ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8385, 13 October 1890, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] London, September 6. It is reported here that the Hon. Richard Oliver contemplates remaining in this country in onler to seek election to the House of Commons for sonw English constituency in the Unionist interest. The assistance of his brother-in-law, the Right Hon. Mr. Courtney, Chairman of Committees, would count for Bomething; but, if Mr. Stead is right, a wave of Home Rule indignation will pass over England at the general election, and effectually disi>ose of all those professing Unionist principles. Mr. Lockbart, the chairman of the Scottish and Mew Zealand Investment Company, hus reassurred the shareholders by the satisfactory and even sanguine character of his report on his visit of inspection to New Zealand. He told them that he had personally inspected nearly .">OO properties on which the company had lent money, and had arranged to foreclose in some instances, and in otiiers to pet the loans called uji or reduced by payments on account. Mr. Harvey, the manager, desired to resign, and Mr. Llddcll, the accountant, might, he thought, be entrusted with the conduct of the business. He had no doubt the company would emerge with comparatively little loss if they continued a policy of watch and wait. Indeed, for his own part he would lie very much disappointed if the company did not get back their capital without the slightest loss. There was not the slightest occasion for a call, us the debentures' were ainplv secured. The Colonial Jioard must continue to get 7 per cent, for their investments.

Mr. John Ward. C.8., who was for some locretary to the New Zealand Colonisation Company, died at Dover on the Ist inst., in his Btith year. Mr. Gray Hassall, M.8., CM., of Wellington, has just received the decree of M.1)., at the University of Aberdeen. The National Eisteddfod of Wales is being_ celebrated at the ancient cathedral city of Bangor. Several Australasians are taking a somewhat prominent part in the proceedings, notably Mr. G. \V. Taj lor, the wellknown " land boom " auctioneer of Melbourne. There was a good contest for the Welsh Gold Challenge Baton, offered by Mr. Pritchard Morgan, M.I". It is worth £70, and is made of Welsh gold from Mr. Morgan's mine. The baton was won by the Caernarvon Vocal Union, their singing being considered superior to that of the other competing choirs. By a narrow majority the great Labour Congress at Liverpool has decided in favour of the legal enactment of an eight hours' day, instead of leaving the attainment of that privilege to the voluntary action of the trades interested. It is interesting and significant to note that such legislation has quite failed in the United States. Over twenty years ago Congress passed an Eight Hours' Day Bill, l>ut it is a dead letter. The Rev. 1). Hyde, of Honolulu, has not accepted the chastisement he received from Mr. K. L. Stevenson with becoming meekness. On the contrary, he is full of tight, and lie handles the character of the late Father Dauiien in no spirit of hero worship. The dispute seems to me rather unprofitable. In this mornings Times, Messrs. \\ . eddel and Co. republish the statistics of the frozen meat trade of New Zealand, prepared by Mr. P. Cunningham, of Christehureh, and argue from them that the colony is again enjoying a renewal of prosperity, which is likely to go on and increase. They point out that not only has the frozen meat trade greatly increased the shipping business, but it has also added a fresh source of wealth to the colony, and has given a value to agricultural and pastoral property which otherwise would not have been enjoyed. In to-day's Economist an anonymous correspondent casts the whole blame of the default of the New Plymouth Harbour Board upon the Government of New Zealand, who are also accused of having on two occasions advanced sufficient funds to enable the coupons to be paid, with the deliberate intention of misleading the investing public in England, A retired New Zealand merchant, Louis Walker by name, while taking his walks abroad at "Fiudhorn, N. 1.'., unexpectedly got to loggerheads with a fine go;it belonging to the Free Kirk minister of the village. The poat butted him, and lie responded by shooting the animal. When brought before the Sheriff, he defended his action by the plea that he acted in self-defence and so escaped, and in the end the villagers in their hearts rejoiced that he had rid the neighbourhood of a great nuisance. From San Francisco comes the news that Sister Hose Gertrude, disgusted with the interference of the leper authorities and the persecution of the missionaries, is about to resign her work amongst the Honolulu lepers and return hoir>_\ But, friends who have heard direct frjn> her quite recently, are sceptical as to the accuracy of this Yankee yarn. Miss Marianne North, the accomplished traveller, botanist, and artist, has just succumbed to a painful illness brought on by her last visit to Smith America. She made a prolonged tour in New Zealand and Australia a few years ago, and painted many pictures from nature. On returning to England she presented the results of her artistic skill to the British nation, an 1 her tine collection is now housed in the Botanic Picture Gallery at Kew Gardens. The attempt of the live colonies represented at the late Postal Conference in Adelaide to obtain a reconsideration of the refusal of the Imperial Government to share in the guarantee to tne Eastern Extension Company has not proved successful. Sir Henry Parke.s cabled through Lord Carriujtton that the argument advanced by the Imperial Government, that it would be contrary to the general policy of the country to join in the cable subsidy and guarantee, as it would open the door to numberless claims of a similar nature, would not apply, as no other country was so remotely situated as Australia, and at the same connected with England by a commerce of equal magnitude. The Lords of the Treasury took the matter into careful consideration, but have replied that they are unable to depart from the decision they had already announced. They wish the colonies to receive the assurance that they appreciate the .spirit in which the Australasian colonies put forward their proposal, and that they feel reluctant to be compelled to decline their request. Mr. H. O. Forbes, the director of the Canterbury Museum, has written to the Royal Geographical Society warmly congratulating his old classmate and fellow-townsman, Sir Willi'iin Macgregor, oh his successful ascent ef Mount Owen Stanley, in New Guinea. The precedent set by Sir William Macgregor in the matter of nomenclature is regretted by Mr. Forbes, who sees no sufficient reason for the substitution of Mount Victoria as the. name of the portion of the main range, which has for nearly 40 years been known as Mount Owen Stanley. His Excellency Sir William Robinson visited Balmoral on the 3rd instant, and kissed hands on appointment as Governor of West Australia. He afterwards dined with the Queen and the Royal Family. He sails for Perth in about ten days' time.

It seems doubtful if it is worth the while of New Zealand and Australian farmers to export potatoes to this country. Several attempts made by Tasmaniaii exporters have resulted in disappointment, the tubers having either rotten from being exposed to too low a temperature, or having sprouted from being exposed to tropical heat during the voyage. It is thought, however, that if new kidney potatoes were sent to reach this country in February, being kept during the passage at a temperature not lower than '.io degrees, and not higher than 40 degrees, they would realise good prices; if they arrived a month later, they would experience competition whi"li would make the experiment a financial failure. The statement that the average consumption of meat in Australia by each inhabitant is e mal to 2761b per annum, or more than three-quarters of a pound of meat per day by each man, woman, and child, appears to have horrified the Lancet, and it suggests that if it be true that the consumption of meat in the colonies is in proportion to population nearly three times that in the United States, that an inquiry ought to be made to see whether the effect of this enormous consumption affects the Australian mortality statistics,' The JSgeria mutineers have arrived home, and are looking out for some one to stand up for them in Parliament. Pending that, two of their companions, who admit having been discharged from the Egeriaas bad characters, have been trying to arouse a little sympathy for mutineers, through the press. One of these men appears to be not only a sea lawyer, but a sea poet. He claims with pride to have composed the forecastle song in which the seamen used to bewail their grievances at night. A verse or two will show the calibre of the poet : — We shall sue bad times now, Far, far away. The routine's gone astray, somehow, far, far away. Not three months in commission yet, But plenty of black list you can get, Or a turn in prison, you may bet; Far, far away. ■