ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIII, Issue 13714, 3 April 1905, Page 9

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

[From Our CoßßssroxDENT.] LONDON, February .17. THE MUDDLE OF THE MAILS. * The deadlock in connection with the Australian mail service continues to monopolise attention in Anglo-Austra-lian circles. Many of the merchants and shippers, it is said, have decided not to send any letters this week, believing that the route via Bombay is too roundabout to be worth while using. " Never since, tho mail service was established," says tho "British Australasian," "'has there been such a deplorablo impasse as that, which has been brought about through the lack of foresight on the part of the Federal Ministry. The whole trade between this country and Australia has become completely "disorganised. - Bills negotiated against goods have had to be locked up in "the bankers' safes, and there is the loss of interest on the money, which will, of course, have to bo borne by the traders. Shipments will be shortly arriving without the necessary advices, and the mercantile community, both in this country and Australia, are powerless." The following letter in the current "British Australasian" londs point to comments on the irregularity of the San Francisco mail service so far as delivery in London is concerned. " Festina Lento" writes:—"At a time when the colonial mail service is attracting so much attention, it may be opportune to record the vagaries of the homeward service from New Zealand ■via San Francisco. According to the most reliable estimates, a period of twenty-nine days should bo sufficient for this route. As a matter of fact, of the last eighteen mails only three have been delivered in that time, and the remaining fifteen have averaged over thirty-two days. On three occasions, including the mail which was delivered in London ?it mid-day on Thursday last, no less than thirty-four days have elapsed from the date of departure from New Zealand. As the outward mail leaves the same week as the inward mail arrives, this delay is frequently the cause of great inconvenience, and it ought not to be a difficult matter to arrange a clear week's interval between arrival and departure while there is only a threeweekly service." AN INCOME-TAX GRIEVANCE. The Council of the Colonial Institute has repeatedly represented the hardships of the levy, within the Empire, cf double income-tax on the same income, and is strongly of opinion that the subject should be brought under consideration at the next colonial conference. "The existing system,"

it says in its annual report, '' undoubtedly giver, rise to widespread irritation, and is a serious obstacle to the investment of the surplus cnpital of the. Mother Country in British possessions beyond, the sens." As far back as April 1896 tho Council urged the Chancellor of tho Exchequer to exempt from income-tax in the United Kingdom such income as was earned in any. other part of the Empire, provided that such income had already been charged with income-tax in that part of the Empire where it was earned. Tho Treasury estimated that to grant-the concession would involve ;i loss to the Imperial revenue of £.500,000, and the. request was refused; but it has been pointed out that tho apparent loss would probably be more than counterbalanced by additions to tho revenue in other directions resulting from increased trado and the stimulus which the relief asked for would give to the investment of capital in the colonies. The Council is convinced that the timo has now arrived when this question should bo seriously considered by iiis Majestj''s Government.

PRIVY COUNCILS APPEAL CASES. Tho New Zealand appeal case Riddiford v. tho King, was deeTded by the, Judicial Committee of the Privy Council last Friday- The original" action which led to tins appeal was brought by the Crown to recover certain lands in the provincial district of 'Wellington, known as allotments 18 and 19, section XL, Lower Hutt district. Mr E. J. Riddiford, who had boon in possession of the lands in dispute for many years, defended tho action, and resisted the claim of the Crown on various grounds. In the Supreme Court tho action was dismissed by Mr Justice Edwards, who tried the case without a jury. His decision, however, was reversed in the New Zealand'Court of Appeal, and, there- judgment was given for the Crown. There were no facts in dispute, nor was the case, in their Lordships' view of it, embarrassed by any difficult questions of lav,-. The land in question was originally bought through the New Zealand'Company in 1839, but in ISSG it reverted to and became, vested in the Crown. Allotments 13 < and 19 seem to have been left derelict until 1870, when a man named Braithwaito filtered noon the land and hold possession until 1885, when he sold his interest to Riddiford for. £75 and executed a conveyance to him. Thus tho appellant, iu their Lordships opinion, might be taken to have a. title by possession going back to 1870, but no further. After reviewing the hist-orv of the property, aiul giving a summary of the principal statues and ordinances bearing on the case, the Privy Council judgment dealt with the arguments advanced on either side, and concluded as follows:—The defendant was.- in possession of Crown property; but he hr.d not been _in possession long enough to acquire _ title against the Crown. He was simply' an intruder, without any right, title, or equity to support his claim. Their Lordships, therefore, were of opinion that the iudgment of the Court of Aoueal ought to be affirmed, and they would humblv advise bis Majesty accordingly. The appellant would pay the costs of the appeal. Mr Asquith, K.C., and Mr \nughanHawkins were counsel for the appellant ; Mr Haldanc, K.C., Mr H. D. 13ell, and Mr G. .11. Northcote for the respondent. . The Judicial Committee of tho Privy Council is at present engaged on a New Zealand appeal of more than ordinary interest. It is in the case of the Nov,' Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., v. William Reid. The appeal is from the decision of a majority of tho New Zealand Court of Appeal m ;u; action brought by Mr Reid to set aside an agreement' made between the parties, and obtain a re-assignment of certain mortgages:' ""The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, who are now the appellants, had exercised an option to sell the securities. Mr l?eid entered his action in the New Zealand courts to sot a.vide the option, and judgment was given in his favour. On appeal, this decision was upheld _by a. majority of the judges. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile AgeTicy Co. now appeal to the Prip' Council. The hearing lasted a full week, and judgment was reserved. JOTTINGS. The United Empire Club, wWh was recently started by the Tariff Reform party, and which is housed in the premises of the old South African @lnb at 84, "Piccadilly, has just been turned into a limited liability company, with a capital of £SOOO, in £5 shares. The Royal Colonial Institute ended its first year in 1869 with a membership of 174 and an income for the year of £1224 14s od. In 1872 the income was only £478. But since then the membership has risen to 4472, and the annual income to £7628. According to the " Times " the Board of Trade ftdvisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence have in contemplation the despatch of a commercial mission to Australia, and New Zealand on similar lines as those recently undertaken to South Africa and other destinations. The principal objects of the mission will bo to ascertain tho extent and degree of effectiveness of the coinpetition which British goods have to meet in the Australian market with a view to the indication of such further openings as may exist, for British trade in that quarter: but the Commissioner to be appointed will also be charged with the duty of nominating, for the consideration of the department, suitable persons in the different colonial centres to act as permanent correspondents of the commercial branch of the Board of Trade. Precise and detailed instructions under both heads will, of course, be furnished to the Commissioner, lb is anticipated that the conduct of the mission will occupy about twelve months; and that the cost, including travelling and remuneration to the Commissioner, will not exceed £1250. The King has been pleased to accept a copy of Mr \V. H. Maxwell's lecture on "British Progress in Municipal Engineering," just published by Messrs Archibald Constable and Co., Ltd., and now available for reading before technical societies, chambers of commerce, and like institutions in all parts of the world. The object of this lecture project, initiated by Mr Ben H. Morgan, is • the promotion and expansion of British trade in colonial and foreign markets, by means of lectures written by loading experts and illustrated by lantern slide views, showing the progress which Great Britain has made in recent years in various industries. Copies of the lectures and sets of lantern slides will l)e sent free of charge on loan for reading before responsible societies in any part of the world, on application to Sir Morgan, at Orchard House, "Westminster, London.