OUR LONDON LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 30

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(Fbom Oca Own Correspondent.) May 7. NEW ZEALAND IN THE NEWSPAPERS.

According to the Ago, which on Monday devotes an article to Sir Robert Stout's land settlement theories promulgated in his Oamaru speech, that gentleman' " stands pre-eminent for his capacity of formulating ideas which command exhaustive discussion," and he "is likely to evoke widespread sympathy among the New Zealand people in his project for prohibiting further alienation of the public estate and allotting it in small areas on perpetual lease." For the rest, however, the article deals very scantily with Sir Robert's arguments, his name being the peg on which the familiar land nationalisation theories are once more made to bang. Alfred Russell Wallace's " valuable book " is quoted, and the "peasant proprietary of Prance " are put forward as a glorious example. But the article concludes quite comically. Land nationalism may be good enough for New Zealand, which the Age appears to think a somewhat benighted country ; but it would never do for Victoria, or even for any other part of Australia. The final sentence reads :—": — " If so much can ba accomplished in Europe by cultivators of small patches of land where the cultivator is secure in his right of occupancy for himself and his family, there is no good ground for assuming that similar results might not be achieved in a colony like New Zealand, whose people are, for the most part, content to abide by a oore plodding style of existence than is welcome to" the mass of Australians." A " plodding style of exis jence.*' Yet the plodding farmer of New Zeaiand is not content with the seven to 11 bushels of wheat per acre of his more energetic brethren of Victoria and South Australia. The Age evidently thinks a New Zealand farmer is a spineless creature, with a holding of about 10 acres. It would be but courtesy on Sir Robert Stout's part to disillusionise the editor, since a reading of his speech seems to be the foundation of his romantic notions.

THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

I am glid to say that financially things wear a good deal brighter aspect than they did a few weeks ago. This has been apparent since the successful floating of the last loan and the publication of the bank returns. Both here and in New South Wales the banks are materially strengthening their position, deposits having increased and advances lessened. It was firmly believed that the banks would have reduced their rates ere this, and the Victorian institutions are quite ready to take the step, but the Sydney offices stop the way. Their objection, it is explained, is based on the existence at the present moment of a rather active demand for money there, which it is anticipated will be increased by requirements to make good the losses occasioned by the late flood* in various parts of the colony. But it is pointed out in answer to this that the increase of £800,154 in the deposits and the decrease of £953,003 in the advances of the banks in New South Wales for the past quarter have together strengthened the position there by over If millions sterling. However, pending action by the Sydney banks there is a decidedly more buoyant feeling in Victoria. The banks, it is apparent, have not suffered by the land boom like the building societies and kindred institutions. Still insolvencies are showing a considerable increase, but when these are over and the shaky ones weeded out, the recovery may not be so difficult as was anticipated.

MORE LAND BOOM LEGACIES.

I hope I do not weary your readers with Mr James Mirams ; but, truth to say, he has been so big a figure for so little a man in the financial world that the veracious correspondent could not overlook him. And speaking above of insolvencies reminds me that his statement of assets and liabilities has been filed in view of his estate being liquidated by arrangement. The figures are not by any means small. Mr Mirams' total debts are £373,485, and his assets £370,156. His transactions have principally been in land, and he values his assets in the shape of such property at no less than £323,789. His Barwon Park estate stands at £218,000; land at Somerton, £49,075; and so on. Amongst his unsecured creditors, Mr Bosisto stands highest with £7500; and for premiums to cancel land contracts no less a sum than £6000 is included. His advertising expenses were heavy. The Argus figures as a creditor for £150; the Age, £245; Daily Telegraph, £560; Punch, £72 ; J. Armstrong (news agent), £750 ; H. W. Mills and Co. (news agents), £105; Pannifex and Co. ( railway advertising), £140; N. Levi and Sons (railway advertisiug), £66. The clergy have also suffered. Dr Bevan is an unsecured creditor for £450; Rev. W. Currie for £204; Rev. J. J. Halley, £292; Rev. T. Layer, £187. Mr Mirams certainly went the pace. Let us hope for quieter times for him.

Mr C. H. James' examination in the insolvency court in connection with the estate of his whilom clerk and land boom partner, Harold Sparks, continues. He is having a very bad quarter-of-an-hour at the hands of counsel. His disclosures concerning company manufacturing are instructive. For instance, he formed the Heidelberg Land Company. There were five shareholders — his wife, his solicitor^ clerk, his brother-in-law, his clerk (Sparks), and himself. He himself was the only bona fide shareholder. This " company " sold the land to Jamen, and ho sold it to the Dominion Bank, in which ho hold 36,000 shares out of 75,000. Then tho Dominion Bank sold it to Sparks and Marshall, and James advanced them the money to pay the cnoh deposit. The outsider can only gape in astoni-hment at these circulatory procoHHos, not having the capacity to underHtand thorn . Great interest is taken in the examination. A MAGISTRATE'S WIFE BURNT TO DEATH.

Mr Call is the Isaac Newton Wntt of Melbourne — the gentleman who loses all respect for human nature in presiding over tho City Police Court. The public has just received a shock to learn of the very aad death of his wife by burning. Mr Call has been an influenza victim, and was away from home for a change when the occurrence took place. The occupants of tho house on Friday night were Mrs Call, her two daughters, and tho servant. About half-past 10 on that night tho two Misses Call went into their mother's bedroom to say good-night to her, and found her in bed reading a book with a candle burning on a small table near the 3ide of the bed. Next morning Mrs Call was found by the servant dead on the floor of her bedroom, into which entrance could not at first be made for the dense smoke. It is supposed that Mrs Call fell aslrep while reading, and that in some wa3' the biidclotb.es caught fire. She must have been awakened by smelling the burning material, and probably while attempting to make her escape from the room she was suffocated by the smoke and fell on the floor, where her charred body was subsequently discovered. Thero were no hangings to the bed, and there was therefore nothiug to communicate the flames to the wall or ceiling. The deepest sympathy is felt for Mr Call and his family.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

The " mysterious drowning crho at St. Kilda " has been a big type headline in the newspapers

for a week and more. The body of a young woman was found floating in the sea, near the St. Eilda pier, and for two or three days no guess could be made as to its identity. Eventually a young man named Louis Lightman came forward and started the theory that the drowned woman was Pauline Levi, a young Jewess who had come all the way from Leeds, in England, to become his wife. They had not previously seen each other, but the contract was arranged by relations^ But on the passage out Miss Levi became attracted by a mysterious stranger of the male persuasion, and the day before the wedding she disappeared mysteriouslyw Mr Lightman was ready to believe anything evil of the mysterious stranger, and had the firm belief that the drowned woman was his fiancee. For three or four days Pauline Levi was the sensation. It would be tedious to detail the turns the investigation took. Now it muse be her, and again it could not be. A stumbling block was a wedding ring on her finger, but against this could be set the medical evidence, which showed that she was nafc a married woman. But eventualy the mysterious stranger was discovered. He was a Mr Reid, who had gone to settle at Mildura ; and Pauline Levi was married to him, the ceremony having been performed in Adelaide. They had not made a confidant of Mr Lightman. Mr and Mrs Reid will now be sorry they did not do so, for all their romantic history has been published as told by the rejected lover. Now, however, the body is pretty well identified as that of a Mrs Roberts. This young woman had come from Tasmania, and, according to her own statement, had been married for about 14 months. Soon after her marriage her husband commenced to develop symptoms of lunacy, and though he took a trip to New Zealand for the benefit of his health he derived no benefit from the change, and shortly afterwards became so much affected that it was considered advisable to have him committed to the Kew asylum, where he still remains. Mrs Roberts had been lodging at the South Yarra Coffee Palace, where ehe had been fretting and low spirited. She had no friends in the colony, and was in the habit of lodging at coffee palaces, facts that would account for no one coming forward to identify her body if she is really dead. Her history would also account for the medical evidence given at the inquest, and, in addition to the other motives that might be suggested for her having taken her own life, while Mrs Roberts resided at tho coffee palace she lived very frugally, as though she was approaching the end of her resources. There seems no doubt that this is the solution of the mystery, and that it is a case of suicide.

In one of my letters a few weeks ago I mentioned a curious oase which had occurred at Williamstown. The dead body of a man was picked up on the beach. It was claimed by a Mrs Bluett; as that of her husband. She and her little daughter swore positively to it, both by the clothes and by marks. Strange to pay, the doctor who examined the body declared he could not see the mark (a burn) which was so plain to the wife. All the people who were best acquainted with Bluett were examined, and opinions were equally divided. About a dozen swore it was he, and another dozen swore it was not. The jury could not decide; but Mrs Bluett buried the body as her husband's. She also made application to the insurance company for his life policy of £300, but was not successful in obtaining it. Bluett turned up alive and well a day or two ago. Having had a disagreement with his wife, he went off to work on a railway contract in the wilds of Gippsland, where he heard nothing of his supposed drowning ; and when he thought he had beta away long enough to bring his wife to reason he returned. Now he is being sued by the undertaker who buried his supposed body for the funeral expenses.

NEW DIVORCE ACT.

The Royal assent has now been given to the Divorce Bill, and it will very shortly become law. The following is a condensed summary of its principal provisions : — 1. Desertion for three years or more by husband or wife. 2. Habitual drunkenness, with cruelty and neglect, by husband or wife. 3. Imprisonment for three years and upwards under a commuted sentence for a capital crime by husband or wife. 4. Frequent convictions for crime (on part of husband only) during past five years, leaving, as a sequence, the wife unsupported. 5. A conviction within past year of attempted murder of either party by the other. 6. A conviction within past year of an assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. 7. On proof (otherwise than by legal conviction) of repeated assaults by either party upon the other. 8. On proof of adultery by either party since the date of marriage and of passing of the late act.

SUICIDE IN TASMANIA.

A telegram from Launceston states that " Mr Clarence Fitzroberts, formerly owner of Ashgrove estate, Oaklands, committed suicide near his old home on Saturday. Tho deceased was the brother-in-law of Mr W. H. Anatoy. He returned to Oaklands six weeks ago, aftor an absence from tho colony of many yenra. Ho borrowed a gun, and departed with tho intention of vißiting his old homo nnd nlu>ut>Jtift rabbits. Hi« dond body wi\* found in tho norub, showing untnifltakonblo fligrm of miioidn. The deceased wan formerly wealthy, but lately in nn impcounioiiH condition." I think thin gpnllemnn wnn n former roflidnrit (if Otago, having owned n property nb Olinkin. HANK UOJSI3ICKY IN BOOTH AUBTH/VMA.

Tho Hfthndorf sgermy of the Mount. Hflrkfr branch of the Unnk oF Anst.ralftsin nnn broken into between 1 ami 2 nt-hick on FH'i'iy nff.frnoon lftsb, and £ 292 s<* orl m ttohf-i, f>o!d, tmtl flilvor stolen. The motn-y wi« lodpr-d in km i«nlookcd drawer of the hank (•mutter, ami dnrhip, tho nbienne at. hutch, irt rti \\ohiA nrl joining, of tho official in oh&rt*p of \\tt- hntik fuifrif* pprsoti offoote'l mi enf.fp.TK"} }<j umt-rt-v'ttif' tiff- lock of n door at fche rpnr t etui bwik «ll ih^ triftnpy in tho bnnk exempt €3 hi «ih"-f TJim l»»n(tiri(» chntnhor wns potl'tun oF f« flw-lllrig li'mcp It was only opnn hwr/ ilp?i * wht-U, curt Klin mutiny iv (mention wr,<? takeo owt hoin t.Jin Mount Barker brniioh on the flky >>t Ilir, r'tblimy nlitnlly for tho purpofln of rwiMrig'tlin'|t'mi iwiri "hunting notes. Tho oootipntiln of Mi» dwollluK Jtouno were away whon tJi« roblmry wan mimriiifrtod, and had beou for norno l,Im«.

MIB(JNMjANIOOt/M NWWH.

Tho obitunry For l.ho wnolt in Victoria inoludoH the nnrnon of Aldormnn O'Orndy, Mr Joseph Reed, ntiri Mr Andruw Ohiriinido. Tho first was a well-known public num. Originally a contractor, hri hnd nmnnmid n competency, and gave himsnlf up to c.ivin lifo. 110 wuh mayor many years n({(i, nnd Jicld v conl imiouH soat in the City Council ; hti win chairman of tho Tramways Trunk whilo all Mm lurgor lines were being madp, and ho wuh chairman hlho of the Harbour Trust. Mr Jtmcph Krod was the leading architect of the colony. Ho designed the Exhibition building, tho Town Hall, the Public Library, tho Wilson Hall at tho University, and many other notable buildingx. Mr Andrew Chirnsido was tho famous Worribee mmattor, the owner of the finest country mansion in the colony, a successful racing and coursing man, and extremely rich. The Picturesque Atlas Company are suing

their subscribers and obtaining verdicts where the only defence is non-delivery of the monthly parts each month. For instance, where a defendant pleaded that the agreement for monthly delivery had been broken by 39 parts being handed to him in one lot, a verdict was given against him. In several of the country districts defensive leagues have been formed against the company. The Commercial Bauk of South Australia, which failed three or four years ago, has attempted to realise its assets in the shape of landed estate by a gigantic art union under the guiee of what was termed an " Assets Distribution Company." The law has stepped in, however, and put at least a temporary check on the proceedings by arresting the secretary, the broker, and several of the clerks under the Lottery and Gaming Act. The estate of the late Mr David Berry, of Coolangatta, in New South Wales, estimated to be worth over £2,000,000, will shortly form the subject of a lawsuit. Mr Berry, having no near relatives, bequeathed the bulk of his property to a distant relation named Hay ; but upon an application for probate being made, an equally distant relation named Simpson lodged a caveat on the ground that at the time the will was made the teßtator was not of sound and disposing mind. The hearing of the suit will probably be commenced on the 15th inst. In Brisbane the other day a deputation waited on Archbishop Dunne to ask him to attend a banquet on the eve of his departure for Europe. The Archbishop said that in view of the great distress which prevailed among the people of his church (the Roman Catholic), as well as of other denominations, he was unwilling to accept the proffered honour. He felt exceedingly grateful for the good feeling displayed towards him, but as he would be back again t by Christmas, he did not see that there was any great occasion for the proposed display. The Metropolitan Gas Company in Melbourne has just succeeded in erecting at its works in South Melbourne a telescopic gasholder, which, it is claimed, is one of the largest in the world. la the year 1880 the total gasholder storage at the company's various stations amounted to only three million cubic feet, while now it reaches no less than 11 million cubic feet. The total weight of steel and iron used in the construction of the gasholder and its framing was 1000 tons. One and a-quarter million bricks were used in building the tank for the reception of this enormous holder, and nearly five millions gallons of water were required to fill it.