brought out of the Abbey for the purpose into Westminster Hall on Friday, 26th June, 1657. The 26th June will be the very centre of what should be the most festive season that London has seen for a long time. It will be between Ascot and Henley, and a fortnight before that smart society gathering, the Eton and Harrow cricket match.

Whether the great procession through the streets will precede or follow the coronation ceremony is not yet definitely decided. It is quite on the cards that the Fleet-street, Ludgate Hill route, which has only journalistic convenience to recommend it, -rill be given the go-by, and the broad Holborn thoroughfare, by ■which, the Prince and Princess of Wales went to the Guildhall the other day, adopted; also that the '97 Jubilee route on the south side of the river will be followed, so that tht procession will traverse a distance of about 14 miles. It is suggested that Their Majesties will call at Westminster Hall on their way back to Buckingham Palace f ar.a short ceremonial, probably the raising- of the King into his seat in Westminster Hall the most Teutonic part of the ceremonies connected with the coronation, and the act by which the second estate of the realm elected a King. If this be so, it would surely be a

simple and graceful thing to arrange, for the return of the procession to Buckingham Palace by way of Vic-toria-street, past the London homes of nearly all the self-governing colonies. A strong attempt will probably be made by the colonial representatives to induce the King in oa« of his Royal pageants to approach. < r l<-ave Westminster Abbey by way oL Victoria-street. The name of ihi 1 Loroughfare, its breadth, and col ■ r.'ial associations, and the fact that it lads direct to the main entrance '.1 the Abbey, entitle it. to .favourable consideration. It has never yet been honoured by a ceremonial Royal progress, and its selection on so great an occasion would be hailed as a graceful compliment to the Britaina beyond the seas.

LONDON, November 29.

The "Glasgow Scottish Farmer" thinks that in last month's consignment of Shropshire sheep by the Waiwera to Messrs Seth Smith and Aitken, of Auckland, New Zealand, breeders will hate the nucleous of the best and most valuable strains of blood.

The Agent-General has been asked by. the Government to select a Balneologist for the Thermal Springs. It will be remembered that he was in treaty with a capable man some time ago, but the latter did not consider the terms offered by the Government sufficiently remunerative. I understand that the salary offered has been increased.