COLONIAL QUESTIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10308, 29 March 1894, Page 5

COLONIAL QUESTIONS.

FSeecxal to Press Association!) LONDON, March 27. Sir Thomas M 1 llwraith has arranged to deliver an address to the Colonial Parliamentary party within the precincts of the House of Commons. Sir John G-orst suggests that in future all prominent colonial politicians visiting England should be invited to address the party. The Westminster Gazette, referring to the Postal Conference in Wellington, considers it absurd to make England’s concession respecting penny postage dependent on Australian finance. The Fall Mall Gazette states that H.M.S. Crescent will not be the flagship on the Australian station, and that H.M.S. Orlando is to be recommissioned for three years. Mr Huddart has secured the cooperation of the Grand Trunk and Pacific Railway Companies in support of his Atlantic service. London financiers are convinced that the scheme will be successfully floated. Five of the best shipyards have offered to build the necessary vessels. ... March 28. H.M.S. Rapid and Lizard have been recommissioned on the Australian station. Sir J. Vogel, in a letter to the Times, suggests that instead of Great Britain providing a third of the Pacific cable subsidy, it would be better to guarantee to keep the cable in repair by equipping two vessels on the Pacific station for the purpose. Ho also urges that a cable should be laid from South Africa to Australia. Admiral Colomb, in a letter to the Times, says that the British taxpayer will never undertake the increased obligation of naval protection for the Canadian and Australian sea trade while the Colonies virtually pay nothing. PARIS, March 27. Le Temps states that the Sydney story of the Petrel massacre is untrue and circulated in the interests of the English who are ambitious to possess the New Hebrides, and desire a chance to denounce and break the Convention. It says that the population, including Elate and Sandwich, is 60 English and 150 French, and that surely the French have some rights there.