OUR LONDON LETTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10631, 28 March 1896, Page 8

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(Fbom Oub Own Cobresfondbnt.)

London, February 1, ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. Much, interest is felt here with regard to the pending reconstruction of the Ministry on the retirement of Sir P. Buokley and the Hon. Mr Reeves, It is regarded, a perilous proceeding to make such extensive changes just at the close of the life of a Parliament, and an impression is steadily gaining ground in tha best-informed circles that the days of the Seddon Government are numbered—numbered by just so many days as may intervene between now and the nest general election. Of course this is mere Aoglocolonial gossip, but you an take it for what it is worta. Outsiders often do see more of the game than do the players. j

Can you tell me who sent over that cargo of Nsw Zealand silver pine railway sleepers "on spec." ? It surety was a very foolish thing to do. At present it has proved impracticable to get any English railway company to try the sleepers. For in the first pla«e even if they proved superior to those now in use they would cost fully twice m much; and although it is alleged that the New Zsalsnd timber would last " for ever," the railway companies are dubions on this head. In the second place it is asserted that there is no chenca of establishing a trade ia theso sleepers because the supply of that particular timber — silver pine —is stoictly limited, so that even if the railway companies were willing to pay double the price for the silver pine eleepera, they contract for such vast numbers at a time that New Zealand could not look at one of their contracts. An attempt will be mads shortly to induce one of the big railway companies to take over the whole lot tentatively, a 9 they are "eating their heads off" in storage at present. I anticipate that the Great Northern will be the line tried.

Pleasure is expressed by the P*ll Mall Gazette that "New Zealand has not been ashamed to follow Canada and Australia in sending a congratulatory message to her Majesty's Government," and it expresses the opiuion that the Auckland resolution may be taken to represent tbe views of the colonists, who say thsy are " prouder than ever to belong to tha Empire oE Gn»is Britain." The Pall Mall Gazstte adds : "And we are prouder than ever to bo the Great Britons of that Greater Britain. The sympathy which the colonies have extended to the Government during the recent crisis is of more value than many leagues with high-sounding names. It has been void of unnecessary offence to foreign Powers, while at the same time it means buciueas. Still, resolutions are atl very well in their way, but they will not build a jolly boat, or equip a single riSe corps. We should like to sco the Imperial defanceß made impregDiible, and to that end colonial contributions are necessary. Now that Australia and New Zealand have we*tfcered their own. little crisis they mightcome forward with C3sb down." Surely it is unwise to gauge colonial loyalty by the extent to which colonists are willing to subscribe toward the navy, while they have no voice whatever as to the appropriation of the funds it is proposed they should contribnte. Commenting upon » speech by Mark Twain in New Zealand on tbe prohibition question, the Westminster Gazette a day or two ago quoted an amusing story of his about a man who came to a prohibited American town and went to a chetnißt to ask'for a drink. Tha chemist declined to serve him withont a doctor's prescription, adding that he bad only power to break this rnle in case of snake bite. "Wfaete is the snake?" said the traveller. The apothecary gave him the addres3. Soon after he came back and said: " For goodness sake give me a drink, the snake is engaged for six months ahead!" The humourist," remurks the Westminster, " seems to have overlooked ooe fact— there are many more snakes in 2\"ew Zealand than in Mark's country." Another London daily makes cruel fun over this awful blunder on the part of the Westminster, and observes : "We had been so far under the impression that one of the most remarkable features 0? Now Zealand was that snakes did not exist there." Some inquiries have been made as to the feasibleness of establishing a produce trade between New Zealand and Australia on the one hand and the Netherlands on the oth«r. The result has, however, been somewhat discouraging, as the Dutch merchants consulted held out very little hope of being able to deal with colonial produce except on a small scale. No Dutch market for frozen meat is anticipated, as little mutton is used there, and there are no storage facilities. Wool, however, if of the best quality, also hides, tallow, butter, preserved meats, wooden paving blocks, groin, and dried fruito would, it is alleged, find a Bale in Holland, bub at what price is not stated. There has been a decided advance in many New Zealand stocks dnring the past week Governments are now up to 96 to 97, the best point they have yet touched, and the syndicate holding the bulk of these securities is beginning to unload, though very cautiously, as a farther rise is looked for with British 2J por cent, coneol« nt 108^ and expected to go up to 110. New Zealand 3s:pet cents. »re.at 10* to 106 and 4-'s IU to Ili »