ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9824, 20 May 1895, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

[from our OWN correspondent.] JLoxdon, April 3. PERSONAL. Mr. and Mrs. Ward have nob made a long stay at Park Place. They tried No. 7at Sir George Grey's suggestion, but did not find either the house or the locality entirely suitable to their purposes, so they have returned to Westminster, but not to the Windsor Hotel. They have taken up their quarters at the Westminster Palace Hotel, which is even nearer to the Agency-General than was the other hotel. Mr. Ward was not so well yesterday, the sharp east wind having caused some return of his cold and sore throat. However, he hopes to bo all right in a day or two with fine weather. He expects now to remain in England until toward the end of next month (May), when he and Mrs. Ward will leave by way of America. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ward were much gratified with the cordiality shown at Lady Perceval's reception last week, and with the kindness thoy have received generally. The Colonial Treasurer has been invited to address the London and Glasgow Chambers of Commerce during his stay in the mother country, and has promised to do so if possible. He predicts with great confidence a surplus of £350,000 to £350,000.

Mr. Henry Reynolds is about to pay another visit to the colony, leaving England in two or three weeks, to explain to colonial butter producers the present position and prospects of the butter trade. Mr. J. H. Witheford, of Auckland, wa3 entertained this afternoon at a banquet by Mr. Cecil Hartridge, the eminent stockbroker, and the members of the Stock Exchange. A menu largely New Zealand in character was provided, and some very complimentary speeches were made in reference both co Mr. Witheford and to New Zealand.

The Hon. J. B. Whyte, M.L.C., arrived by the Oruba at the end of last week, and has taken up his quarters at No. 25, Montague Place, Russell Square. Several other Aucklanderg came by the Oruba, including Mrs. Reynolds, senior, mother of Mr. Henry Reynolds. She arrived in excellent health, and seems to have borne the voyage extremely well. She is at present staying with her son and her daughter-in-law at Ridgmount Gardens, Bloomsbury, bub leaves for Cumberland shortly to visit some old friends. Mr. and Mrs. Grice, the latter a sister of Mr. Reynolds, also came by the Oruba. They proceeded at once to Cumberland, where members of fchair family have long resided. Mr. and Mr. Grice had quite a reception in Cumberland from their old friends.

Alias Buckland, of Auckland, who came home recently, is at present living at Thornton Heath, but has been for a time at Bournemouth. She does not seem at all enamoured of Englaud, baring come in for all the exceptionally severe weather, but says she heartily wishes herself back in New Zealand. She returns to Auckland in Auckland next. GENERAL. Sir Westby Perceval presided at a meeting of the Society of Artson Tuesday evening, when Captain Wiggins, the famous Arctic explorer, read a very interesting account of "My Recent Voyage to Siberia." The ground of interest to colonists consists in the fact that Captain Wiggins foreshadowed great things in the future of Siberia, and indicated that vast and rich territory as another source of vigorous competition with the colonies in the food supply of Europe. It is found very difficult now to purchase any New Zealand Corporrtion bonds as an investment, except at a prohibitive price. Such securities are constantly being recommended to investors by the various financial journals, bat they might as well add, "Don't you wish you may get them ?" Several London papers comment on the apparent inconsistency of endeavouring on the one hand to enforce total prohibition in New Zealand, and on the other to establish the winegrowing industry in that colony. One journal, however, declares that the only practical effect of prohibition in New Zealand has been to cause bad liquor to be sold instead of good. It is asserted that this occurs in every district in which prohibition has so far bften virtually established. " The unco guid in New Zealand mean to abolish drink among their neighbours," says the Globe, " but it is plain that they do not object to growing rich on the sale of the ' poison.' " It is curious that though the prices of home-grown meat keep remarkably high there is no corresponding "spring" as regards frozen meat. The apparent explanation is that the quality is often distinctly inferior. Wonder is expressed that these unsatisfactory carcases were ever sent to England at all-—that their owners should have gone to the expense of freezing and shipping them with the certainty that they would never realise remunerative prices. What make these shipments of inferior meat so specially objectionable is the unfavourable influence on the market generally that results. A taint, as it were, is cast upon all New Zealand meat by the fact of a number of carcases of inferior quality being found in a shipment. It gives a bad name.

According to the St. James' Gazette " Mr. Ward, the Postmaster-General of Now Zealand, who was one of the first colonial politicians to urge the laying of the Pacific cable .... »8 also here chiefly in connection with that undertaking, and has already had an interview with Lord P.ipon on the subject of an Imperial contribution."

Another record! Now Zealand Fours have topped 110 at last. Never previously had they touched this magic point. But now they have passed it, and still have an upward tendency. "The old cry that New Zealand was 1 over-railed' has now died down (says the Echo), and in possessing railways adapted not only .to present requirement, but capable of dealing with the increased traffic of ten years hence, tho colony holds a valuable asset as a sot-off to a large proportion of the debt which was incurred by native wars. With an estimated surplus of £300,000 the financial position of New Zealand need not at present cause apprehension provided the prudent resolve to abstain as far a<* possible from contracting fresh loans can be kept to." It is being suggested that New Zealand should constitute some of her stock into preference bonds, and that if. this were done such stock might be available for the investment of British trust funds. Mr. James Freyberg, the New Zealand timber expert, tells me that New Zealand wood is encountering strong opposition in London, as to its use for paving purposes, in consequence of the large interests held by certain English capitalists in some Russian sawmills ; several of the rao3t important of which are at present in the hands of British syndicates, and being worked by them. One of these syndicates, ho says, is paying 33 per cent, profit after defraying all working and other expenses. Hence it is greatly to their interest to keep Russian pine in the foreground as the wood for paving, and it will need the resolute pushing of New Zealand timber to secure for it a fair trial and market here. There was great excitement again in London over tho concluding cricket match of Mr. Stoddart's team." When South Australia started with the formidable score of 397, sounds of dismay and dread rose, but when Mr. Stoddart's men responded with 451 for four wickets and 609 in all, English cricketers breathed once more, and felt happy as to tho result. ■ A question is often put to me whether we have no cricketers in Now Zealand, and if not, why not, as New Zealand resembles England so much more closely than does Australia; and if we have, why are not matches arranged with any English teams visiting the antipodes ? I cannot explain. It does seem to me a pity.