ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12072, 16 September 1902, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

{h'KOU on: OWN correspondent.] London, August 8. Thk transport Mohawk, which reached Southampton ou Sunday morning from South Africa, brought seven officers and 39 men of the Eighth New Zealand Contingent.

I learn that during the past week there have been conferences between Sir Edmund Barton end Mr. Seddon in reference to thePacific Islands. Nothing has been allowed to transpire in regard to the matter, but it is thought likely that the con.-rations will haine a distinct bearing in the future, and will tend to a better understanding between New Zealand and the Commonwealth.

li is suited that Mr. Pierpont Morgan's offer to the British Admiralty to allow tile latter to exercise a claim on all the ships of the combine has been accented, and that the arrangement is an accomplished fact. The first vessel to be built for the combine, and to be chartered by the Government, is the 10,000-ton steamship Corinthic, which was launched a. short time ago by Messrs. Harland and Wolff for the NewZealaud direct service.

The colonial troops, who arrived in Edinburgh on Saturday from Glasgow, were oflieinlly welcomed by the Lord Provost and the Corporation. Later they marched from Piers-hill Barracks to Holyrood Palace, and were shown over the building. Subsequently the troops were entertained to luncheon by the Corporation. The weather was: fine, and the streets through which the troops marched were crowded with people, who gave the colonials a very hearty reception.

This week a young officer of the Dragoons has been committed for trial on a charge of having stolen some jewels belonging to an actress. Miss Evie Greene. An appeal was made to deal with him under the First Offenders Act, his friends promising to send him — "to New Zealand!" Is it not about time that some steps were taken to stop this sort of thing? Within my own recollection, there Lave been three such undertakings proffered within the last few months, in order to " get off"' some scapegrace or other.

Mr. J. D. Cooper, of Kingston-on-Thames, writes to the London Press in reference to the suggestion that the Consuls for our colonies should supply (at a. nominal price) such parcels of the, at present, unutilised but valuable products of their respective lands, as would enable experimenters to find solutions of the difficulties that hindered their successful exploitation, instancing, among other matters, the various intractable sulphide ores of the precious metals. Mr. Cooper says: '"No notice was taken of the suggestion'by the Homo press, but from New Zealand I received a, paper applauding the idea, and there it ended."

"No wonder that, according to the cables, ' groat satisfaction was expressed by the shareholders at. the successful issue of the past year working' of the Bank of New Zealand," remarks the Financial Times, which adds: "The Chairman's statement at the meeting recently held in Wellington showed that the Bank had made remarkable progress since its reorganisation in 1895. . . . The Chairman, in his remarks, justified the declaration of a dividend, as the Bank has now successfully shaken itself free of the greater part of the encumbrances under which it has laboured since the date of its reorganisation, and may now be considered to have entered the calm, waters of prosperity."

From the Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company I hear this afternoon that trade this week in New Zealand mutton lias been slow; the demand has not been brisk, and the quantities going into consumption are not so large as could be wished. Although values are not quotably lower than they were, they seem inclined to weaken. Trade in. frozen beef is slow, and values are slightly weaker. Messrs. W. Weddel and Co. remark that the wool markets in Yorkshire have been distinctly quiet since the close of the last sales, and with the single exception of the finest-haired wools values are somewhat easier than was the ca.se a month ago. So far, however, holders are not inclined to pres>s sales, aud, at the same time, there is little disposition on the part of users to buy. The demand for domestic wcols is of the poorest. In America, business is distinctly better, and storks of imported wools are rapidly being used up.

Attention has been called in Parliament to what are termed "The Transport Scandal.-," the " intense indignation in New Zealand being especially dwelt upon. In the House of Lords yesterday the matter was brought up by Lord Carrington in connection with the Australian ca.se of the Drayton Grange, eliciting a promise from Lord Hardwicke that an inquiry should be held. Lord Tweedmouth said he was glad to hear that the War Office intended to inquire very thoroughly into the matter, because it was not. a solitary case, complaints having been made with respect to other transports, notably the Britannic, which conveyed troops from South Africa to New Zealand. All would agree that it was most desirable that these colonial troops should not^ be allowed to go home with what he might call a bad taste in their mouths. The effect of the war in South Africa had been, to draw closer the ties between the colonies and ourselves, and it would indeed be foolish to spoil the good work that, had been done by any false economy in the equipment of the transports.