ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9460, 16 March 1894, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

[FROM OUR OWN correspondent.] London, February 2. That unlucky Wellington Bishopric question is still unsettled, and there is at present no sign of any nomination being accepted. The Archbishop of York, however, states that the names of several eligible clergymen are under consideration. There are very few London arrivals from New Zealand just now. It is of course, the " dead season " for tourists, who, as a rule, do not care to face an ordinary English winter. I suppose wecaunot expect to see many New Zealanders here much before April. •Recently I was talking to a Herefordshire "Squire, who farms most of his estate. He gave a deplorable picture of English farming, and feared even worse times and prices, owing to American and Colonial competition. Wheat he regarded as a perfectly hopeless crop with present prospects as to prices. It may interest your New Zealand wheat-growers to learn that his remedy was a protective tariff on imported corn.

I By tho way, I believe I shall send you | out a good many excellent settlers at one I time and another. One family goes shortly, and a young fellow with fair capital who has been trained to country life is also going. They came to see me at your London office, . and asked for information and j advice, which 1 willingly furnished. They all are the " right sort," and will assuredly | make valuable settlers. They have capital, 1 knowledge, and good sense. Quito the best likeness yet published of New Zealand's latest knight appears in Commerce, a chat with Sir Westby Perceval being given as No. 31 of "commercial conversations." Not only is a really fine and speaking likeness of Sir Westby given, 1 but also some wood views of Christchurch city, of a wood waggon crossing the Cheviot, of sheep-drafting at Waipaka, of wood tables at Horsley Down, of the crossing of the Hooker, of the Government Buildings, Wellington, and of New Zealand flax. The letterpress need not bo reproduced the interviewer adopted a somewhat frivolous tone, and attributed more of that stylo to the Agent-General than is quite consistent with his usual sedate demeanour. However, he made Sir Westby tell a great deal of solid information as to New Zealand, her position and prospects. One thing that Sir W. Perceval said has rather strucK some London readers. Ho observed, "Most of the millions the colonies have borrowed have never left England, having been merely handed over to British merchants in exchange for goods sent out of the country. The depression of English trade just at present is largely dm to the tapering off of colonial borrowing." It is that last sentence, which I have italicised, which has set people thinking. It is quite a new light to most of them.

Mr. W. Courtney delivered another of his popular lecture on New Zealand at Glasgow last Friday, Mr. M. Buchanan presiding. Mr. Courtney told his hearers that ] there was no better place in the world than New Zealand for invalids or for young men with tout hearts. The lecture was well illustrated wibh limelight views, and was much applauded. Notice is given by the Times of the illustrated leaflets issued by the New Zealand Department of Agriculture. In an article on "Goldmining in New Zealand the Mining World says that " this industry has been the means of bringing many thousands to New Zealand who would otherwise never have come.

Mr. J.J. Rendle, writing to the Plymouth Mercury, strongly urges persons thinking of emigrating to go to New Zealand, and not to Victoria. He specially instances the proposal that the Government should lend money to farmers, as among the advantages offered by New Zealand. Petroleum has been discovered in Somersetshire, and Mr. Bush, who is stated to have had "experience at the Gisborne oil wells in New Zealand," has been called in as an expert, and reported favourably upon the find.

" The Timber Trees of New Zealand " form the subject of an interesting paper read by Mr. C. E. Oliver last Wednesday evening at a mooting of the Northern Architectural Association held at Newcastle-on-Tyne. It is reported at great length in the Building News. The Sketch illustrates "For New Zealand Farmers" two handsome silver shields, made by Messrs. Mappin and Webb, which are being offered by the Lawn Chemical Manure Company, of Mark Lane, for the best managed farms of (1) 400 to 1000 acres and (2) 100 to 400 acres. The shields must be won by the same farmer three times before becoming his property. The prizes are for farmers in the South Island who deal with the company offering the trophies. It is expected that the competition will excite considerable interest in the colony. "New Zealand," says the Echo, " is regarded as the Italy-cuin-Switzerland of the southern world," and according to the same paper the Mew Zealand and Australian Governorships " used to be the preserves of home-grown aristocrats with more family influence than brains," bub now the colonies becoming more democratic '' show an increasing determination to screw down the aristocratic gubernatorial carpet-bagger," and hence New Zealand Governors get £5000 a-year instead of £7000 a-year, and so on.

The half-yearly general meeting of the Union Bank of Australia was held at the London office, Lothbury, last Monday, Mr. W. O. Gilchrist presiding. The business was purely formal, except as to the chairman's address, which was of a sanguine character. He specially mentioned the " good service rendered during an exceptionally trying time" of " Mr. Tolhurst, the resident inspector in Mew Zealand." The annual meeting of the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand will be held on the 14th inst. The report states that the volume of the company's trade has not diminished, but is not carried on at the same profit as formerly, on account of the low prices ruling for all classes of New Zealand produco. Nevertheless a dividend of 5 per cent, is proposed, the net profits amounting to £5471, after paying all expenses at home and abroad, providing for bad and doubtful debts, and allowing for depreciation of plant, etc., while £2323 will be carried forward to next year. This report is considered very favourable, and ib is anticipated that the retiring directors, Messrs. Davidson and Grahams, will be re-elected. By the P. and O. steamer Australia the following passengers »ailed to day for New Zealand, via Melbourne:—Miss Barnes (2) and Norman, Mr. and Mrs. Croft, Mr. and Mrs. Fairs, Mr. and Mrs. Farrell, Dr. J. H. Bond, Messrs. Algar, Butterfield, Cooper, O'Connor, Patterson, Pennyman, and Silson. The following New Zealand passengers are booked by the Victoria (of the same line), leaving on the 2nd pro*. : —Mr. and Mrs. Croft, Mr., Mrs., and Miss Garrick, Mr. and Mrs. White, Mr. and Mrs. De Vries, and Mr. Wrightman. Mrs. William Wood is booked to Mew Zealand by the Arcadia's next trip ; Miss Hyett by the Orient; Misses Graham and Hogarth, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Levett, and Mrs. Mitchell, by the Oroya.