vOLONIAL NEWS BY THE MAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7106, 26 August 1884, Page 6

vOLONIAL NEWS BY THE MAIL.

IntOX OCX OWH 008M3T0KDKXT.] JLosdox. July 17. !jat: German Colonisation Society, estabishfd at Frankfort some eighteen months go, in order to establish trading stations in ijatant parts of the world, as starting points or larger undertaking*, has just issued an .ppeal for support. Though regarded at int with some reserve, if not suspicion, by the Imperial authorities, it met with considerable'support from the public, and now numbers 3360 numbers. Ita influence can fc, dearly traoed in the Chancellor's action With reference to Amgra-Paquena, and in the Important speeches in which he unfolded his views on colonisation, delivered before the Badgst Committee of the Reichstag at the end of June. In view of the faot that the Germans have "trading stations" in Samoa, New Britain, and New Ireland, and on many other islands in the Pacific, the oonftsslon that these are regarded, by the Colonisation Association at any rate, and probably the nation also, as " starting points for larger undertakings " is not without ita significance, and should not bo lost sight of by statesmen at the Antipodes, The most enthusiastic supporters of Verein" are found in the interior of Germany, the seaboard population treating the scheme with comparative indifference.

The banquet given to the Marquis of Noraianby waa a most aris toe ratio affair. The company included two marquises, nine earls, four viscounts, and lords, baronets, and knights galore. Sir B. Stafford waa one of the vice-chairmen, and His Excellency Sir P. Weld was also present. As a colonial demon strati on the banquet waa not a brilliant contrasting moat unfavourably with that given to the outgoing Governor of Victoria, air Henry Loch. The Martinis of 'Konnanby inspired respect, bnt socially he wasnever a popular Governor, and he aeems to have succeeded in offending not a few colonials, several old residents in Victoria, men of wealth and position, resenting very keenly some slighta which they imagined they had received from him. They took a small reyenge by absenting themselves from the banquet in his honour. The tanekaha bark, a product of New Zealand, which is worth £8 a ton in Auckland, ia beginning to be extenaively used in France for oolounng kid gloves. It is said to be unsurpassed by any barks for ita richnesa in tanning principles. The Textile Reoord, whioh that flattering statement, rapports it by quoting the following table ihnwingthw pftmfntagaof tannin contained in the principal barks used aa sources by dyers : —Tanekaha, 25"66 ; hemlock, 95 ; white oak, B*Bs ; quercitron, 6 "47 ; red oak, 5*55 ; .the *»"»-*' leaves, 24 or 26 per cent. The Textile fieoord recommenda the acclimatisation of the tree in California, Georgia, and South Carolina, and ths States bordering on the Golf of Mexico.

The Women'* Emigration Society, which aims at directing the surplus female labour of Great Britain to the colonies, has been constrained to appeal to the publio for a more liberal measure of support than has been hitherto vouchsafed it. During the three years of its existence, although it has sent 350 persons to the colonies, its entire inoome has been nnder £800. At a meetinp held a few days since at the London house *of the Marquis of Salisbury, the Marquis of Lorn presided ; the Princess Louise being the President of the society. A number of well-known colonists were present, including "the Agents-General for New South Wales :nad Queensland* Sir Francis Sell eent a letter of apology. Resolutions affirming the desirability of facilitating the emigration of 'women of approved character, and the necessity of effectively supervising them on the voyage, .ana protecting them on landing, were carried. Sir Saul Samuel ■stated that during the last three years he had sent out, at nominal fares, to Sydney, upwards of 3000 single women. No doubt Sir Francis Bell could have "capped" the representative of New South Wales, had he . been present. The irrepressible Mr. Henniker Me*ton, the hero of the 11 Madagascar despatches " and the Tory candidate elect for Canterbury, was present, but, not finding an opportunity of speaking before a Princess of the Blood Royal, in his proper capacity as a New South Wales colonist, he passed as .a resident of Victoria*—whose Agent-General was absent—and thus attained "Us object. 11. Charles Hauret, now of Lyons, but formerly a resident of Gympie, Queensland, has. applied to the Agents-General of the various Australasian colonies for some curious information, which he states is required " for a very important statistical work about .British and Foreign oolonies, now being established by order of the Jfrench Government." One colonial representative applied to Lord Derby as to whether he would be justified in supplying the information desired, and received a reply that the Secretary of State saw no objeotion to ita being forwarded. Fortunately, it is not of a very formidable description, as it chiefly relates to the conditions under which .the franohise can be exercised in Parliamentary and Municipal elections, aikd the qualifications required for' members ;"t£e regulations' relating to marriage ; the age af which young men and Tn»iH»n« may be legally united; whether minors, most obtain the consent of their parents, etc., etc. Daring the first half of this year only 23.659 emigrants have been, despatched to the Australasian colonies. In fact, emigration is confined almost entirely to emigrants 'nominated in the colonies and to domestic servant*, with the addition of a few agricultural labourers for Queensland and Tasmania. The Aoranei< which sails at the end of this month, will not carry any emigrants, but the next boat, the Doric, will take ont a small number of female ■errant*. to New Zealand. The Victory, which sails in Angust, will also take a few emigrants and steerage passengers. The " Imperial Government have very wisely deolined to revive the Department of Emigration, established by Earl Bussell in 1840, but abolished some 37 years later. They are nnwilUng to interfere with the excellent emigration agencies of the colonial Governments.

The attempt to float the Northern Territory Corporation of South Australia has been unsuccessful, notwithstanding that Mr. Maurice Lyons (one of the partners in the immense pastoral properties to be acquired) succeeded in securing a very large amount of influential and aristocratio support. The investing classes refused to be tempted by the prospect of acquiring properties covering an area of 34,700 square miles, and the nampot of shares applied for formed so small a proportion of. the 07,000 offered to the publio at £10' each that no allotment was possible. - Another company, with a capital of £1,000,000, ■is also offered to the publio. It is thought that as none of the numerous colonial mortgage companies are specially identified with Western Australia, a. good opening exists for the establishment of iraon an Institution at Perth. The scheme -haa' been submitted to the pnhlio in a tempting form, and with a good ptmyfapUl, ; directory— Mr. - Hugh S. .Valentine, a director of the New Zealand Agricultural Company, being ~ Chairman; but whether the 50,000 shares of £10 each to be first issued will be applied' for during the present dull season on the Stock Exchange remains to be seen.

Th« Sontli Australian gunboat, the Protector, reached Malta on the 12th instant, en ronte to Adelaide via Aden. She ta the miqdt powerful gnnboat in the possession of Uia Colonial Government*, and Is prebably a match' for any vessel on the Aastralian ttatjob, exoepting the flagship. The torpedo boat which 1 the ■ Messrs. Thornycroft are building for Qoeensland waa laonehed with* out ceremony last week ; . and the two gnnboata bnilding on the Tyne, for the same colony, are nearly ready to be tried. A romantio inoldent la reported to have ooenrred at Preston. A poor oharwoman, who waa «ngaged at her work in a suburb of tiie tdwn a few days slnoe, was atartled by the'annonheement that "a gentleman, handsomely attired," had sent for her,' aa he claimed to be her long-loet husband, who, thirty years ago had deserted her and proceeded to Australia. She at first deolined to recogniae him in' that capacity, but it is HBMVhit nngallantly suggested that " preaentaof *A auriferous description convinced hir" of Ma identity, and the nappy aoon afterwards- loft Preston for Belfast. Probably this "yam" «"■ only be taken cum g&mill:: . ~ .