ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9103, 11 July 1888, Page 5

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[FROM OUR London correspondent.]

London, June 1. At the annual general meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society it was proposed that a Commissioner should be appointed to collect information relative to the agriculture of Australia and New Zealand, with especial regard to the food supply of the English market. The suggestion was referred to the Council for consideration.

The new fast steel cruiser Orlando, the new flag-ship of the Australian station, has at length been commissioned, the difficulty with regard to her guns having apparently been got over. It will be remembered that this ship is one of the new class of belted cruisers, and has a displacement of 5000 tons. Her machinery is of 8500 horsepower, and is capable of propelling her at a speed of eighteen knots per hour. She will be the fastest and most powerful cruiser ever employed on the Australian station. Her armament will consist of two 9.2 inch 22-ton breech-loading cannon, ten 6 inch 5-ton breech-loaders, and sixteen quick firing guns, besides a strong equipment of machine guns and Whitehead torpedos. Mr. Coutts Trotter has written an article in the current number of Blackwood's Magazine, in which he continues the interesting narrative of his experiences in the South Pacific Islands. He speculates as to what will be the effect upon British interests of the death of the old • King of Tonga, and expresses the hope that whatever happens we shall take care that the valuable strategical harbour of Vavau in the Tongan Group will not be allowed to pass under the control of Germany, a contingency which Mr. Baker, the Premier of Tonga, seemed, some time ago, to contemplate with satisfaction. Messrs. J. G. Statter and Co. (Limited), manufacturers of electric machinery for lighting, traction, and motive purposes, are thinking of establishing agencies for the sale of their patents in various parts of New Zealand. They will probably commence with Auckland, and will entrust their interests there to the care of Mr. Louis Nathan's firm. At one time they thought of tendering for the ' Christchurch tramways system ; but the conditions were such that they felt there would be some difficulty in getting competent engineers in the colony to work the delicate machinery which they would have had to introduce. Since then, however, they appear to have decided that there is a good opening in the colony. Mr. J. G. Statter is an electrician of considerable repute, and is the author of several useful inventions. His firm are principally noted for their electric lighting apparata. The death is announced this week of Admiral Gore Jones, who served as a midshipman on board the Osprey, during the New Zealand war of 1845-6, and was afterwards shipwrecked on the West Coast of the colony. You will have been acquainted already with the disaster to the Selembria on her homeward voyage, which necessitated her detention for a time at Monte Video. It seems that the fire originated in the bunkers, and disorganised the insulation to such an extent that the refrigerating machinery would not work. The result was that most of the meat had to be cast overboard, and the balance was condemned as unsaleable on arrival in London. The mischief on board was intensified by a series of explosions that followed the fire, and were doubtless due to the accumulation of generated gas. The cargoes of the Rimutaka and the Bayley arrived in good condition and are selling at from 4Jd to 4Jd per lb. Argentine beef is now being shipped in small quantities to England, the animals slaughtered for the purpose being half-bred short horns, fed on ordinary " camp " grass. They are described as well up to the mark, but years must elapse, it is said, before there will be a heavy supply of such beef for Europe. Beef is very dear in the Republic, but this would seem to be the fault of the middleman rather than any deficiency in the supply. An Argentine butcher, it is said, gets 250 per cent, profit on every bullock that he slaughters and sells.

The Pacific Islands Trading Company has not been floated so far. Mr. Henderson has been pressing upon the Admiralty the importance of taking possession of Suwarrow Island, in view of its utility in connection with the proposed Vancouver Island steam route and the Pacific cable. He is perhaps not aware of the fact that this step was brought under the notice of the Imperial Government a long time ago by the Agent-General for New Zealand. The Admiralty quite concur in the recommendation, but as usual the Foreign Office stops the way. They are so afraid of increasing the Imperial responsibilities, and of giving offence to other Powers by any display of activity in the Pacific, that it is not likely the suggestion will be adopted. It was with the greatest difficulty that the annexation of Christmas, Penrhyn, and Fanning Islands was secured. The general meeting of the shareholders in the Blue Spur and Gabriel's Gully Consolidated Gold Company was held yesterday at the Cannon-street Hotel, Sir Walter Buller, chairman of the company, presiding. The chairman gave a long account of the present position of the company, and what had been accomplished, and stated that the directors expected very shortly to be in a position to declare substantial quarterly dividends. He had received, he said, most encouraging reports as to the property from Sir Robert Stout. He added that, although the export of gold from New Zealand had already reached to close upon £50,000,000 sterling, in the opinion of competent experts the nominal wealth of the colony in this respect had hardly been touched.

Last night Mr. W. McArfchur drew attention in the House of Commons to the treatment accorded to King Malietoa, and the question of Samoa generally. He plainly intimated that if England wishes to retain the allegiance of the colonies she will have to pay more attention to the legitimate desires of the colonies than she has hitherto done.

The consignment of 4000 carcases of frozen mutton from the North British and Hawke's Hay Freezing Company's Works at Napier has arrived in the Coptic in good condition, and is selling very welL