ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13894, 4 May 1907, Page 4

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Ifnon Oue Own Coeeks?okdest.)

LONDON, March 15. Tk' Karl cf Elgin .lias informed Mr A, (.!. Wise, secretary of the St. Helena Committee, that telegraphic advice has just been received from the Governor of New Zealand to the effect that .Mr G. 6. Fulton, of ihc Agricultural Department of the colony, has accepted Ihe appointment of iiax export at St. Helena, and will proceed to the island at once with a supply of seed. .Mr Wise states that the proposed new industry will not alford employment for ihc largo number of labourers who havo been thrown out of work by the withdrawal of the garrison, even if it is successful. Tho question remains how Ihc colonic can exist till tho lii-st crop of llax is ready to harvest, which will he at least four years after planting. I'iio inhabitants are anxiously pressing, therefore, for the establishment of an Admiralty depot iind for more frequent visits from British warships.

At last Tuesday's sitting of the Royal Commission, appointed to inquire into the matter of shipping rines, Mr I'\ W. Grimwade, of tho linn of Moss re Grimwade and Ridley, Australian and New Zealand merchants, Trinity square, London, said tho rings or confercnccs, on the whole, had been beneficial to British and colonial tra.de, but deferred rebates, he considered, entirely indefensible, as the retention of rebates for 12 months ga-vc tho Shipping Conference an unduo power over merchants and shippers by supplying them with largo eums of money belonging to the merchants and sliippm. lie thought, tho most satisfactory arrangement would lie for the niTclmnts to rign an agreement to ship only by ccrlain line, 5, and in exchango for that tho conference should agrco to givo (lie lowest rates of freight, and, in case of outside competition,- should agree to put on extra ships for lighting the rebates and giving tho merchants their proportionate space for cargo. But ho held thut with a strong combination such as ho had suggested such an event as that would ba very unlikely to arise, further, ho was of opinion that an agreement between tho merchants and tho shippers and the shipping conference should contain tho provision that all Uritish freights should be at least on a. par with Continental freights to the colonies.

Sir John Macdonnell asked: "As I understand, you ohjcct to the relate because the shipowner retains your money?" Yea."

"Do you think any counsel of standing would adviso you that you could recover that money in a court?"—"No, perhaps not."

" Then iu what sense dp you say it, is youv money which is in the hands of tho shipowners? Because if we fulfil certain conditio!:.; the money is returned."

"And if you do not it is not, returned?" "Yes."

"Then I think I may take it that it is not' your money?"—"l don't look at it from that point of view."

After other questions Mr Grimwado oaid he would withdraw the statement "that an agreement between the merchants and shippers and tho Shipping Conference should contain tho provision that all British .freights should bo at least oil a par with Continental freights to the colonies." The coinmitteo then adjourned until next Tuesday.

At tho Colonial Products Exhibition now being held at Liverpool tho Sew Zealand stand occupies a prominent and creditablo place. The Liverpool Post says: "Tho stand v.hich takes a foremost place by reason of its ample proportions is that erected by the New Zealand 'Government under tho direction of Mr 11. 0. Cameron (I'roduco CoinmiMioner). There is hero sampled a whole miscellany of products, the leading lines being wools, grain, hemp, tinned meats, jams, picklts, cowleiucd milk (a. new industry in tho colony), timber, coal, and iron ore, as well as ironsand. A novelty is a small quantity of fungus which is exported to China, whore it is hailed as a delicacy in tho making of soups. For the purpose of impressing visitors with tho extent of tho resources of New Zealand, the commissioner lias displayed a tablo setling forth the information iliat, there have been exported from tho colony £63,324,520 worth of geld or an averago of £2,000,000 worth jvjr year—since 1C53, and £2,250,000 worth of dairy produce during Iho past year; a.nd showing, furthermore, that tho total trado—exports and imports lust year amounted to about £33,030,000."

Tlio Liverpool Courier says: "The largc6t display in the exhibition is again that made liy tlio Now Znaland Uovcniinent. It lwi oueo more been arranged by Mr H. C. Cameron, the I'roducu Commissioner for the colony, and is under the charge of Ilia assistant, Mr 11. 11. Hooper, I'hn leading industries, such as wools, dairy produoa, and hemp, are Well represented, tho former by an execcllent assortment of ruga, blankets, and flannels, and the latter by ropes and cordage. The progress of the colony is exemplified by the great incroaso that haa taken place in its dairying industry, tlio products of which fcr 1906 are estimated to amount to two and a-quarter millions sterling. Tho total trade of tlio islands for last year, it is stated, is represented by a money value of 33 millions sterling, tho imports exceeding 15 millions and tho exports 17 millions. An important factor in tho colony's industrial wclfuro is its gold miiiiu;,', which yielded, as shown by a largo brass plale on the stand, between tho years 1853 unci 19C6, £69,321,520. In addition to samples of coal, iron ore, and' phoupluito rock, there is an exhibit of ironsand, large dopoaita of which have recently been discovered in the North Island. A company is in course of formation to work tho sand into all kinds of iron uoods. A. novcly will bo found in an exhibit of fungus, which grows oil (lie logs of trees, arid is exported to China, where it is regarded as a delicacy for tho mailing of soups. Another interestiiis fwituro to he found on tho stand consists of a large series of piclures illustrating sport in the colony, which is noted for tho oxcellcncc of its Ming. There aro also some very fine spooimetis of veneer work which aro wall worth inspection by those engaged or interested in tho tinibcrtrade,"

Yesterday nflornoon, at a representative meeting of the loading newspaper and periodical proprietors at tho Institute of Jouriinlifits, a committee was formed to urge upon the Government tho dc.sirablcncss of a reduction in postage of newspapers and magazines to tlio colonics. A resolution wai unanimously passed " that it is desir. able to brinpr lo tho notice of the Fost-in:tister-gcw:rol itnd the Government tlio urgent and general call for a reduction in the rata of pos'age of British periodicals to tho colonies." An influential sub-com-mittee was formed under tho chairmanship, oF Sir Hugh Gib/can Reiil, and including Mr Arthur Pearson and Sir Upcott Gill,

— France has a uinc-hour day for miners, but will havo an eight-hour day in four years from now. In Belgium most miners work 10 hours a day.