ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11303, 22 December 1898, Page 2

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

'(From Odr Own ComtEsroNDENT.)

LONDON, November 4.

;'■■ Sir"', Edward Braddon has said, :or at any rate '-. the .•statement..' has , been put. into his mouth, that if war broke out over the Fashoda question, New Zealand would .supply. free rations of meat' for. all our menin both the army and navy. This is held to he " a pleaBant sign of these Imperial times." I should think so; but, like the old Scotch lady,' I " had rriy doots." -% ■■■-.-,■ ■■■::■, ''./:'■:'

t A trading journal draws attention to1 a cheque "drawn'by1 the A^gent-generiil,' aiidihe 'reference is headed "New Zealand' GovernpieW; Toreigri'lnterest Acco'uiitr'' ._."' This is fee^ng;;■finglftnd,•SoptJl^d"/.■!foland;,^Atoetipa, : .Germany'j-.:arid:(FranceVare all: (foreign. .-, Of bourse,,it -is.'admittodtthe term- can be ex-; plained asjsimply a way .of, classifying payments/but..'4.Where,:does,the idea of Imperial ; unity come;inif England is foreign? " . , • Looking.itl at'ihe Agency-general this week* ••■ I had the pleasure of meeting a Continental journalist—the correspondent of "some German newspapers.—who. had called in to' obtain in--lorrriatiori in" relation to the colony. He had' already formed"the opinion that it was',the' best place in.the World for. the working man—*; foreign as well as British,—but he shook; his' head doubtfully over /certain, portions of' Mr Fowldes's single' tax addresses,: delivered- in Sc6tlandj;which had filtered -through into the,, columns of the Continental press. In, fact,, Mr, iFowldes's alleged, remarks .had been, the means of hi*- receiving : instructions to send, bontributions ''ab'out^- this"■'••■' Paradise of the South Pacifici','' It-had been takett for granted, .that'/sihgle/. tax had proved' successful in the colony, but what caused'doubt in this journalist'^''* mind- kwats :'a:,"fact". imputedTtto.-Mr .Fowldes thatany man could be sure of work at;;not less, than 10s a, day immediately he landed in the.colony...! The misgiving was not '■as. io the rite of pay,' but it was inconceivable ■Hq^hei'G'^^'mindithat,capitalist■•Bhould bo. ■ waiting on the shores to. pay it at the moment ; of X left, my jbrotlier, journalist busy ■with'ttHeVrepprt-of ,the Labour ' picking,^_ut,!the average rates of pay, from ',--to \, builders' labourers.,■ ; 'So, .if. aiip'tlierjipyal p'omniission'has to be appointed ■ to,. dfeal.V>vitb;la.*tfui'ther,, .influx/of »aH.ens,;:,,the ileaders,,, oft the single' tax lnbv.einent may': be, hble'-jto- give some .valuable, evidence. ■;._.. Xvi. ']■}, .■:Messrs,:l)algety;;ahdi:Co.ohav.e. just issued/ their fourteenth- annual- report^ in-whioh' thev■> state that.the:balance sheet,show's ttiatj after ;prpvidin.g forbad and doubtful debtsj depre-ciation-tin value 'of .securities,- interest, on debenture stock and i debentures■ np - to June ■ 30, ',and payment' of income tax; there rem'ainß_ to ithe ;ci;eHit of profit and logs" account; including i the ; balance, brought ..forward- fromlast: year, ;.£100,438.; ,In: May last .an-interim.;,dividend ■Wai paid-at .the rate of B,'per.cent;.per amium. ■for the"half-year"ended December 31, amount■ing to >£t0,000,. leaving. a balance, available of £60,438. ■■■;■ The•directors recommend ; ,thatj, t; a ;divideudv£hould.be:<paidr.at. the rate >of; 8 per.' ; cent: -per annumj free -of■ income ■ tax,■; for s the.past :half-year;-;:amountings/.t0.-£W;ooo,,»and tliattne'.balance 0f.;£20j4-3S be carried forward/ :' That Mr Seddon attd his party are still by ■nomeans withdtit':yitalrty;liiberal"brgans here claim is proved'by; the passingofthe Old Age :Pensions AcW']much,, the'most important ■ victory secured'by^ New Zealand Progressives :inithe.last''three'^ears." ;' i: '''"'. '*"';,' "''''" . ;' 'Onß pf the' rTigs:,on: exhibition 'lately; 'at ;the ; Imperial,.'lnstitute' has'; been, sent' by' 'i.tßl;pur- '■ chaser;to'Moscow;';'where'it -.will .doubtless be )highly^appreciated".this coming winter..?' ;'_';, i 'Large'numbers 'of philanthropic'people in ;New Zealand send help to Dr BMnarab'sHome ■for'D6stitute Children,' and'ffequeiitly.th'e s'er--1 yices;rpf™Mr;-Thomas:' Mackenzi^-are--requißip j tioh^d; .as.^aj sort ''-pi 'beneVolenty;'middleman. j He; this' week, visited the ;h6me"at. Stepne^, '.^V:i&e^!^tfr^d,^ - a^''wi^, i sli'6^I_bye?,lt^e1_bye?, l t^e i whole, eslablisnment, beingVgreatlyj' interested iin all that'he saw. He w,as- struck *by.. ( the !much: pleasanter countenances' pf'.,th.e i; "yburig jchildren ..as compared with ; older 'children. :The. !yb'^nger,.phes"have.,been sj>arjsd.rniueh ijf j the vsuffering', which ..has left its.',lifelong,im- :- '■print, on the ..bodies. and r countenances, of the ■older one's...'.The .home has tte; appearance■ of : being most , excellently, managed;, .V, Mr Mac. : ! konziaiwasj told, that-a ( .boy; .fr6nV:DunediiV) ! New Zealand, had died in.-thehome last-yeary :Mrij Chaytor,'.'of; Marlboroughi .accompanied ■MriMackenzie. ','■•<;•> : - v v- ..-.s : ,-._r ' Another 'successful; launch took,;place oh : Monday; at^tlie.yard of Messrs .'William' Denny and Brbs., ,of 1 the! -vessel: being ithe,:Papanuv fpr-j the. ■New.i Zealand ..Shipping. ' Company^i The.Papanuiis.iofisteelv.ahd 4-30ft--by-54ft:Jiy/;33ft..i She-vrtllj.-havijvengines 32%----?s2iin, and- 85in, by 54in stroke, to indicate ;3300,Hhorse-p'ower, and to drivetthe/vessel? 12 ■[knots.; She wiU, < carry.abQUt,- ; 3s;>first and 52 feecond: class passeiigers,vand'will .have Lindel^ iiefriger'ating .niaehiriery for 100^000 car6ase"s: lj- :•. Numerous callers ; have:: been making in • ;quifies at' the : Agency-general.in,; tespectirto ■ theipld.'Age Pensions Bill.. /.This morning ;.the, ■Marquess.. of ; ,liOrne interviewed'■■-Mr-KennaTt ■way,?P.ermanenPSecretary,',6ri;rthe matter,-jin: i which he. f,elt,great .interesfc.,;,;He is ..speaking, :at, i Glasgow:, this..week,', and- intends devoting; part of his/observations to the, subject.-: -run;. '. .'.ATrangements-are in progresstfor the numor:. -fousi.;,','old; boys',!',;of- ChristchUrch -College, 'New' Zealand, who■ are• at present-settled',im ;London, to join in a dinner which is,to" take :place;,in;London,;and which-subsequently,;!1 ■ understand j isito become an annual event./rf: <... I ; am glad: to hear-that, "Alien's" latest; ! wyitten'book; ."Wheat in-the.'Bar^ has made1 ' quite. a hit .in America; i where iit is going ■'off1 ilike■ wildfire.-'''-'''- '. "■: : >--'; '•:.■"""■;■'■'' '■/' ■'- ;'';

Mrs Baker 'is bringing out an illustrated r.'-ticle in the Girl's Realm on " The Girls of New Zealand,'.' and a story entitled " A Dead Year," in tho Ladies' Realm. . ■ * Mr" Donald Reid, of Milton, Otago, I am glad to hear, is progressing satisfactorily after his vory painful operation.. He is in a private hospital at 22 George street, Hanover square, Mr Pillans, of Clutha, has taken a turn for ■the better, but is not yot out of danger. His illness has been a very sovero one. '' Mr Roche,' of Mandoville, is in town. He has,just dropped into a Bmall but welcome fortune.

Mrs and Miss Lewis, of l'imaru, are in London busy sight-seeing. The success which is attending Mr Tlios. Mackenzie here should induce him to throw in his lot with, tho old country. His prdspects arq more substantial than tho uncertainties of New Zealand politics, and I; shall not bo surprised'to learn thai he Has decided to remain in England for, at any rate, some years. I'gathoi that he, this week, struck the half-year's balances for the Now Zealand Tanners', the Canterbury Fanners', and the Hawko'i. Bay Associations. Theio has been an, onormous increase in trade, tho turnover running woll into six figures. ! ' Dr GarnoU's monograph. on Edward Gibbon Wakefield is leading somo to place the subject "of the work among our chief empire builders. ' 'Sin John Robinson, tho late Piemier of Natal, writes a highly-appreciative "South' African tribute" to Sir George Grey, "who showed, both in South Africa and-New. /palaud, that it w*s possible for an Imperial ad. ministiator to exercise authority fearlessly and-effectively without forfeiting the attach^ ment and regard of the subject savage races, and to win the confidence and sympathy of colonists without arbitrary or opptessive action toward their aboriginal fellow-subjects. Sir George, Sir John emphasises, was the fir^t to consider seriously the policy of confederation which in South < Africa and Australasia is now being woiked out. "Everywheie, he says, " tho institutions of which Sir George Gray planted the seeds are in organised de velopment." Mr Isitt's temperance crusade terminates thin evening, it having been a most successful' on*.- .-''•' '•-

■:-■ -Mr. Thomas .Mackenzie;will lecture on the fjords district of Now Zealand before the Imperial Institute on February 6.' , (> ' Mr KeeVes's'-notice ofj'Sir Ggorge.'Grey.'s lifej'appeajis in this .iveek's' i6sua,.bf Britannia, theiorganfof the Ernpire;!League, for-whom tho":task was undertaken/by ths\Agent-gene-ral. ■ j - " : ; " ; A large number of applications—quite 120 been received for the professorships pi Victoria College, so the committee,.of Belec^ tion will have their hands ; fullf ''i;>.--:,.!;;;'.]■■s '"''l