LONDON GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2641, 16 October 1895, Page 4

LONDON GOSSIP.

From Our Special Correspondent. ABOUT CHARLES WARNER. London, August 16. As the gallant hut nowadays rather puffy hero of a thousand melodramas, dear old “ Charley ” Warner has an extensive experience of the proper manner in which to rescue distressed damsels, defend helpless old women and repress cruelty. It was, doubtless, this knowledge that induced the popular and kind-hearted actor on his way home from the theatre the other evening to interfere between the police and a victim whom he alleges they were brutally ill-treating. On the stage the incident would have elicited hurricanes of applause. Scene: A brawl in High street, Hammersmith, with burly and cruel constables thumping a comic coster. Enter Charlie Warner bursting with omolicn. “ Stop that, you scoundrels ! What! You won’t! Then take that aud that and that.” knocking police over right and left. Comic coster escapes. Warner stands over the prone police with folded arms. “ Let this bo a lesson to you,” ho says sternly, “ not to illtreat the weak.” Music and quick curtain. Unfortunately in real life there is no curtain. That’s the worst of it. Mr Warner was most successful in bursting with emotion, and angrily remonstrated with the police, but for various reasons refrained from knocking |them down. Indeed I gather it was they who subjected Charles to “ shocking indignity.” What the precise nature of the outrage was is not stated. The policeman, on dit, merely pleaded he’d “prodded ’im in ’is breadbarsket just for to keep ’im orf.” However that may be, the constable had the best of it, for when Charles complained next morning to a magistrate he was coldly told, “ The police had a very hard duty to perform.”

A TALE OP THE SMART YANKEE. The average Yankee journalist is hardly the person one would pick out for the purpose of “ confidence ” tricking. But the Metropolitan confidence thief is no respecter of persons and uses his well-worn and oft-exposed wiles with a boldness which disarms the suspicions of the ’cutest “ mug.” The latest victim is a member of the staff of a New York daily. He came to London a short time ago on business, and put up at an hotel in the Strand. One fine morning he sallied out to view the sights, and mot a man who said he hailed from Brooklyn. The fellow had lost his way, of course, and wanted directing. The Yankee newspaper man volunteered to guide the lost one, and after a trot round town the pair ultimately went to the Crystal Palace to enjoy themselves. There they met an Irishman, who, with the characteristic generosity of his race, insisted on standing them champagne and other seductive drinks. At the proper stage the open-handed man of Erin confidentially explained that an uncle of his had just died in America leaving him an enormous fortune. The only drawback, said he, was a condition that a certain sum should be distributed annually to the poor of Brooklyn and Chicago. He was pleased to think his uncle had been so charitable, but he was at a loss to find a man to whom the distribution of the money could be safely entrusted. The man from Brooklyn then suggested that he and the journalist could distribute the charity without much difficulty. “ A capital notion—capital,” said the Irishman heartily: “ let’s have some more champagne.” And out of his pocket came a bundle of bank notes apparently. In the afternoon the two returned to town, discussing en route the details of the proposed arrangement for carrying out| the Irishman’s uncle’s charitable purpose. All had been arranged, and good-byes were about to be given when, of a sudden the Irishman’s face grew infinitely grave. “Look hero,” he said, hesitatingly, “I don’t—er —care to—er—er—but y’ know —or— how’m I to—er —know you’re—er—responsible people—men—er—to be trusted with money ?” “ Oh,” quoth he from Brooklyn, “that’s easily proved. See this ” (producing what appeared to be a circular note), “ I’ll gq over to Cook’s and change it.” And across Ludgate Circus the man from Brooklyn darted. He went into the famous agents’ office, and after a while returned to where the journalist and the Irishman were standing. Ho had in his hand a bundle of notes. Not to be outdone the scribe produced a circular note also and cashed it at Cook’s. The trio then strolled down the embankment and then into the Strand. A drink followed, and whilst in the publichouse the man from Brooklyn handed over to the Irishman his bundle of notes and his watch and chain, and went for a stroll with the journalist. When they returned the Irishman confidentially informed the pressman that ho had conceived a most favourable impression of the Brooklyn gentleman, aud confirmed his statement by making that worthy a handsome present, returning him also his notes and jewellery. The journalist, now “ fairly mellow,” proceeded to show his confidence in his pals. He handed up to them .£7O in genuine notes, his watch and chain and sundry other small ornaments. The Irishman and the man from Brooklyn at once quitted the house with, “ Ta ta, old fellow, we’ll bo back in a few minutes.” Ton passed quickly, but the two “ jolly fellows ” came not. And then it dawned upon the unhappy scribe that he had been “ done green.” Ho rushed off and searched frantically for his late boon companions, but they had vanished completely, and Bow street and Scotland Yard are still on the look-out for them.

END OF THE MINING BOOM. The bottom hag temporarily dropped out of the mining boom so far as New Zealand is concerned, and people who a few weeks ago would have jumped at any property in the neighbourhood of the Waihi or Hauraki wouldn’t now touch anything New Zealand with a pair of tongs. Till returns begin to come forward from some of the properties -recently floated I doubt much whether such a favourable combination of circumstances as that which prevailed during the weeks following Mr Ward’s departure will recur. It was, of course, mainly the Treasurer’s visit and the success of the loan which rendered the moment specially favourable for New Zealand promotions. Sir Julius Vogel has been flitting in and out of the city a good deal recently, but, there is no use disguising it, his day is over. I don’t for a moment expect to see his name figuring in connection with New Zealand promotions again. Men like Harrison Davis and Witheford have nowadays ten times the influence and connection of the erstwhile Premier of the Colony. The secret of Witheford’s friendly business relations with so many financial magnates of the highest standing is that they have found him invariably as good as his word. No man can, in poker phraseology, “ bluff high ” better amongst convivial comrades. But in business, real business mind, accuracy is his watchword. Those who fancy I am romancing in order to •' butter-up “ an old acquaintance have merely to turn to the reports of the Royal Oak statutory meeting. On that occasion no less a person than Mr P. B. Marshall gut up and said that he thought it only fair to mention that every statement Mr Witheford had made about the New Zealand mines had been amply borne out by facts. Harrison Davis is sharp as a needle, and knows how to play every card in his band for every cent it is worth. He has also a pleasant way with him, which goes a long way in promoting and heaps of friends. Should the Westralian and other companies he has been identified with " pan ” out well he may go far. Mr Davis has just opened offices at 54, Broad street, and engaged Mr Brown, who was identified for many years with branches of the Bank of Van Diemen’s Land in New Zealand, as his manager. He has just now a West Australian Trust Company and several other ventures on the stocks, and assists Mr Menuell and Mr Myring in running the British Australasian. Many of the improvements in that journal were, he claims, his suggestions. Mr Harrison Davis was this week elected a director of Nelson's new company, and will undoubtedly strengthen the board. His chief fault, if it can be called one, is a disposition to be over-sanguine.- and each of his ventures in turn is “ the finest thing you ever knew.” Apart from business Harrison Davis is, I believe, the best of good fellows, and would stand by a friend (I don’t mean by every man In the street to whom he says '' how-d’ye-do ?-”) through good report and ilk New Zealanders resident in Christchurch do not need tQ be told that he has a very talapted and charming wife,

THE C.C. AND D. COMPANY, The Colonial Consignment and Distribution Company (which desires to be known for brevity’s sake as the “ C.C. and D. Co.”) are sending out by to-day’s mail a circular addressed i to the consignors of the late lamented Nelsons pointing out the surpassing advantages of the new departure. It also announces that spacious stores for dairy produce have been taken in Tooley street, beneath the arches of London Bridge. These are 170 ft long, and contain three entrances from "Weston street. If necessary they will be insulated, but Mr Valentine thinks the chambers will.be cold enough as they are. It is only bare justice to this gentleman to state that he is working like a horse in the interests of the, new concern, and seems to have conquered the personal prejudice felt against him in certain quarters. Even when this was strongest his opponents never challenged his professional abilities, which are admittedly high. I ought to mention, by the way, that the C.C. and D. have,amongst other duties, inherited the privilege of keeping the New Zealand Kiosk at the Imperial Institute j going, and just now exhibit a capital*

show of meat and dairy produce. This is an excellent advertisement for the Colony, but does not materially benefit the Company, as the rules of the Institute forbid private advertising. The Company therefore deserve kudos for their public spirit.

JOHN DUNN DEAD. From Durban comes the news that John Dunn is dead. Some may ask who was John Dunn. Well, he was by way of being a notability during the Zulu War in 1879, aud when that affair terminatedhobecamea chief in Zululand, and was recognised as such by Sir Garnet (now Lord) Wolseley. The facts of Dunn’s early life are somewhat obscure, but it passes muster that he was the son of a linen draper at Saffron, Walden. The good people of that town were not heavy buyers of linen goods, and satisfied their small wants at shops not owned by Dunn senior. The unfortunate tradesman went “ broke ” and migrated to South Africa with his family. John turned hunter, and was employed by a banker of Saffron Walden in forming a collection of skins for the museum of that town. His wander-' ings led him into Cetowayo’s country, and that monarch took a great fancy to Dunn. Before long he became the King’s factotum, had a kraal of his own, and as many wives as he could conveniently keep therein. When the war broke out, the Colanso party in Natal denounced John Dunn as a traitor, and declared him to be responsible for the King’s desire to wash his spears in white men’s blood. But there is evidence to prove that Dunn’s influence with Cetewayo was used to its full extent in the cause of peace. When the impis were preparing to advance upon civilisation, Dunn left his kraal and wives and fled into Natal, and ; became one of Lord Chelmsford’s most-trusted and useful scouts. As a reward ho was given one of the petty chieftainships into which Zululand was divided under Lord Wolseley’s socalled settlement. During the civil war which followed Dunn’s location was comparatively quiet, though for a time he had trouble in holding his own against the turbulent aud bloodthirsty Usibepu. Cetewayo’s restoration of course brought an end to Dunn’s little sovereignty, and ho pent the last years of his- life in Natal.

COMPANY LAW. The report of the Departmental Committee on company law should bo of deep interest to all of your business readers, as it embodies the reforms suggested for the measure now being drawn up by Mr Justice Vaughan Williams. Amongst others it recommends these most important changes : public registration of debentures and other charges given by a public company. 2. Provision for disclosure on definite points in the prospectus, and for making directors personally liable if the prospectuses misleading, or if material information is withheld. 3. A substantial safeguard against going to allotment on insufficient capital. 4. Provision for nullifying all companies formed for defrauding or delaying the creditors of a private firm. 5. Provision for making the balance-sheets a true and sufficient account of the position of the company. The first of these reforms would alone bo a most important step in the right direction, aud no one can have followed the recent course; of company-promoting without feeling that the other changes recommended are also very substantial improvements. Mr Justice Vaughan Williams proposes, aud we think with good reason, to strengthen these recommendations in one or two respects. Ho would remove all loopholes by which directors -might still goto allotment 'on insufficient capital—a matter of drafting on which his views will no doubt . be respected. Ho also holds that the balancesheet, or at least a periodical statement of the assets and liabilities of a company, should bo publicly registered as well as its debentures. Ho is in favour of attaching a compulsory reserve liability to uncalled capital. That is to say, if a company desires to trade on the credit of its uncalled capital, it should be required to reserve a part and exempt it from anticipation by mortgage. If the Judge had been able to bo present at the later meetings of the committee, he would probably have converted his follow-members , to these proposals, and his authority is so great that no Government can afford to ignore them. The chief omissions from both reports are that no strengthening of the criminal law is proposed, and that the vexed question of paying dividends out of capital is reserved for a committee of exports. That committee, will, wo hope, be appointed without delay.