ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12602, 4 March 1903, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

iTIIOU ODR OWS CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, January 23. It is officially announced this week that the Rugby Union Committee have 'reluctantly felt compelled to recommend to: the Now Zealand Union to postpone their visit to the season after next. 'J hey feel that owing to. clubs having made their fixtures for next season it would be practically impossible to arrange . a satisfactory list of inatehw. In Leadenhall street the finding of the court which inquired into tho loss of the g.s. Elihgamite, and which was hriefly cabled here, has received soma amount of comment. And, in view of tho vessel having, as it is understood, como to grief in a thick iqist or fog—as .was the case of the s.s. Wairarapa, some years ago,—tho question IS being asked: How Jong will it be before tho New Zealand Government fQ ul p r le coast-of the colony with' fog signals, in conversation with a .leading ofheial at Trinity House, the authority controlling British lighthouses, I learned that- powerful ■ fog signals.' are now being adopted here, and that: the type most favoured, after exhaustive experiments at the Isle of Wight, 'is the "cylinder" syren, though the disc' syren is rapidly coming into vogue. Reod and explosive signals are not of very much TOB except for comparatively small areas. Tlifl cost of a syreri, with its motors, all of the most powerful type, is only some £4000, which seems a small sum when risk to life and property is considered. But as men are required to look after it, and as lighthouse men are the most suitable, because resident in' mast practicable positions, it' would appear that before' you get your syren you must get your lighthouse and its attendant staff. Be'that as it may, the guarding of . New Zealand coasts is having some attention paid to it just now in certain shipping quarters. A splendid piece of work has this week been completed in connection with the Now Zealand Shipping Company's ■ steamer Tongariro. The vessel has 12,200 tons cubic capacity, which was entirely occupied by oargo, and this was discharged in precisely a week to the hour. Only on ono night did a'gang work on without stopping; on every other night work was ceased at 10 o'clock. "In addition, £00 tons of ooal were placed in the Tongariro's bunkers. Altogether it is claimed that a record has been set up m the discharging of New Zealand cargoes in liondon. "Municipal Trading" formed the subject •of discussion on Wednesday night at the monthly diriner of tho London Chamber of Commerce, which was presided over by Lord Avebury (Sir J. Lubbock) at the Trocadero Restaurant, In the course of the discussion "which took place, t Mr W. P. Reeves said he was a believer in State find municipal enterprise. The general' results : of the State management of railways in the colonies had been very satisfactory, l stimulating progress, helping'industry, and aiding the prosperity and development of the, colonies. Acording to a News Agency, advices received in Paris from Tahiti report that an epidemic of what is known as ''red Bourbon fever" has broken out in the islands. The disease first showed itself in the form of scarlatina,. but afterward developed into a severe kind of influenza. About a quarter of the population has been attacked, and the disease is spreading rapidly. It is 3aid to have been, brought to the islands" by a steamei from Sydney. In reieronce. to the , suggested visit of a New Zealand football team, 1 learn that Mr Eeevos has been a good deal in communi- ' oation with the secretary of the English Bugby Union, and lias had numerous interviews with him. Mr George Rowland Hill, who is tho secretary, wants the colonial team, whoi. it does come, to be a very strong one,- so as to be able to tackle the international teams of England, Ireland; Scotland, and Wales, a: well as other firstclass 'teams. This, afternoon in the King's Bench Division of the Royal Courts of Justice, before , Mr Justice Kennedy, sitting without a jury, the case of-Kidman v. Blofield and Lisenden was begun. Mr Carber, K.C., and Mr Paine appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Eldon Baiikes, K.C., and Mr M'Kinnon' defended. The aotion involved important points to shippers and salesmen of frozen meat. The plaintiff was an .exoorter of frozen meat from Australia, and' the defendants were Smithfield salesmen. In June, 1901, plaintiff entrusted to the defendants 3000 carcases of mutton ex Indradevi and 4014- carcases ex Star of. Australia. These carcases were stowed in the refrigerating :hambers of the "West India docks. The carcases were landed in June, 1901, and,,a survey took place in the months of Juno and July. No fi|r,thei. survey took place, but in November tho Docks Company drew defendants' attention to the state of tho mutton. They cabled to plaintiff, who instructed them to sell. Defendants did so, but owing to deterioration the plaintiff allaged that he had sustained a not loss of £1100) Ho contended that there had been a breach of duty, on tho part of the defendants; that if there had been surveys in August and September they woidd have shown that deterioration was going on; and he contended that tr.e defendants did not give him the information to which he was entitled. The defendants disputed that there had been any breach of duty on their part; that if there had bee* loss it was through no Mult of theirs; find that they, were rat responsible loir any loss the plaintiff misht fi«e suffered. The caso had not concluded when the eonrt rose.