ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12570, 3 August 1901, Page 4

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

..—l ■— NEW ZEALAND GIVING THE WORLD A. LEAD. . ;[Fkoji Our Cobresx , ondbnt.] LONDON, June 28. New Zealand has been very much »i evidence this week. ' The paper:? are full of pictures of-her .towns,'and if occasionally "a'view of Wellington from the wharf is described as Christchurch from tho. Cathedral tower, and if we are informed that on the way to Dunedin the Duke and Duchess obtained a magnificent panoramic view of •the Kaikouras glistening m the sun; or that “ the climate is so equable, even as far south ns Christchurch, that all trees are evergreen, and a stranger has to be informed whether it is summer or winter,” at least New Zealand has not once been mixed up with Australia or Tasmania. The versions or perversions of the Maori names must have made Sir Walter Boiler’s hair i stand oh end, and I fear that the Duke’s reported reference in Wellington to his delightful impressions of "Te Ink Man,” coupled with his subsequent gift of a. gold and silver inkstand to Mr Sedcloh, will give the,man in the street the idea that ink is one of New Zealand’s staple products. But these are small matters. What is of importance is the' fact that the English people have read day by day in their morning papers of the’enthusiastic and loyal reception given to,our future King and Quern by the New Zealanders, and have learned that Socialism and advanced democracy, instead of weakening patriotism and loyalty to a personal Sovereign, have strengthened those characteristics, and made New Zealanders as staunch Imperialists as ate to. be found in any part of the Empire. And more. A Commission appointed by a Conservative Government has advised that the Government should in ' South Africa adopt the policy of compulsory purchase initiated by New Zealand in her Land Act of 1894. In sooth, wo have advanced since tho days ■when that pbiicy was predicted to be the only prelude to wholesale confiscation. The day may not be so very far distant rvben a Liberal Government in England will include such a measure in its programme., Mr, Seddon’s thunder, too, has reverberated round the British Empire for the past few. days, and wherever English is spoken his denunciation of those who encourage the continuance of the war as aiders and abettors of murder has been hailed with acclamation. Even in the Mother of Parliaments have his words resounded- When Mr Lloyd-George, ever .ready to charge his iellow-countrymen with the grossest cruelty tincl the most brutal barbarity, put on Tuesday a provocative pro-Boer question as to : the rebels in Cape Colony, Mr Oathcart .Wasou promptly chuntered the query by asking the Secretary for War whether he had seen a report of Mr Seddon’s state-, ment. “Order! Order!” resounded from the pro-Boers, but the attention of the House bad been effectually directed to the speech. Mr Seddon’s. outspoken utterances have been well-timed. His expression of the determination of the colonies not to be humbugged by such mistakes as that of the transport officer who sent the Fourth Contingent to Wellington .instead of to the Bluff, will doubtless have ,the attention of Lord ■ Roberts and the War Office authorities, while his advice to British manufacturers, to study local requirements and ha more prompt in their dealings, might well be issued as a circular. The “ Chronicle’s ” correspondent supports Mr Seddc-n’s statement, and declares that the procrastination of the British manufacturers is unbearable, and that New Zealanders are convinced that if .Great Britain does not wake up at once, America will “mop up” the British trade in Australasia as she has done in the East. Mr Seddon is nearly always effective when he : speaks by cable, and, he has a remarkable instinct for the precise psychological moment. NEW ZEALANDERS AT LAWN TENNIS,

A couple of New Zealanders figured among-.the entrants for tho Gentlemen’s Singles Championship at tho All England Meeting held at Wimbledon this week. They were Mr C. E. Nedwill, son of the popular Christchurch medico, who is studying tennis and other things at Cambridge, and Mr H. A. Parker. In the opening heats Mr. Parker drew a bye, and in the second round managed to put B. Hillyard, of Putnev, out of court after a close and exciting game, the scores being—2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2,-11-9. In the third round, however, the,New Zealander received his quietus at the experienced hands of Mr A. W. Gore, of the AH England Club, who whipped • him thus: 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Meanwhile. Mr Nedwill, who also secured a bye in tlie opening series, met in the, second round Mr W. 0, Crawley, of Oxford. Tho two ’Varsity man played a very “in-and-out” game, but finally Mr Nedwill won by three sets to two, the figures'being—lo-8, 6-0, 1-6, • 0-6, 6-4 in his favour, but, like his compatriot, he met his Waterloo in the third series, Mr G. M. Simond, of the AH England l Tennis. Club, winning three sets off the, reel against the New Zealander, the scores being—6-1, 6-3, 6-0. MR W. REECE. Mr W. Reece (Christchurch) looked in fine fettle when I met him at the AgencyGeneral last Wednesday. The genial exMayov, and his wife and eldest son, arrived from America last week, just after the New Zealand dinner, and have taken up their abode in the Bloomsbury district. Mr and Mrs Reece are sitting for the portraits, Which are to be the presentation' from the Christchurch people, to Mr Hugh C. Riviere, a rising young artist, and son of Mr Briton Riviere, RfiL This occupation will take up a large proportion of their mornings in the three weeks allotted to London. At the end of next month, the Glasgow Exhibition in particular, alid Scotland in general, will be their objective. Mr and Mrs Reece spent a couple, of months in.the States, nearly half of which, time was devoted to .the Buffalo Exposition, which Mr Reece describes as a fine show architecturally and spectacularly, but disappointing from the industrial and business point of view. At the dedication of the Exposition (why not Exhibition),, they beard Vicepresident Roosevelt,speak—and “speak like a fighting man.” At Ichaoa, they picked up Mr E. T. Reece, Mg Reece’s eldest son, who as to assist his father in the business, and who has been studying at the Sibley Engineering College of Cornell University. Mr Reece was much struck by the splendid technical instruction, theoretical and practical, given students, and the completeness of the mechanical appliances there, every kind of power—water, steam, electricity—being represented. Theory and practice go hand in hand, so that a previous or ■ subsequent apprenticeship, in a foundry or workshop, is rendered unnecessary. Mr Reece has left his second son, who is to be an electrical engineer, at the same institution for a four years course. The President of the University (Mr Schunnp) was. a member of the Commission appointed to report on tho Philippines, In New York, Mr Reece went to a big meeting in the Cooper Union, a large block of buildings built by a philanthropist for educational purposes. The meeting was convened by tho Chamber of Commerce and the Labour Organisation, to consider the question of introducing into the Staten a measure similar to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act of New Zealand. No satisfactory conclusion was arrived at, as Mr Qonipers, one of the Labour representatives, voiced the general want of confidence in the judges felt by the meeting. Clearly it is futile to introduce compulsory arbitration if you cannot trust the arbitrator. Mr Reece will bo with us until the end of the year, and bis business address is, care of Messrs T. W. and J. Walker, 36, Gracechurch Street, E.O. PERSONAL AND GENERAL. Mr Oadman has been laid up for tho last few days with ai bad cold, the result of a chill, and is unable to leave his hotel. Mr Smith ia, however, “going strong” on behalf of self and partner. The “ Financier ” interviewed him the other day, and put to him the following query: What about the Old Country? Is it not bad en-ougfo-thatj our ironand -*rteel Industries?

shaU be assailed by an American combine, without our colonies becoming competitors? Mr Smith replied: But Canada has already started operations on a large scale, and ws cannot let our natural resources lie fallow, strong as our sentiment, for the Old Country may be in New Zealand. We desire to have English, rather than American or foreign capital, to develop this industry. Besides, all our appliances will be. of English manufacture, and our development means a flow of money to England, where, by the way, all onr output of gold practically comes. England being rich,_ whilst tho colonies are developing wealth, gets a very large slice of the colonial cake. Tint that is only a fair return for past favours. Mrs Humphry Ward,is writing an introduction to a book entitled, “ The Case for the Factory Acts,” which Mr Grant Richards is about to publish. ~The volume is the work of several writers. Mrs W. P. ReeVes gives 1 an - accont of experiments’ .?n* New Zealand and Victoria; Mrs Sidney Webb deals with “ The Economics of Factory Legislation ” ; Miss . Gertrude Tuckweil describes “ The More Obvious Defects of Our .Factory Code ” ; <ond bliss Clementina Black writes about “Current Objections to Factory Legislation.” Professor T. R. Blunt, the' new French and .German Professor of Canterbury College, and his wife and children, were passengers by ‘.the Whakatahe, which left last Tuesday. , , , : The Agent-General, as representative of the Anglo-New-Zealanders, despatched: the following cable message to the Premier last week:—“ Oh tile occasion of the New Zea-land-dinner. in Rondon, the Agent-General, on behalf of the New Zealanders in the Mother Country, begs respectfully to offer congratulations and loyal wishes to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York on their visit to the cokiny.” Tho Agent-General has received from New Zealand the Maori mat, the result rf a shilling subscription from the people of New Plymouth for presentation to “8.-P.” Mrs Ea'den-Powell will take charge of the mat for the • General.

The “ Janie Seddon ” and “ Lady Roberts,” the new submarine mining vessels constructed for the Government_ by Messrs Ferguson and Fleming, of Paisley, 'were successfully launched at Glasgow the other day. Miss Ada Sinclair Taylor (Christchurch) broke her voyage at Naples, where she spent a month very profitably, visiting Pompeii and the other-sights. Since her arrival in England she has been revelling in music and art, and lias heard Alban-i, Patti, Ada Crossley, Ben Davies, Kennerley Rumford, and several of tire principal singers. Last Saturday she was present at a fine performance of; the “ Golden Legend ” by 3000 performers, at the Crystal Palace. She has also baen the round of the chief art galleries. The voyage has much improved her health, and she means to see as much of England as she can on her cycle. A tour to Germany and Prance is also hi contemplation. Miss Taylor, who is staying at Croydon, is likely to be away from the colony for a year or more. Sir James Prendergast and the other colonial delegates to the Court of Appeal Conference, dined with Mr Chamberlain last Wednesday night. Among the other guests was the; Duke c-f Argyll. After the dinner Sir James looked .in at tho Colonial Institute’s conversazione for a few minutes. Next Wednesday Lord Aberdare, on behalf of the Atlantic Union, null entertain the delegates at dinner at his house in Eaton Square. Among the other engagements of Sir, James is a dinner with the Lord Mayor. Sir James finds his quarters at the Colonial Club very comfortable. Mr Henry A. Pegram’s fine bust of Sir Harry Atkinson is now on view at the Agent-General’s office, where it will remain for the next three weeks in order that Anglo-New Zealanders may have a look at it before it is shipped out to the colony towards the end of July.