ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 31

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

From Our Xjicrial ('•.•rre.-pondcrJ. PoNimx, March (?. XK\V ZEALAND TIMBER-. The Architect in an article advocating the increased use of New Zealand timber in this country dwells at some length on the virtues of the various indigenous trees of the Colony, and \yinds up thus" It is evident- that New Zealand would be able to supply Great Britain with timber corresponding to all the varieties that are now required. Under a paternal Government English ports would be stocked with every kind, and foreign timber would for a time bo mulcted with a high duty, iu order to diminish competition. Ho primitive a method of determining an economic problem cannot; bo adopted in this country. But a substitute for it is not difficult to find. If all who have the disposal of building and engineering contracts would employ Nmv Zealand timber as opportunity offers and for a time at least would look lightly on shortcomings, wo might then expect that tho Colony would have gained a share in the patronage which has enriched the north of Europe.” Tho Architect article is, of course, the outcome of a perusal of Sir W. Perceval’s pamphlet, and 1 need hardly point out that its appearance in such a paper is a very valuable advertisement. NEW ZEALAND MORTC.AdE AND INVESTMENT ASSOCIATION. Tho Hon Norman Grosvenor, who presided over the ordinary general meeting of the New Zealand Mortgage and Investment Association on Thursday, said that tho poor results shown in the report wero owing to tho low price of station produce and to the general adverse influences prevailing in the Colony. In the second half of tho year, however, their operations showed a surplus, ill consequence of the improvement ill tho value of the stock oil the two stations, wnich now represented a large proportion of their assets. In tho first half of the year thero was a loss of JJ3017 on tho winking of those two stations, but in the second half they made a profit of .it 1.886. EMIORAXT.s’ I XFORM ATION OFFiCE. If, as stated in some of tho papers, Mr Chamberlain has in contemplation a eonsiderablo development of the Emigrants’ Information Oilico, it is to be hoped that he will consult with Sir \ Cost by Perceval, who is not only full of ideas on tho subject, but has four years’ valuable experiences to draw upon. Tho Iniormation Bureau at the New Zealand office does mostimportant work, as tourists travelling in the provinces invariably discover. Tito P.M.G. discussing the development of tho E.I.G. says: —Nowlieiv but iu our most casual of Empire.-; would it be pooibie that the business of letting people oiiicially know about our enormous “ undeveloped estates” over sea should be conducted by a tiny handful of clerks in an almost indistinguishable small house in the Broadway, Westminster. There is no ground of complaint whatsoever against the object <-f the staff of tho E.I.G. It was, we believe, the outcome or a pet idea of a laithlul v/Oiouial Office clerk some years ago. With tho small Government grant; the best that could ho has been faithfully done, and well-si(ted information widely circulated as promptly as possible. But in the taco of yearly committees on the unemployed, with blood and brains and muscle going begging year after year, it. ought not to bo very hard for the “new diplomacy” to find better official means than at present exist of bringing our unemployed energy at homo and our undeveloped estates abroad into closer touch. Tin-; colonies axii costal ori'Kim. The PostOliiee is incorrigible. H a reform or innovation is suggested which Oil fhe face of it promise:, a little extra convenience for the public the “experts” of St. Martins-le-gmiid can always at a moment’s notice pump up a series of apparently damning objections thereto. It has long been recognised that it would be a great boon if people in England and Australia could discharge small debts between tle m by means of postal orders instead of post oilico orders. Wo shall, of course, bo able to do this by-a.mi-bye, for in the light between ('"liiiiT'iise lists and rod tape th 'former tin: l proved. Put iullic matlcr of ail ox'-ka'-igo oi » >•* :i orders between England and hm' '• - : the battle is evidently going to be a ! mg ono.