ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8661, 2 September 1891, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] London, July 24. It is impossible to do more than conjecture whether we are to lose the popular AgentGeneral of New Zealand in the autumn. He tells his friends lie is leaving for the colony in October—indeed, it is known that he lias taken his passage by the Arawa early in that month—but, since his successor has not been appointed it seems scarcely likely that Sir Francis Bell can really get away. His friends -are reluctant to believe he is going, and take comfort from the fact that the cry of " Woif" has been raised often before with no injurious results.

Good news at last for the Bank of. New Zealand shareholders. The directors will declare a dividend of five per cent, amounting to £21,250; they will add to reserve, £20,000, and carry forward to profit and loss account, £18,272 Is 3d. The not profits amount to £59,522 Is 3d. The meeting of the bank will be on August 5. Few travellers can resist the charms of New Zealand, and Mr. G. M. Grant, a young Canadian who spent some happy weeks there recently, makes no attempt to disguise the admiration his visit inspired. In a well-written, chatty article in the current Harper's lie, declares that none of the British colonies he has touched at have presented so many points of interest in small compass as New Zealand. It possesses, he says, the raw material out of which can be made something fairer and better than the mother country. The beauty of its scenery produced a great impression, but he was not blind to the fact that the resources of the colony are as varied as its scenery. When the native of another country, remarks Mr. Grant, sees its unequalled capabilities for tillage and pasture, his instinctive patriotism makes him almost thankful that it is not any bigger, like i.he Field-Marshal, whose comment on the British infantry, "The best in the world, sir, but luckily few in number," is so often repeated in England. Mr. Grant stated that the rabbit pest difficulty has been solved by a squatter friend of his, who discovered that the tape worm of the dog, fox, cat, or other enemies of the rabbit was fatal to poor bunny. He thinks that!" Wellington will be able to defend her claim to be considered the capital of the colony, though " Auckland, the old capital, bears itself with the dignity of a, discrowned monarch, calmly convinced that the king must have his own again." Finally, Mr. Grant asserts that nowhere is there a fairer land than New Zealand; and lie predicts that the New Zealander of today is laying the foundations of a mighty State, though he may not believe that one of his descendants is likely to sit on a broken arch of London Bridge, and sketch the ruins of St. Paul's. Mr. Albert Hardiuge Rand Porter has passed the first examination, and Mr. Win. Forsaith Bauchop, of New Zealand, the final examination, for the triple qualification in connection with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Edinburgh. While Lord Salisbury and Sir Henry Parkes agree that it is desirable to extend the franchise to women. Lord Randolph' Churchill has just placed upon record his belief that, " whatever may be the origin of man, woman is descended from an ape." The general opinion in Fleet-street is that the Daily Graphic has not made a very brilliant bargain in securing the erratic young statesman as its special correspondent in Mashonalancl. The Coromatidel Gold Company has become merged in the Kauanga Gold Mining Company. Mr. W. Mofesvvorth St. Aubyn explained that the re-construction of the Coromandel Company had not proved very successful, so that the directors were constrained to ask the shareholders to empower the Board to sell the property of the company to the ICapaiiga Gold Mining Company (Limited), for 65,000 shares of 20s each, with

18a Gd a share paid up. Such shares were to be issued pro rata to the shareholders in lieu of the 10s shares now held by them. Of the Is 6d liability to be called up, 3d was to be paid on application, 3d on allotment, and the remaining Is in four calls of 3d each, spread over a further 12 months—the Kapanga Company for this amount assuming and paying the debts of the Coromandel Company. The advantages that would accrue by such amalgamation were— the first place, their property would be developed by a company having ample capital at its command, and, in the second place, by the participation in the results of the working, not only of the Blagrove's Freehold, but of the Kapanga Company's mines to the extent of one-fourth ot the profits obtained, and dividend. The amalgamation scheme was unanimously agreed to. Sir Frederick Aloysius Weld, G.C.M.G., died on the 20th instant, at his residence, Chidlock, near Bridport. Sir Frederick went out to Paliang last spring on business connected with the Exploration Company, of which he was a director, and returned last month, suffering from malignant liver disease,' which soon proved fatal. He passed peacefully away in his G9tli year, fortified by all the rites of the Church and a special blessing from His Holiness Leo XIII., and surrounded by his wife, his eldest sou, Humphrey, who succeeds him, and four of his daughters, perfectly : resigned to leave the home where he was born, which he tenderly loved and never forgot during the half-cen-tury he spent in the southern hemisphere,-, first as an adventurous colonist and afterwards as a successful administrator of colonial government. He was laid to rest in the chapel, built and decorated after the manner of the Roman Catacombs by his late brother, Charles Weld, in the Catholic cemetery adjoining the parish church of Chidiock. The New Zealand and Australian Land Company anticipate being able to pay a dividend of 10 per cent on the ordinary shares, notwithstanding the severe and exceptional drought in Canterbury and Otago, and the fact that the value of New Zealand mutton has been below the average of the previous season. The operations in Australia have been more than ordinarily successful, which counterbalances the shortcomings in New Zealand. The Colonial College, at Hollesley Bay, Suffolk, continues to prosper. During the last five years it has given a good many intending colonists an initiation into the class of work they are likely to be put to in the land of their adoption. The estate on which they worki.e., are practically educated in agriculture— 2000 acres. The Australian Chambers of Commerce are anxious that the London Chamber should assist to put the bill of lading question on a better footing. The London Chamber have therefore empowered their Bills of Lading Committee to niquire whether the associated brokers and the shipping association of London will meet the committee to discuss the Australian grievances. The New Zealand Government have instructed the AgentGeneral to see if the other colonial representatives will act in concert with him in trying to induce the Imperial Government to throw by legislation, more responsibility upon shipowners for the safe custody and good condition of the goods they carry. It is unlikely that anything will be done immediately as Parliament is about to rise, and will not reassemble until February next. The shareholders of the New Zealand Antimony Company have met and empowered the directors to enter into negotiations with the shareholders in New Zealand to keep up the working of the mine. Mr. James Gilbard, the chairman, has stated that the recent appeal to the shareholders was so badly responded to that he had returned to the subscribers the mouey they had sent. Petitions for the liquidation of the company had been presented both in Wellington and in London, so that it was not now proposed to submit a reconstruction scheme.

Lord Carrington, who, speaking: with all. the authority of a recent colonial Governor, is believed by many, lias just declared that there is not a Prime Minister or a single statesman in the whole of the great broad confederation reigned over by Her Majesty who would hesitate to give Home Rule to Ireland, and yet, to all appearances, that question has practically ran its course both in England and Ireland, and Parnell and T. Healy are both ready to help Balfour to pass a local Government Bill for Ireland next session on the lines of that granted to Scotland and England. The great Samoan land case has been before the Privy Council all the week, and is not yet over. It is almost certain that judgment will be reserved. So far no notice of the case has appeared in the press. At the general meeting of the New Zealand Thames Valley Land Company, held this week, Mr. John Clark, the chairman, spoke in highly hopeful tones of the prospects of the company, both now and in the future. It is not unlikely that more land will bo laid down in grass, in order to increase the flocks and herds, but, if this course be decided on, there must be another call. The retiring directors were re-elected.

The Standard this morning published a despatch addressed by the Governor of NewZealand to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in reference to the scheme of Australasian federation. It shows that New Zealand statesmen are not enamoured of the scheme, and fail to see what compensation the colony will receive for the almost certain risk of financial loss.

The governing body of the Imperial Institute held its first meeting at Marlborough House oil the 22nd instant, when the organising committee submitted a verv full .report, explaining the origin of the Institute in September, 18SG, and the various stages of development since. The report was, on the whole, not very complimentary to the colonies—at anyrate to New South Wales, New Zealand, South Australia, and British Guiana, whose Governments after promising subscriptions aggregating to £20,000, had so far refrained from contributing. It was, however, explained that private contributions amounting to £2853 had been received from New Zealand. The Canadian Government have given £20,090; Victoria, £5922 (in addition to £5397 contributed privately); Queensland, £2029: West Australia, £2000 ; and Tasmania, £150. Sir Francis Bell, as a member of the organising committee, received an invitation to attend the obsequies of that body, but he did not do so. no doubt feeling out of place and uncomfortable since the Ballance Government have not ratified the promise of the Stout administration to contribute to the funds. Sir Saul Samuel was in an equally trying position, but lie attended the meeting of G nernors, and was asked by the Prince of Wales what prospect there was of the Institute receiving the £5900 promised by New South Wales. With ready tact Sir Saul replied that personally lie felt hopeful, but His Royal Highness no doubt knew that democratic communities were ;.ot fond of voting money for Imperial purposes., Good progress hay been made with the erection of the Institute building, and there seems nothing to prevent the formal opening in May next. Already £129,000 has been expended on the building, and liability to the extent of another £138,000 has been incurred.

Few Governors have ever conferred such material benefits upon the colony they govern as Sir Ambrose Shea did upon the Bermudas when he first detected the commercial uses of the sisal plant, and then encourage the growth and sale of that valuable product, the fibre which it yields. Four years ago and the inhabitants were complaining of the impossibility of eradicating the aloe-like shrub from the lime soil of their plantations. They altered their views when Sir Ambrose showed them that the sisal leaves yielded one of the best rope fibres. But he did more. In order to encourage capital, he granted a bounty of £4 10a per ton exported for a period of seven years, with the result that Government lands hitherto unleased, went up from 5s to 4 dollars an acre. The last available Government land has just been absorbed. It is estimated that an acre of land will yield a crop of about half a ton of fibre per year. The cost of production is very little, and at present prices leaves a profit of £22 per acre.

Dibits! Heavens! What a name, and what a man ! There is something so modern, so unroinantic, so unsuggestive, so "squat" as it were, about the name. It indicates nothing of locality, kinship, or ancestry. Like the personage immortalised by Tacitus, Dibbs is his own ancestor. Dibbs is a Republican, and Dibbs wants to " cut the painter." Tims says the Speaker, the philosophical weekly organ of the Radicals. Dibbs, it thinks, represents the running drift of antipodean opinion—a feeling of half-avowed hatred of England. And since every five minutes throughout Australia an Imperialist dies, and every four minutes a Republican is born, the writer of the article evidently attaches but a small degree of permanence to the Imperial connection between England and the colonies. It is intended to ercct a memorial of the late Sir John Macdonald in St. Paul's Cathedral, and a meeting has been held in London this week to raise the necessary funds. Amongst those who are supporting the movement are Sir Charles Clifford, Sir' Daniel Cooper, and Sir George 13owen. Lord Dufferin eulogised the late Prime Minister of Canada as a great Imperial statesman who had displayed extraordinary ability meeting many unexpected and difficult emergencies. During the last half-century in the four quarters of the globe there bad been colonial statesmen of iirst-rato ability endeavouring to advance the fame and the material interests of England and of Englishmen ; but amongst them 110 name shone with more conspicuous brilliancy on the page of history, both in regard to tile length of his service and the success of his administration, than that of Sir John Macdonald. Sir George JJo wen testified to the admiration felt in Australasia for Sir John Macdonald's statesmanship,

The Eastern Telegraph Company appear perfectly satisfied with the results of their experiment in reducing the cable tariff to Australia. Sir John Fender has just assured the shareholders that the directors believe that the reduction will produce a very large increase to the traffic, and that the experience of the last few months had been very satisfactory. .They did. not expect to recoup themselves, within eighteen months or two years, but they had so far done so that when the end of the year came go or with the experiment. The Cape had appliet to be put on the same footing as Australia but that required consideration and negotiation. It may be remembered that some few year: ago Messrs. D. and C. Mclver, of Liverpool, conceived the idea of running a line o; steamers from Liverpool to New Zealand direct, chiefly with the idea of obtaining ; virtual monopoly of the frozen meat trade. Sii Walter Buller was asked to become a director, and the project came to nothing, . very largely because lie considered that the scheme which the public were asked t® accept was not in all points such as he c«ulr conscientiously recommend. The same irnj have now conceived the idea ef engaging ii the Australian carrying trade, and are largll instrumental in promoting a company tl establish a high-class line of steamers between Glasgow, Liverpool, and the Antipodes] ports. The company propose to take ovfc live steamers bolonging to the City of Li veil pool Steam Navigation Company, and ala four new boats now being built 011 the Clydi' The raiiton d'etre put forward for the com| pany is that Liverpool has at present onll sailing-ship communication with the Austral! Asian colonies, but Fairplay suggests thai " the'whole thing has the appearance, undefl a number of variegated titles, of being a plail to transfer to the public the ownership o some old vessels and the contracts for new ones," British investors are thereford warned to " think twice before they plungi their money into the Australian vortex, even if the Messrs. Mclver do offer to find £'200.000 towards the £1,000,000 capital re

quired. §' The International Congregational Councils l has been a <*reat success. The three hun-11 dred delegates have dubbed themselves! "The Council of London." On the whole they have agreed together remarkably well, and the proverbial " prickliness of Congregationalists" has not been very frequently manifested. There were over thirty Australasian representatives, including three from New Zealand, without reckoning the Rev, Dr. Roseby, who was counted as both a New Zeaiander aud a Sydneyite. Dr. Roseby took a fairly prominent part in the proceedings, and has been selected as one of the representatives of the Council at the unveiling of the John Robinson memorial at Leyden to-day. He has also been placed oil the International Temperance Committee as the representative of Australasia. His strong Socialistic sympathies have not been disguised when lie spoke. But the most prominent among the colonists has been the Rev. Dr. Bevan, of Melbourne. He has taken a leading part in everything, and it is scarcely too much to say that he lias in a sense dominated the Council. He is an excellent and powerful debater, and decidedly "prickly" if interfered with. - Mr. E. A. Freeman, the historian, lias written a paper strongly hostile to " Britannic Confederation," as the physical and political basis of national unity. He resents the idea of curtailing the powers of the Parliament of Great Britain, and will be no party to sinking the great historic assembly of King Edward to the level of the Legislature of a canton of a Britannic confederation. Besides, he holds the tendency and indeed the duty of such a confederation would be to be perpetually meddling, and friction would necessarily result much more often than at present,