ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11397, 14 April 1899, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(Pkom Ouk Own Cokricsi-oxden-t.)

LONDON, March 3.

GENERAL.

Last week, at Carlisle, a paper on "Tuberculosis in New Zealand," was read before a 'meeting of the Cumberland and Westmoreland Chamber of Agriculture, by Mr Watt, who lias been engaged in farming in the colony. He stated that " the cattle were sometimes housed at night, the cows being milked in open sheds, where there is seldom so much as a fce'ding trough. If plenty of air could prevent the disease, one would think it would get little footing there.' Yet he wont on to say that in one district the stock inspector condemned and killed, without compensation, 80 to 100 head of cattle, and though those best (nullified to judge did not consider the disease so prevalent in New Zealand as in Great Britain, tho tuberculin test had given sufficient evidence to warrant the statement that 25 per cent, of the cattle' in the colony were affected. This is Mr Watt's statement, and, of course, the most has been made ot it here. But on the authority of the president of the College of i'hysiciaus, there is infinitely greater risk of tuberculosis in the stalled ox of Great; Britain than in the cattle from the pure air of the colonies.. Whaling in tho Southern Seas, once an important industry, according to a writer in'the Pall Mall Gazette, has seen decline since the adoption of the New Zealand or'"shore" method of securing tho cetacean. Holding that the whale is as abundant as ever in the Antarctjc, he seems to be seeking for an explanation "of why the industry is not what it once was. Has not the utilization of substitutes for whale oil as much, to do with it as anything else? , . '

.Another interesting article on salmonidie in New Zealand, evidently from the pen of a New Zealander, appears in " Land and Water." Past experiments are very thoroughly gone into, and a good deal of matter for thought has been given to scientists.

Who in New Zealand waters docs not know the Pleiades? And who would have expected to. find upon her articles the nnme of a budding novelist? Yet such proves to be the case, ,Mr Harry Vandervell, who ■" signed on " as an ordinary seaman at 8d a day having written up his experiences urtder the title of "A Shuttle of-an Empire's Loom.1' The author's principal work for ..the five months he was on board was scrubbing out the, forecastle, the shunting of coal, and the, cleaning of brasswork! His "kit," however, comprised a banjo—with which he entertained his companions—and a kodak, which apparently only entertained himself, for it drew from the boatswain the unkind remark that his shipmate "must 'aye 'ad more money than sense when ho bought that there bloomm' thing." The Pleiades, with a crew of 47 all told, visited, among other places, Sydney and Auckland. On the picturesquehess of Sydney Harbom, ."the loveliest harbour m the-world," the writer .is especially enthusiastic, but in New Zealand his outspoken admiration of a lovely sunrise only called forth from a. snilor the remark that it was a " one-eyed place." The main, part of the book, however, is given up to. describing the sailor's life. Literature; the author says, is 'in great demand at sea, and not only rubbish, but also good standard works, both historical 'and poetical, Kipling's nautical poems especially bringing forth the opinion that "he knew what he wrote about." There is a good deal about bad cooking, waste of food, and the like, but the sailor, or " A.8." himself, despite his occasional " lapses" and peccadilloes, is described, after five months close acquaintance, as on the whole a very good fellow. What vast sums are* still being subscribedfor public companies here, although everyone talks of bad times for such purposes 1 Since the lsit of January, this year, (jjmly two months, no less capital than 23|^iillirins sterling has actually been offered for public subscription. This is pretty good evidence of what the company promoter thinks of the state.of the British public's pocket. the large sum named is in-,' eluded recent colonial' loans, £6,918,000,1 New Zealand mining being represented by a comparatively modest £50,000.

After a very successful trial trip from the Tyne, the New Zealand Shipping Company's new steamer, Wakanui, has docked in London, and is now loading for the colony', for which she will sail on tho 9th inst. In appearance she is very similar to the s.s. Papanui, now on her first trip to New Zealand, but the Wakanui does ni)t- possess so much .passenger accommodation. In fact,'.she carries only about 26 cabin passengers, .whilst her cargo space-is greater. Here I may remark that the trend seems to be to approximate first and second more closely in the direct liners. In fact, I have been told, on good authority, that, except for existing arrangements with the Australian'lines, first, and second class would in all probability be amalgamated. , .

February, 1899, will long be looked back upon ■with painful feelings on account of the terrible weather then experienced at sea. In fact, one of the weeks proves to be the " blackest" even in the Atlantic's black list. -Partly owing to the weather is due,- without doubt, the non-arrival of some of New Zealand's wool ships. The following of the,se have completely missed the wool sales, which closed on.February 27:—Archtor, Tekoa, Rimutaka, Delphic, and Matatua. The sales closed at 4 p.m. on Monday. The next morning at 4 a.m. the Tekoa was reported, only 12 hours late, but all efforts made to effect an alteration1 of the rule of closing were fruitless. Of course, some of the vessels named could not possibly have arrived in time. •

Information of the finding of a moa's egg in Central Otago has been_ read here with great interest by scientific men. ■" Hauri" writes to a Dundee paper to the effect that it might be worth while for some of the youngest members of the fishing community to consider seriously whether it might not be for their ultimate advantage to try their fortune on some part of the Australian' or New Zealand coast. " All around the latter are numerous places -.There fishing stations could be established, not to mention existing harbours, such as Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers." -Hs thinks a small colony of fishermen, with the necessary, capital, could scarcely fail to prove a success financially, and " the Government of that colony would doubtless do for the fishermen what they have done in the past to foster the agricultural and other industries."

It is notified in the Times that the Admiralty has agreed to subsidise the Calliope Dock for 30 years at the rate of £4214 per annum. The fact that the establishment of a naval reserve in tlie colony has not been altogether successful is also commented upon. PERSONAL. ■Lady Dorothy Boyle, youngest daughter of Lord and Lady Glasgow, was so very popular in New Zealand during her father's term as Governor of that colony, that I feel sure New Zealand people will have much pleasure in learning of that young lady's engagement, which has just been announced. Hei future husband is to be the Hon. Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, eldest son of Lord Medway. Through vice-regal associations some members of the bridegroom's family are well-known in Australia. For some little time past Lord and Lady Glasgow, with their two unmarried (laughters, have been staying in London, having taken a house in the vicinity of Sloanc Square.

In a. somewhat similar fashion to that ■which occurred after the death of Sir Geo. Grey, though not td so marked a degree, stories of the late Sir George Bowen are cropping up in many of the London papers. One of these gives it that Sir George Bowen was once at a dinner party at Vnich also was Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, the celebrated criminal judge. The former was telling, " with much gusto and self-apprecia-tion," how, when Governor of New Zealand, attended by hiss A.D.C's., in their plumes and' finery, he was on a progress through a part of the country which had jately been in rebellion. He was told that a brother of the late chief, who had been executed by Sir George's own orders, wished to see him. "What a touching incident," lie wound up by saying, "of the absence of. ill-will and of forgiveness." "I suppose he was heir-at-law," broke in Stephen. Sir George's reply is not given. ." A memoir of Sir George Grey will be issued in ft few weeks by Messrs Chatto and Windus. "The Romance of a ProConsul," as the book is to be named, is

writeti by Mr Jamas Milne, an intimate friend of Sir George Grey's. Mr Milne will give many anecdotes of the travellers and distinguished colonists with whom Sir George came in contact during his long and unique carter in so many quarters of " Greater Britain," says an advance notice of the work. "The British public will be none the worse for being retold how Sir George backed the Orange Free Staters' petition for inclusion in the. Empire (that was 45 years ago), how he came to grief with the CO. in consequence, and how in Australasia ho stood up for the Imperial and federative idea now approaching realisation. His early relations with the late General Sir Pomoroy-Colley. who was killed at Majuba, will be worth tolling."

Mr H. Moncrieff Paul, who has been for many years past manager of the' New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, has now retired from active service. Ho joined the company in 1872—27 years ago —as produce manager. AfteY that he took up the position of secretary, and luttcrly that of manager. Mr James Paterson, who has been appointed wool and produce manager in London, was until recently sub-manager of the company in Sydney. Having arrived in this country a fortnight or so ago, via America, Mr Paterson has just taken up his new duties. I learn that tho secretarial work of the company will still be performed" by Mr Brander, who has long been associated with the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company.