OUR LONDON LETTER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1676, 13 April 1904, Page 2

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) - - . LONDON/February 12. There is something pathetic in Mr W. T. Stead's confession of failure in the final issue of the “Daily Paper,” which appeared on Tuesday morning for the last time.,’. His ambitious scheme has been a hopeless ' struggle. Prostrated by overwork and* worry after getting out the second issue, Mr Stead has tried to edit his new paper from a retreat by the seav side, but his doctors have now warned him that unless he abandons further work and takes a long 'sea voyage, the consequences will be serious. • So Mr Stead is on his way to South Africa, and the brief career of the “Daily Paper” is at an eud. - It was probably .the lack of advertise mehts which killed it. The daily circulation was guaranteed to be 100,000, but the advertisements averaged only =£4s a day. About a week ago the rates were reduced 50 per cent., and as a result the advertisements were exactly doubled. Absolutely nothing was gained. “It is idle,” says the farewell editorial, “to pretend that this breakdown has not -been a great disappointment. - To have created a daily newspaper that would fce all my own, in which I might hope to realise some at least of the ideals which have haunted my imagination from my youth up, has been the dream of my life. . . . The “Daily Paper” will appear no more, but the ideal which I have attempted to mould in clay may yet be carved in marble by more capable hands.” - * The . death of Canon Aingei', Master of the Temple, was chronicled this week with many expressions of sincere regret. Though not a profound theologian, or a great orator, Canon Ainger wielded a powerful influence as a preacher by the charm of his personality and by his un- * affected earnestness and- devotion. With his long white hair, hanging over a pale, youthful-looking face, he was a striking figui’e in the pulpit. The best pen-por-trait of his outward appearance is contained in the “Times” obituary notice : “A small stooping figure, the head, with its long white hair, thrust forward, but constantly in motion, just as were the hands, the lips, the eyes, the brow, every- . thing in fact which could express liveli- : ness of thought and -fancy, keenness of observation, the play of an irrepressible humour, or sensitiveness to beauty of sound or. rhythm. The face was always t as pale as that of a man at death's door; 'its features were irregular to grotesqueness; but the eyes were so bright and full of whimsical humour, and the whole expression so intelligent and alive, that to see: him was to feel a curiosity and a desire for his acquaintance, while to converse with, him, or to heai- him read, was to fall an easy victim to his charm. His voice, in reading oi- speaking, was one of the - most beautiful that could be heard; its purity of tone and modulation inevitably suggested the epithet “silvervoiced,” but there was no effect, short of mere rant or shouting, which it was unable to produce. In earlier years he sang -'■tenor, musically, though not powerfully; and he differed from his favourite, •Charles Lamb, in having a fine ear and a passion for music. But over and above the natural quality of his. voice he had the rarer, and -mote precious gift of expression, the actor’s power of interpretingemotion, together with A' literary sense, catholic but exacting, the power of assimilating all kinds of beauty, and the whole range of wit and humour. And it was in the-, readying of that fountain-head of out literary language.; the English Bible, that one felt his charm at its very highest.” ' " . AT least one good story is told of the late Canon Ainger; it illustrates his kindly; disposition. He had been asked to as- • sist-at-a ..party given to some children to whom he was greatly attached. Arriving -late at his supposed destination, lie said, to the domestic who admitted him, “Don't, announce me.” Thereupon he dx’opped on his knees, ruffled up his hair, turned up the collar of his coat, a lid crawled into the room, growling in imitation of a bear. In the drawingroom, gazing at him in alarm, were two prim old maids. - He had gone to the wrong house! • ..

My knowledge of .latter-day Antipodean - r fi9tiana” is, I must confess, a trifle rusty and it may be that one Jerry McDonald is a champion of sorts out your way. As such, at any rate he posed at, the Ipternational Athletic Club, London, last Monday night when opposed to A lbert /I'ellowes, of Birmingham, in what should . have" been a six-round bout with the gloves. McDonald and his vis-a-vis opened their “contest-* in a manner that Savoured of a fear of damaging each other, and a desire to display their qualifications as dancing masters, i ney Lipped, sparred and danced for a couule of rounds as though engaged in an exhibition before a ladies- academy. Then the referee (.Toe Steers, the hard-punching examateur champion) gave -them the word to warm up or quit. Fell,owes tried to •obey the injunction, but McDonald refused to join in the fun, and ere the third round was completed Steers ordered them both out of the ring. Dr Searle is Mayor of Dartmouth, and as such should be a man whose word is ynot lightly pledged. Yet we find him pledging himself to cure consumption by introducing into the system of the patient bacilli “infinitely more powerful than the bacillus of tuberculosis, bacilli which ! will kill that bacillus and themselves die from the conflict.’* Dr Searle argues that the Koch theory that the extermination of the bacillus may be produced by securing overcrowding is against the laws of Nature, and that many patients said to have been cured by that method have never been afflicted* with consumption. Given the necessary funds for the establishment of a bacteriological laboratory, he says he would speedily jirove the efficacy of bis method. “I do not ask for doubtful cases,** be says. “All T ask for is patients who are well-nigh certain to die in six or twelve mouths unless the progress of the disease can be arrested. Place them under my treatment and i say unhesitatingly' tliat they will recover.” These are big words indeed, but Dr Senile fain- in any sort of proofs or the cdiene \ of his “cure.” The product inn of a ftov proven

consumptives cured by his method would g> far toward persuading the public to supply him with tne necessaries lie requires to prove his method. The Earl of Meath, having drawn the attention of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the fact that the ‘‘Empire Day ” movement contemplates not only an annua] celebration on May 24, nut more especially systematic teaching during the course of the year to all British scholars in matters of Imperial knowledge, so as to impress on their minds the spomibilities-which attach to British citizenship, and their duties towards dependent races. Mr Lyttelton has expressed his. entire sympathy with Lord Meath’s view as to the importance of the educational side of the matter.

An Anglo-Indian finds in the natural features of New Zealand India’s antipodes, and it is the delightful varieties of climate and sharp contrasts of scenery Which in his eyes constitute the colony’s great chann. So one gathers from a wellwritten and highly appreciative article in which a travelling correspondent of the “Times of India” describes the “Long White Cloud.” Especially was he charmed with the beautiful scenery to be found northward from Auckland, his description of which I quote:—“ There is no more enticing region in New Zealand than this undulating oceaubitten nortbland. ■The warm blue seas that smile north ,nd away from Auckland harbour are dotted with green romantic islands of every shape and size, some rising high and rocky to blue wooded peaks, others shelving .al/1 verc![iir'ouis from softly-lapping bays into sweet-spring-watered valleys where it seemeth ‘ always afternoon. Fish of bountiful variety swarm in these inland gulfs and winding estuaries; fruit of every kind, from peaches .md apples to the tropic-like orange and banana, grows luxuriantly in the rich warm volcanic soil. For a man of leisure and a little assured income a home embowered in such flowers and fruit-orchards aS me may see at pleasant Mahurangi, or Whangarei, or the curving shores of historic Tokorau, should be a little paradise. With a yacht on the tidal river or sheltered bay a taste for deep-sea fishing and cruising, and that love of out-door sports which the Anglo-Saxon carries with him the wide-world over, one could derive an infinitely deeper pleasure from life chan stewed up in a hot and dusty city. Not that New Zealand cities are such; shady trees and eye-refreshing pleasure grounds are a prominent feature of most ot me centres of population. Most New Zealanders live too near the -great ‘heart "f Nature to. oai’e to always shut themselves up between brick tValls; and the primal’ craving for a life in the open is abundantly manifested by the fleets of smart cruising yachts and the numberless write terns .of the 1 summer camper-out.” At the last monthly meeting of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures a letter was read from Mr Goulstone, the secretary of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, apropos of the Australasian bottle trade. Therein the writer pointed out that although the f.o.b. price was in both cases practically the same for a certain class of bottle, yet these bottles could be imported from German}’, via- London, at a much cheaper rate than direct from London, because British shipping companies carried German bottles for 22s 6d a ton, but refused to carry British bottles. for less than 425. He had taken one line of business as an example, but it did not stand alone, as practically all goods shipped from the Continent, via London, were subject to a like reduction. A preferential tariff is doubtless, he says, all important to British and colonial manufacturers; but, as freights now are, it will take an enormous preference, in some cases over 25 per cent., To bring British manufacturers on a level with the foreigner. He notices that in the proposed New Zealand preferential tariff no provision for the protection of British-made jam jars, beer, stout, medical and other bottles of every description had been made. This is a trade which he thinks requires special attention, as Britain, which used to supply the whole of these Australasian colonies with bottles, is being gradually crushei) out of the market —on the one band by cheap freights, and on the other by American and Continental makers using these countries as a ‘‘dumping'” ground for, their surplus stocks. Mr Collision concludes:— “If a duty of 20 per cent-, could be put on this class of goods manufactured out of Britain, not only would a payable industry bn established here, but the Mother Country would be materially assisted. In the meantime, strong measures should be taken by both the Home and colonial manufacturers against those shipping companies which gave such considerate treatment to aliens at the expense of British trade.” The letter was remitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber. Sir WiHia.m Harcourt stated the case against Chinese labour very forcibly in a letter read on. Wednesday at a mass meeting held in the Queen’s Hall, under the auspices of a committee of both Houses of Parliament. Mr Seddon’s words of warning find a powerful echo in Sir William’s protest, from which I quote the following paragraph: “The great self-governing colonies of Australia and New Zealand, which have had bitter experience of this yellow peril, with one voice cry shame upon us. They just regard it as a foul blot upon this noble title of a British colony of which they are proud. It seems to lower our name in the estimation of the world. . . . . Thu future of this vast and devastated territory is to be sacrificed to the impatient greed of speculators in gold, who cannot wait to redeem their industry from the consequences of their own cupidity. . . . In the interests of low-grade ore we must found a lowgrade colony. Every other industry is to be treated as nanglit, and the gold mines ar.pt to be manned, not bv men. but, by animals in human form, who are to be treated as if they were pariahs not fit to lie at large, as lepers infected with some j foul disease, compelled to cry ‘Unclean, um-lean.' Best assured that the Cape Cot- iiy will never federate with a. Chinese--! province. . . It is impos--11 > : • 1 • von !-•;-• riafe a ni os Poet with-

tion in its vilest shape and throwing back the moral sense of the nation a whole century since the final emancipation of the slave.” Lord Carrington, who presided at the Queen's Hall meeting, neatly summed up the case by saying that it was our duty to act as well as to think Imperially. lie agreed with Sir William Harcourt. The scheme was condemned by all true statesmen,, by all the other colonies, and by all those who had any knowledge of the subject. Earl Carrington went on to state his experience of the attempted landing of Chinese coolies in New South Wajles when he was Governor in 1888—an attempt which, produced effective ' tion shutting out the yellow peril. It there had been any objection here at Home he verily believed we should have lost the colony. (Cheers.) Three years ago the League of the Empire was formed with the object of inspiring personal and active interest in the Empire as a whole, and of promoting friendly intercommunication between its different parts, mainly by schemes of reciprocal education. At the present time the league has eighty branches. At a banquet held this week at the Trocadero, Earl Grey said the existence of so many leagues aiming at Imperial objects suggested that the time was almost ripe for the Colonial Office or the Colonial or Imperial Institute to appoint a committee to form some superior organisation for directing the energies and 00-ordinaiting such leagues. lie trusted that their scheme of exhibiting lantern slides would not be confined to subjects merely affecting schools ax Home and schools m the colonies, but that it would illustrate the “big idea” of Imperial unity. Sir Gilbert Parker, Canon Lyttelton and Sir P. Hutchins (president) were amongst the speakers. The Imperial Institute entirely failed to fulfil the expectations of its founders, and may be said/ to-have “perished miserably/' but the Itoyal Colonial Institute, which commenced its career in a ery humble fashion, continues to flourish financially and otherwise. The annual report to be presented at the yearly meeting next Tuesday is very satisfactory. The revenue for the past year was <£7740. and the number of candidates elected in that period comprised 67 resident and ‘259 non-resident. Fellows, or a totail of 326, as compared with 430 in 1902 (an exceptional period, being Coronation year), and 295 in 1901. On December 31, 1903, the list included 1476 resident, 2971 ionresident, and 13 honorary Fellows, or 4460 in all; of whom 1188 have compounded for the annual subscription and qualified as life-Fellows. The account shows that the loan of =£35,020, which was raised in 1886 for the acquirement of’ the freehold of the institute in Northumberland avenue had been reduced on December 31, 1903, to £7720 4s lOd, so that the Fellows will soon be in full possession of a very valuable property. In is expected that between 100 and 150 firms may take part, in the proposed “Imperial Floating Exhibition’’ whrtV being engineered by the London “Daily Express.” Each firm will send a renresentative with samples of their i -a

f-actu-res to be displayed on board the steamer. Speaking at the annual meeting yesterday of Bovril, Limited, Lord Duncannon said they had sent in the name of their firm ais willing to join in the project. The voyage would last some months, and would embrace South and West Africa, India., the Straits Settlements, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, River Plate, West Indies and Canada:; in fact, the whole British world, with one or two other enterprising countries thrown in. Hitherto New Zealand butter lias usually been sold here as “colonial” butter, without any indication as to what colony it comes from. The Agent-Gene-ral's Department is now approaching the large l-etail stores in London, with a view to getting the New Zealand article specially quoted in their price-lists, and one of the largest of these stores has already acceded to the reqxiest. Apropos of the. butter trade, it is worth noting that should) the war in ihe Far East continue into the spring the Siberian export of butter to this country will be seriously interfered with, if not actually interrupted for the time being, and New Zealand butter should benefit accordingly in. the Home market.

By the Athenic yesterday a shipment of prize fowls and ducks was despatched by the Agent-General’s Department, to the order of the New Zealand Government. The shipment comprised four cockre’e of each* of the following breeds:—Leghorns, both white and brown ; Black Miporeas; barred Plymouth Bocks; Wyandottes, golden, white and silver; Houdans; )r----pingtons, single comb, both black and buff; Black Langsihans. Ten Aylesbury drakes and ten Pekin drakes, all valuable birds, were also forwarded by the same vessel. The resolution passed by a mass meeting in Wellington protesting against Chinese labour in South Africa, has been given considerable prominence in this, country. The text of the resolution was cabled i., full to the -Vgent-Genera], and communicated by him to Reuters "Agency, which transmitted it to all the leading newspapers. Are litigants in the colonies becoming; less enterprising Tim .Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which resumed its sittings last week, luus only seven colonial eases in its list. Two are from Newfoundland, and the remaining five irum New South W ales. New Zealand, Ontario, Trinidad and Jamaica. The Indian eases number twelve, and two e.'i peals under the Clergy Discipline Act and complete the present list or cases tohearing by the “Imperial Court of Appeal.” In the business of the Judicial Committee but little of the law’s delay can hi, observed. No! one of the colonial and Indian appeals were entered earlier than September. The committee has already disposed, for the time being, of the New Zealand case, which, was f !:.at of T). TTemiersoii and Co.. Limbed, aml others v. Daniel] and others, the m.ujeev. of which is whether an a- C'-" ®’Y appellants- in set aside no ißoged -ale to respondent >. of • tin of t h«* appellant eompauy, we- dismissed. Judgm a- o; V- i... ,-n i-s.o ved.