ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10211, 4 December 1893, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[PEOH OTJE LONDON COEEESPONDENT.] London, Oct. 13. PERSONAL.

The Selwyn family have been thrown into sad mourning by the untimely death from typhoid fever of the Rev W. George Selwyn, curate of South Church, Bishop Auckland. Tho young priest who bad just attained the age of twenty-eight was the only son of the Esv W. Selwyn, vicar of Bromfield, Shropshire, and grandson of tho famous Bishop of New Zealand and Lichfield. He was an eloquent preacher. The first of tho experiences related by ex-Inspector Lcnsdown'e in the work on ” Scotland Yard” (which, according to the prevalent fashion amongst retired criminal investigators, he hao just published) deals with a defaulting stockbroker whom he tracked to New Zealand and arrested at Dunedia.

It is abated with some show of authority that tho Queen was anxious to ask Lord Stanmoro (Sir A. Gordon) to become Governor-General of India when Lord Cromer refused the office, and that Mr Gladstone warmly concurred in tho suggestion. On enquiry, however, it was ascertained his Lordship’s health would preclude a prolonged residence in Calcutta.

Mr and Mrs George Roberts, of Christchurch, have arrived in London, and are staying pro tem. at the Hotel Windsor. They will.not remain there long, as they hare determined lo see a good deal of the Old Country whilst at Home, Mr Richard Teece, tho “ eminent New Zealand actuary,” and manager of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, is credited by the Sun with, being about to start a branch of that prosperous concern in London.

Tha impexator of impresarios, the usually irresistible Smyfche, has failed in his'endeavour to persuade G. Grossmifch to visit Australia and Nov/ Zealand. The still youthful G.G. has within four years accumulated a snug fortune, and soys ho ia “ going to retire.” Well, we have heard that tala before. Patti and tho Kendal* and Sims Reeves were all “going to retire” directly years ago; but they are with us still. Whilst he can shake in the shekels as at present— i.e., at the rate of about £IOO per performance—l shall not believe in Mr Grossmith deserting tho footlights. Smytbe will have him still one of these days. In town the other day I ran across Mr Stanley Edwards, who is well known in various quarters of New Zealand, but who of lato resided at Gore. Mr Edwards has only recently arrived Home, and is at present quite uncertain cf his future movements. He may stay with us or return to the Colony, as circumstances dictate. He spooks very Highly of the New Zealand of to-day, and, seeing that he had few of fortune’s smiles ia tha land, and plenty of her frowns, this fact is eminently pleasing. It is a strange fact, however, that amongst the returned Colonists I have had tbs pleasure of meeting, most of those who have made their ‘'pile” in New Zealand are prone to run down the Colony, whilst those who have prospered only moderately sing her praises loudest. Lord and Lady Folkestone, who are going to winter in Australia and New Zealand, and sail by the Ormuz on Nov. 3, must not be confused with their father and mother. Lord and Lady Radnor, who were so long known by that title. Tho Countess of Radnor, &hen Lady Folkstone, was one of the most original entertainers inLondon,and particularly famous for her social “ lions” and her private theatricals. The present Lord Folkestone is M.P. for a division of Wiltshire, and married the daughter of the late Rev H. Chaplin, cf Ryhall, Rutland.

The Venerable Watkin Herbert Williams, M.Ai, Dean of St Asaph, who is just starting on a six months’ tour of the Australias and New Zealand, is a typical Welsh divine. Ho was educated at Oxford, and for many years, 1872-92, held the incumbency of Bodelwydaen, Flint, becoming in turn Archdeacon, Canon, aud finally Dean of St Asaph. Dean Williams is tho author cf a work on tho “ Duties of Churchwardens,” published by Longmans. Lady and Miss Gorsfc, who sailed for the Antipodes by the Aor.iugi yesterday, will be accompanied aa far as Teneriffe by Sir John. He returns; however, in time for the autumn session of Parliament. Lady Florence Lowry-Corry, the second of tha ten fair daughters of Lord Belmore (erstwhile Governor of New South Wales) was married yesterday, with great ceremony, to Lieut.-Colonel John Henry Eden, late of the 19th, or Yorkshire Regiment, commonly called the Princess of Wales’ Own. The .Bishop, of Dover (brother of the bridegroom) officiated. COLONIAL INSTITUTE. The energetic Mr J. S. O’Halloran ia never so well content aa when he hes discovered some new perfection to add to this already, in many respects, model institution. Within the last few weeks a new series of book-cases have been placed in the library which (in these days of increasing Colonial authors) grows rapidly. In the newsroom no fewer than 300 odd Colonial newspapers are now filed, and I may add, for tho information of the senders, that at the end of each year they are sent to the British Museum. P. AND O. COMPANY. Sir Robert Herbert (late Permanent Under -Secretary for the Colonies) and Mr William GairEathbone (of Eathboro Bros, and Co.) have been appointed Directors of the P. and 0. Company. What Sir R. Herbert knows about ships I cannot tall you. Rathbone Bros, at one time ran a line of passenger steamers between Liverpool and Calcutta, bat when slack times came in was stopped aud the vessels sold, Mr William Lidclardale is the senior partner in the London branch of Rathbone Bros, and Co. CONGEEGATIONAL UNION. Several Australian and New Zealand delegates attended the meeting of the Congregational Union, which has been held at the City Temple this week. The President was Mr Albert Spicer, M.P. (well-known to Congregationalists all the world over), and on Monday, after devotional exerciser, he delivered an interesting address entitled “ An Outlook on Congregationalism from the standpoint of a Layman.” Later in the day there was a meeting of the Colonial Missionary Society’?* Conference. Mr W. M. Hitchcock presided, and enlarged on the magnitude of their work, which sought to aid tfceir fellow-countrymen all' over tho world. Some of the Colonies still demanded, and must have, help from the Mother Country, and they had now to consider how these needs were to bo met. The Rev W. S. H. Fielden, Secretary, presented a number of reports, including one from Perth, Western Australia, where a handsome new church, it was stated, io about to bo erected. Mr J. P. Hooten, of New Zealand, asked that two missionaries might be sent out, one to travel tha North and the other the South Island. He proposed a resolution approving the new policy of the Society and commending it to the Churches. This was seconded by Mr Withrington, of Melbourne. In tbo evening the City Temple was crowded to hear the annual sermon to the Union by Mr Walter C. Smith, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland. Taking lor his text bfc John xvii„ the 22nd and 23rd verses, Dr Smith discoursed eloquently of tho glory and unity of the churches; what they really meant and wlii-t cud they bad to serve. THE “ TIMES ” ON THE COLONIAL PASTY. The " T o under cr’s" gessiper on Colonial topics has at length delivered himself (or herself, which P) on the subject of that still rather nebulous Australian party. He says that the prayer, “ Deliver us from r.nc frieudr,” *e one which perhaps you lava had too frequent occasion to offt'r, but that some of your objections to the new Parliamentary faction seem to be basid on a manifest misconception. “ It is asked a little indignantly, whom- will the gentlemen f-rroiag the party represent, ami io whom will tb-y be responsibV ? Evidently they can only represent their own constituents, and will be responsible to tbp-- ordinary way,> 13 they

succeed in making their existence felt as a collective force in Imperial politics, it must be taken as a sign that the British elector is beginning to interest himself enough in Colonial affairs to have an opinion about the Colonial policy he supports. That the influence of New Caledonia in the southern hemisphere, or the establishment of an Imperial penny post, or the advantages of nominated v. elected Governors, will really weigh more than the merits of’local option or antivaccination, employers’ liability, or Parish Councils with the average elector of any British constituency has yet to be proved. Should this happen, what has to be looked forward to as the work of tho new party is the expression in Parliament of British opinion upon Colonial matters. This is very different from the impossible claim with which the party has been credited—to represent Colonial opinion. It is easily conceivable that the Colonies might prefer to see British opinion alike unformed and unexpressed, but as long as the Empire remains one the pretension to care for it and to be interested in its concerneOtnusb be admitted to bo perfectly legitimate.” The writer winds up thus :—“lt is one of the penalties! to be paid for heavy borrowing that the lender should consider himself entitled to interfere a little with the concern in which his money is invested. The antidote to any mischievous results of undue activity at Homo will be a reciprocally increased activity on the part of the Colonies in making their influence felt upon Home affairs. This will be every day more easy as our commercial relations become more important, and the first efface of the existence of a British Colonial Party should be a very considerable addition to the duties and responsibilities of the accredited agents of the Colonies in this country.”