ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1095, 24 February 1893, Page 38

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

SPECIAL TO NEW ZEALAND MAIL. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) PER BRINDISI MAIL. PERSONAL. London, January 6. The new year opened amidst frost and fog, and these seasonable visitors are still with us. Eighteen degrees of frost were registered in Hyde Park yesterday, and a north wind intensifies the bitter, bitter cold. Well-to-do folk, especially those who can skate, find the weather delightful, but the sufferings of the poor East Enders without food, or fuel, or blankets pass our understanding. The conclusion the late Montagu Williams came to in • Round London,’ is that cold is the supremest misery the poor can suffer. They would rather far be hungry than cold. As an example of this, Mr Wiliams instances the case of a starving woman with two children who managed to borrow the princely sum of threepence from a neighbour almost as wretched as herself. Instead of buying food the poor creature spent three-halfpence in coaL, laying out a halfpenny in tea, a halfpenny in bread, and a halfpenny in dripping. . . . . , The new year’s honours list is brief enough in all conscience, and contains even fewer items than usual of interest to Antipodeans. Lord Carrington’s confidently predicted Earldom remains, despite knowing ‘ pars ’ in Truth and the World/ unannounced,’ nor does Mr Gladstone seem in a great hurry to compensate Lord Brassey for his exclusion from the Cabinet. Sir Geo. Clarke, R.E., one of the new KC.M.G.’s, was Secretary of the Colonial Defence Committee, but is not known, I fancy, in Australia. THE LEGEND OF THE ‘ITINERANT V.» NDOR.’ Lord Onslow is, I understand, much vexed that some remarks of his on the antecedents of the principal public men of New Zealand, made half-jestingly in a post-prandial speech at Guildford,should have been misunderstood in certain quarters. They were intended, as Sir Walter Buller in his sensible letter to the Wellington Post surmised, to be wholly complimentary. Sir Walter's explanation anent the beginnings of your Premier and the origin of the ‘ itinerant vendor ’ legend has found its way into the Home press and will do no harm. Thanks to the many joking references in the paper lately to the creation of the working men senators many worthy people appear to be under the impression New Zealand is governed at present entirely by lamp-lighters, boilermenders, and compositors. „ MR HAROLD BARING. Amongst the passengers sailing for New Zealand by the P. and 0. Himalaya to day are Mr’Harold J. Baring andjvalet. Mr Baring is booked for Dunedin, which city is understood to contain special attractions for him. Mr Baring has no connection at present with the firm of Baring Bros. Since his appearance as the hero of a curious cards-cum-money-lending action in which he was unsuccessfully sued to recover the value of a bill given by him to settle losses at cards the young gentleman has not been seen about town much. The M orning Post states that the Countess of Elgin and Lady Margaret Bruce sail for New Zealand to-day, per Rimutaka. I conclude (as there is no Lady Margaret) the Post means Lady Marjorie Bruce, the the Countess’ little daughter, and that mother and child are going on a visit to Lord Glasgow-. MISS MARSDEN’S BOOK. Miss Kate Marsden’s ‘ On Sledge and Horseback to Outcast Siberian Lepers,’ made its appearance on Wednesday, It is a hand, some volume sumptuously printed on handmade paper and liberally illustrated with photos and fac-simile letters. The price, only 6s, or 4s Gd, less discount, is most moderate, in fact, unless a very large number are sold the book wont pay. From a reader’s point of view, ‘On Sledge and Horseback ’ will befouud interesting enough. Miss Marsden has a ready pen, and if she were not so painfully anxious to protrude her excee ing piety upon us in season and out, her narrative would be really intertaining. The lepers she sought were most difficult to find. By dint, however, of travelling thousands of miles and hunting down everyone she could hear of, the missionary did at last beat up between 70 and 80. Now, what I should like to know is this. Admitting it is England’s duty, and not Russia’s, to succour and care for these poor outcasts, how much money doe 3 Miss Marsden want to collect for them. Is it not a fact that long ago enough, money was subscribed to lap the whole 75 in luxury for a lifetime ? Miss Marsden is as superior as ever to financial affairs in this book. I confess it looks very much to me as though the lepers had done more for Miss Marsden than Miss Marsden had done for the lepers.

The lady was a very unimportant person till seized with ‘ lepro-steria.’ Now she hobnobs with queens and empresses and is an acknowledged celebrity. A good many women would, I fancy, go through the same journey if they could make sure of the same reward. YOGEL, THE OPTIMIST. The Fortnightly Review for January contains a highly optimistic article by Sir Julius Vogel, on ‘ Social Politics in New Zealand.’ Sir Julius starts with the proposition that 1 a fragment of people going from an old country to a new country is likely to progress more rapidly in the attainment of popular conditions than the main body left behind.’ He maintains this has been so in New Zealand, and describes briefly, but clearly, your systems of educacation (which he considers the most liberal and efficient imaginable) of Government Life Insurance, of Government Trustees, of Land Transfers, &c. Many of the provisions prevailing in the Colony might, Sir Julius urges, with advantage, be adopted at Home. ‘ Take for example, an easy system of land transfer, the appointment of a Public Trustee, advisory aid to farmers, the acquisition of land in blocks to cut up for the settlement of families, the extension of the franchise, including its bestowal on women, the municipalisation of functions that in private hands involve monopolies, and the enlargement of the power of labour unions. Surely,’ cries Sir Julius, ‘ these are subjects calculated to increase the happiness of the people generally.’ Incidentally your erstwhile Premier pays a cordial tribute to the work of Sir George Grey, Sir Robert Stout, and Mr Ballance. He says ‘ There have been and are an extraordinary number of public men in New Zealand who have proved themselves to have rare statesmanlike qualities and great ability. It would be easy to name them, but they do not essentially come within the purview of this paper, because they cannot be said to be the originators and first active apostles of that train of thought that has resulted in making the people of the colony intensely interested in the social questions that animate all civilised communities. But Sir George Grey, Sir Robert Stout, and Mr Ballance have made an impression on the minds of the colonists so deep, and to ga certain extent so original that it must continue to exert an influence on the far future of the country no matter what may be the ultimate solution of the problems to which they have directed attention. And the impression cannot be an evil one because whether or not the views of these statesman meet with fruition they have taught the people to ponder, reflect and to give the keenest attention to the subjects which, in the interest of every community, it is in the highest degree desirable should be thought out.’ It is really wonderful how genial and generally benevolent Sir Julius has become since fortune smiled once more upon him. For v ears he had, like Mr Benjamin Gold finch in the play, the wrong pair of spec taclcs on. Through their distorting glasses he looked forth on a hard world and an ungrateful colony. But now through the golden glasses of prosperity all is changed. Even New Zealand seems a veritable Happy Arcadia. The public debt of the Colony has slipped Sir Julius’ memory. He never mentions it. DISCONTENTED FELLOWS. The discontented colonist has been to the fore this week in the person of Mr Chas. Fellows, at present of Wolverhampton, but who boasts 20 years’ operience of New Zealand. This gentleman wants to know how Lord Rosebery or any other man of sense can talk of the success of Home Rule in the colonies with such a flagrant failure as New Zealand before the world. Mr Fellows proceeds to point out at great length and to his own perfect satisfaction (though whether even ignorant persons will swallow his assumptions is, I should think, doubtful) that New Zealand has rhown herself hopelessly incapable to govern herself. Hal she been a Crown Colony, Mr Fellows maintains, the country would not at any rate have been burdened with a monstrous debt for useless and extravagant public works. These are not of course his exact words in the Birmingham Post, but what they amount to. Another New Zealander, Mr H. Symous, of Auckland, cordially approves Mr Fellows’ sentiments a few days later in the same paper. ACCLIMATISATION SUCCESSES. Mr R. B. Marston, the editor of the Fishing Gazette, describes in Wednesday’s St James’ Gazette the manner in which his friend, Mr W, H. Purvis, successfully trans ported nine out of twelve large lobsters alive from Plymouth to Wellington. As the particulars of the experiment appeared in the New Zealand papers at the time I need not repeat them, but Mr Marston’s deductions therefrom are interesting. Though many attempts had been made previously to convey lobsters across the equator this was, he avers, the first successful one, and it is, he considers, difficult to over estimate its importance. ' What is

possible with lobsters may be possible with crabs, crayfish and other crustaceans. Mr Purvis’ success proves triumphantly that the great lobster groun 1 of Nova Scotia is open to our market.’ Mr Purvis (who is, your readers will be aware, chief engineer of the lonic) has many times brought Home New Zealand frozen trout of from 81b to 121 b as presents to Mr Marston. These fish are such thick handsome fellows and so superior in flavour to their ancestors sent out years ago by Mr Youl and the late Francis Francis and Frank Buckland that Mr Marston thinks their eggs might with advantage be imported to cross with the old trout at Home. If this is indeed a fact and Mr Marston has not exaggerated the size and flavour of New Zealand trout (he states they grow to between 201 b and 30lb at times) your Acclimatisation Societies have scored a triumph which should nerve them to many experimental efforts. A CHRISTMAS PRESENT. Amongst the Agent General’s Christmas presents was a small parcel of New Zealand butter, sent him by Mr Henry Reynolds, of Auckland. He compared it with the condiment purchased at a smart dairy in South Kensington and ordinarily served at his own table, and concluded that ho could honestly say he much preferred the Anfcipotean article. In quality, taste and appearance it struck him as superior to the butter the household generally used. SIR A. GORDON AND THE KANAKA LABOUR QUESTION. The Times, which in publishing the experiences of its Special Lady Globe Trotter among the Queensland plantations dealt a very severe blow to the fanatical section of the Anti-Kanaka labour party all the world over, gave yesterday close upon a column to a letter upon the subject from the peu of your ex-governor, Sir Arthur Gordon. He, as you know, is an opponent of what a section of our press is pleased to term ‘ blackbirding,’ even under the strictest regulations the Queensland Government can devise, but his principal objections to the traffic are not, apparently, founded upon the possible recurrence of the gross evils which cursed the system in the past. Certainly he hints very strongly that however carefully the regula. tious for the traffic are drawn up abuses are bound to creep in, but his main plank is that ‘ the constant drain of a large part of the male population from a South Sea Island deranges and ultimately destroys the com munal village life upon which its prosperity dependsmoreover, the final result will be ‘the extinction of the island population.’ Sir Arthur considers that the Queensland planters should look to India for their necessary coloured labour, and he points out that in the matter of e xpense the importation of coolies would probably cost little if any more than the \ rovision of Polynesian labour under real restrictions and minute control. If it be found that the employment of Indian labour is impossible then Sir Arthur (recognising Queensland s necessity) asks that the su ervision of the ‘recruitment’ of Polynesians should be placed in the hands of the Imperial Government, so that whatever the relation of supply to demand, and whatever political shifts future Queensland Governments may wish to resort to in order to retain power, there shall at all events be no relaxation in the vigilance of those placed in positions to carry out the laws and regulations made for the proper conduct of the system. PERSONAL AND GENERAL. The last Anglo-Colonial wedding of 1892 was solemnise! at St Augustine's, Queen’s Gate, Kensington, on Thursday, December 29th. The principals in the ceremony were Edward Geoffrey Chubb, fifth son of the late John Chubb, of Chevender, Chislehurst, and Charlotte Eliza, youngest daughter of the late John Bealey of Radcliffe, Lancashire and of New Zealand. Two cousins of the bride officiate I, to wit the Rev. W. Guest Williams, of Painswick, as princi al, and the Rev. S. Guest-Williams, of Durham, as assistant. Benjamin Evans, ofPicton, Pembrokeshire, Went to Auckland, New Zealand, in the s.s. Prince Arthur in the year 1858, and has not been heard of since 188 G, when he was going to the goldfiells. His only surviving brother, Samuel Evans, of 2 Sea View Grange, Cardiff, is anxious to hear news of or from him. News is also wanted of John Fry, who left Adelaide Cottage, Stonehouse, who went to New Zealand about twenty-two years ago. His brother, Henry Fry, who enquires, lives at 2, Moor View, Western Road, Ivy Bridge. New Zealand papers are requested to note the death of Ann, the beloved wife of Edward J. Wilson, of the Estate Exchange, Tokenhouse Yard, City, who expired on Christmas Day at Rivercourt Lodge, Upper Mall, Hammersmith. The deceased was in her 73rd year. And, also, the marriage of Mr Henry Reynolds Platts, 2nd son of Richard Platts, of Roxborough Park, Harrow-on-the-Hill, to Emily Mary, eldest daughter of Alfred William Firth, of Holt Villas, Brixton. The ceremony took place at St Saviour's, Bruton

Hill, on the 27th December, the Rev. C. H. Wolfe officiating. Among the notables leaving London for New Zealand during the present month may be mentioned Mr J. Harris, the senior partner iu one of the best known grainbroking houses in the city, to wit Messrs Harris Brothers and Company, and a large land-owner to boot. Mr Harris, I understand, takes the trip for the double purpose of recruiting his health and to ‘ spy out the lan'.’ He is a shrew! and intensely practical man, aud his good opinion of the position and prospects of the Colony would be of value in the City, where he is well known highly respected for his business capacity—and especially to those New Zealanders who are contemplating the flotation of commercial enterprises at Home. I hear that Mr Morrow, of Auckland, has left England after a period of hard but unsuccessful endeavour to persuade the * powers that be ’ of the great value of certain inventions of his own connected with guns and shells. He should, after failure in England, have tried the Russian Government if he believed in his inventions. That Power is ever ready to improve its naval and military armaments. On dit, Russia was very anxious to secure the Brennan torpedo, and would have given a price for it very considerably in advance of the terms given by the Home Government, but could not overcome the patriotic scruples of the inventor. Of course the Russian Government is sometimes hard up, and at such times is apt to forget its obligations to minor creditors, but that risk it would have paid Mr Morrow to take. Lieutenant-General Sir George Greaves has, it is stated, tendered his resignation of the post of commander of Her Majesty’s forces in the Bombay Presidency. The statement has caused great surprise in military circles here, for it is not often an officer voluntarily relinquishes so distinguished a position. It is understood, however, that General Greaves vacated the post as a protest against his supervision by the appointment of Sir George White to the chief command in India. Sir George Greaves was born in ’3l, and is therefore some four years older than Major General White. _ He entered the army iri 1849 as an ensign in the 70th Foot, and became a major in October, 1882, and lieutenant general two years ago. He has held a large number of staff appointments at Home and abroad, including those of Chief of the Staff in Ashanti in ’73, and also with the Suakim force in ’BS, Assistant-Adjutant General at the Horse Guards, and Adjutant-General in India. His active service record is a brilliant one, including the Ensofzye Expedition in 1850, the New Zealand war ’6O-’G4. the Ashanti ’73-74, and the Soudan campaign. He has held command in the Bombay Presidency since March, eB9O. Mr David Mackie’s suggestion that a silver medal should be struck to ccmmemo rate the opening of the Imperial Institute has besn received with general favour, and will probably be carried out. It is, however, absurd to argue that the number sold ought te (as some enthusiasts maintain) harden the price of silver. If the medals were to be the size of soup plates and every well to-do Englishman bought one this might happen. But such medals as are likely te be struck will contain, perha, s, 5s worth of silver apiece, and sell not in hundre ’s of thousands but possibly to the extent of 5000 altogether. Sundry colonists resident in London, Mr A. B. M. Dallas, of Bouaviste, Kensington, and Mr P. R. Minvalla/late of the 1.C.5., for example, have written to the papers hinting they are prepared to help largely if the scheme is liberally carried out. None of them, however, say how many medals they would personally purchase and distribute. The reduced postage and parcel rates to Australia and New Zealand has not apparently resulted iu the old folks at Home sending more Christmas carls and presents to their friends at the Antipoles. The Postmaster-Genaral states that the Christmas mails to your part of the world were less heavy than they have been for years, and that there was a specially notable decrease in the number of parcels despatched. I fancy the explanation of the latter phenomenon is that the public have discovered that, save in the _ case of small packages the parcel services of the Orient and P. and O. Companies are cheaper and quite as reliable as the Post Offices. At the New Year's meeting of the Colonial Institute next Tuesday evening Lord Lome will preside, and there is sure to be a large attendance. The lecturer of the occasiou will be Mr F. P. de Labilliere, who has prepared an interesting paper on ‘ British Federalism: Its rise and Progress.’ Dr Pearson assumed on Monday last the duties of Secretary at the Victoria Government Offices. The Agents General for South Australia, New Zealand and New South Wales called during the week. The revised tariff of cable rates to Tasmania and New Zealand appeared in the Gazette of Monday evening, The Globe, in a paragraph commenting thereon, remarks that the alternative cable via Hawaii aud Samoa seems to bang fire. It expresses the hope that when the money is got together the two companies will enter into honest competition, ‘Should they come to the conclusion

that it will suit their purpose better to run together the question of a uniform rate will crop up, and unless opposition is offered we may have the old rates restored. This must not be allowed.’ NEW ZEALAND AND RIVER PLATE MORTGAGE. The New Zealand and River Plate Mortgage Company’s report, which will be presented to shareholders on January 17, shows a net profit for the year of £13,377, out of which the directors propose to pay a dividend of 2 per cent and carry £11,843 to reserve. During the year property in New Zealand and investments in London have been sold at a loss of £6307 on purchase prices. In addition a further item of £3536, on account of the company’s mortgages, is also to be treated as a loss. The financial measures necessary during the year iu order to provide for the repayment of debentures with as iitt’e pressure as possible on shareholders, have diminished profits for the year’, but the directors are g’ad to say that so far they have been entirely successful The directors announce that after the a'teration of the articles of association in Ju'y last (which was rendered necessary by the decrease in the number of members of the Co’onial board) they appointed Messrs T. Budd'e, G. S. Kissling, and Frederick Battley to act as attorneys for the manage, ment of the affairs of the company in New Zealand.