OUR LONDON. LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 50

OUR LONDON. LETTER.

<Fbom Oub Own Correspondent. ) 20 and 31 Fleet street, London, December 15. THE NAVY.

A very large and influential meeting of London citizens, convened by the Lord Mayor, was held last Tutsday, without reference to party politics, to give expression to "tho grave and growing anxiety that is beiug universally felt in consequence o£ the inability of the British Navy, in its present condition, to adequately protect the commerce of the British Empire in the event of war being declared against us by any foreign Power." It was one of the most representative gatherings ever seen in the City. Sir Albert Rollit presided, the Lord Mayor being absent through illness. After an interesting discussion, conducted in fctudiously moderate language, the following resolution waß cariied unanimously : — "That this meeting views with deep concern and anxiety the present state of our navy, and urgently presses upon the Government the necessity of taking immediate steps to provide such additional means of defence as shall afford that security which our Empire and our commerce demand." A special feature of the meeting was the tremendous reception given to Lord Roberts. Directly he appeared every hat went off, and a perfect tempest of cheering broke out, which j seemed as if it would never ceaso. Time after time it lulled, o&ly to brack out with redoubled force. The distinguished general is verily the j idol ot the British public, ar.d not undeservedly. He made a vigorous and characteristic speech in support of the resolution, concluding with the remark that there were things whicij were more important than party politics, and one of these was the maintenance of the naval supremacy of tho British Empire. TUB AHDLANOKT MYSTKRY. The trial of Mon-on for the alleged murder of Lieutenant Hambrough — popularly kuown as the " Ardlamont mystery " — which began at Edinburgh on TuesilHy, has been the main sensation of the week. It is reported at vast length by the daily papers, but nothing has yet transpired beyond tho facto and rumours which have long been public property. I forward full reports, which speak for themselves as to the evidence so far given. If I may venture to say bo, tho penny-a -liner seems rampunt in this case, and the dttiils .-ire elaborated in a way that oi,ly thu " Mily season" could produce. Muoh of thr- public excitement said to exist in regai d to tho case has been deliberately whipped up by the ai tides professing to chronicle its existence. That the case is a strange and shocking one Ido not preteud to deny. The curious circumstantiality of the only available evidence ; the gruesome methods resorted to for supplementing it — the exhumation of the victim's body, the removal of his head, the experimental hhuotiugs at heads of corpses from the Edinburgh mortuary, &c. These, no doubt, do work up into an aggregate quite sufficiently horrible to be enjoyed by the lovers of penny dreadfuls. All the week the tedious Ardlamont trial has pursued its slow course. No further evidence of the gruesome class ha» been tendered by the Crown. The subsequent testimony has been almost exclusively in the direction of showing the financial interest Monson might have had in Hambrough's death. The defence is now proceeding, and it seem 3to mo very strong. The case for tho prosecution was purely circumstantial. The cb&in of hypothetic proof had several links of very slender strength. To my mind it is undeniable that one or two of these have already been shattered by the counsel for the defence, whose cross-examination was most masterly. For instance, one most prominent point in the Crown's case was necessarily the contention that the wound iv H&mbrough's head might have been produced by a discharge from a shotgun fired from the. distance at which the supposed murderer mush havo stood. But now it has been declared by experts of unquestiouable capacity that this could not have been the case, because the Bbots would have spread more at that distance, and that the wouud as actually existant musi; h^ve been caused by a discharge from a shot gun fired close at hand. This strongly favours the idea of accidental selfehooting by Hambrough. You will have learned tho verdict by cable before you receive this loiter, and so it is idlo to offer a forecast, else I should bs disposed to anticipate either an acquittal or, more probably, the cautious Scottish verdict of "Not proven," whic'a, while relieving the jurors of some responsibility and mental searchings, has the grave drawback of dooming the accu'ed to lifelong and ineffaceable suspicion. A LIBEL CASE, The great libel case Ziereuberg v. Labou•chere, brought against the proprietor of Truth, founded upon an article in that paper which commented upon the w ay iv which the St. James's Homo for luebriates, Kenningtcn, had been conducted, ended on Wednesday, having occupied 20 days. The article was headed "Is Ziercnberg'd a Home er a Gaol ? " and severe statements were made as to the way iv which inmates were fed aud worked and detained against their will ; and it was also said that the plaintiffs, under the guise of charity, had renlly carried on tha concern for their own benefit. The verdicb was for the defendant. The jury added a recommendation, iv which Mr Justice Hawkins concurred, that all "homes" of this sort should be placed under proper legal control of the authorities.

A SAD CASK, Another " mystery " — a tragedy of a peculiarly sad and puzzling character — has to be recorded this week. Miss Kate Dungy, a young lady of whom everyone speaks in the highest^, terms, was governess and housekeeper at Lambridge House, which stands in a lonely wood two miles from Henley- on-Thames, and fully a mile from any other house. The owner, Mr Masb, a Piccadilly fruiterer, is away all the week, coming down only from Saturday to Monday, the children being left in charge of Miss Dungy. Last Friday night two lads, who sleep in the , house when the family are away, endeavoured to obtain admittance ns usual, but could not get in, though lights wer* burning inside. They then huuted up Dawson, the caretaker of a model farm in connection with the place, who came, and also failing to obtain an entrance instituted a search in the wood, where the bojs said they had heard a sort of scuffling sound. Within a few hundred yards they came upon the dead body of Misß Dungy who evidently had been brutally murdered, her head having been smashed in, her ears cut and her faco disfigured. A I^g feU'ck covered with blood was found clce by. Iv the konsis were disI covered a brooch and hairpins eca.tt.ered about, and many signs of a struggle and marks of blood. It is supposed that a robbery was attempted, and that the robber being surprised by Miss Dungy, turned upon her ; that she ran out of the house to escapp, and that sho was followed and finally murdered in the wood. At present, however, all this rests upon mere

oonjecture. No definite clue has been obtained, and the coroner's jury have simply returned an open verdict. The affair has created considerable sensation even in a period unusually prolific of sensational crimes. A SEVERE GALE. Another gale of exceptional violence and destructiveness has to be recorded i It ocdurred on Tuesday afternoon, and while it lasted blew with extraordinary fury. Unlike the memorable tempest of November 18, it confined its ravages to London and the South of England, where an immense amount of damage was done, and it blew from the southward with an unseasonably mild temperature instead of from the northward with bitter cold and heavy snow. The accounts of its performances in the way of mischief arc absoluttly astounding — several railway stations blown down, many houses unroofed, chimneys demolished, windows blown in, &c. I was a disagreeably near-at-hand witness of one freak of the gale. 1 had just passed through the door of your office in Fleet street, when suddenly down came on the pavement with a terrific crash, on the very spot I had passed over immediately before, a huge iron cowl which had been blown off a chimney pot next door ! Had I been later by those few moments, another correspondent would have had to write this week's letter — and all subsequent ones. A WEDDING. I have to record another wedding of New Zealand interest, and in tho same family, too, as that of which I sent you a full description a fortnight ago. Miss Mary Gertrude Gisborne, eldest daughter of Mr William Gisborue, of Allestree Hall, Derbyshire, was married on Tuesday last to Mr Edward Rosebery Anson, of the Civil Service, British Guiana, son of Mr b. H. Anson, of her Majesty's Household. The wedding took place at Allestree Church, which was beautifully decorated. The service was choral. The village was adorned with garlands and arches with appropriate mottoes, wishing happiness to the bride and bridegroom. The bride wore a dress of cream cloth, bordered with cream and gold applique round the skirt, the bodice being trimmed, as also rlown the front of the skirt, with bands of white Thibet fur ; Puritan bonnet of cream velvet and gold, edged with feather trimming; white lace, wings of Irish point lace, and a diamond swallow brooch, the gift of her father. She also wore a boa of white Thibet fur, diamond brooch, gold key brooch, and gold watoh chain bracelet, the two latter the gift of the bridegroom, and carried a lovely bouquet of white flowers, aKo his gift. The bridesmaids were Miss Edith Gieborne (the brido'.s sister), Miss George Mackintosh Gow, and Miss Grace Newbery. They were dressed becomingly in brown cloth dresses, with vests of pink silk and large picture hats, and carried bouquets of shaded pink chrysanthemums with brown foliage and long pink ribbons. The bridegroom's cousin, Mr Hamilton Pelly, acted as bet>t man. The presents were very numerous and handsome. After the service the wedding party, which only consisted of relations of the bride and bridegroom, were received at Allestree Hall by Mr and Mrs Gisborne, and entertained at ' breakfast. The bride and bridegroom left at 3 o'clock for Wales, the bride wearing a most becoming costume of green corded velvet and pink watered silk crossed over vest, bodice and skirt trimmed with skunk. A black velvet cloak lined with pink silk, a black velvet toque with sable tails, white lace wings, and bunches of violets, a velvet muff, lined with pink and trimmed with buuehes of violets completed the costume. I understand that Mr and Mrs Anson will reside iv British Guiana. THK ANARCHIST OUTRAGE IN FRANCE. A profound sensation was created in England by the news of the Anarchist outrage in the French Parliament. But the feeling aroused was not in the least that of the abject terror which those worthless wretches seek to inspire. No ; it was rather that of profound indignation and disguss, coupled with a desire to make very short work with any ruffians of the like class who may try similar experiments in Great Britain. Public feeling went cordially with the message of sympathy which was very properly gent by the House of Commons, moved by Sir William Harcourt, as acting leader of the Houso (in Mr Gladstone's absence at Brighton), and seconded by Mr Balfour, as leader of the Opposition. THE TOWER HILL MEEJ-JNGS. In these circumstances the meeting of socalled " unemployed" on Tower Hill, held the day after the news arrived, claimed more interest than usually attaches to these motley gatherings of dubious bona fides. Don't misunderstand me. God forbid that I tbould sneer at the sufferings of those hapless men ajid women and children who are able and willing to work yet who cannot obtain employment and are suffering the miseries of slow starvation. My heart bleeds at many of the too-authentic cases of distress that come under my notice. But what I mean is that these so-called demonstrations of the unemployed are not as a rule attended by the genuine suffurers, although a few, rendered desperate by wretchedness, may occasionally be found there. No ; these precious gatherings consist merely of London roughs and criminals eager for any disturbance that may "give them a show " in their professions, and ot m^re stump orators and agitators who desire to make political (or personal) capital out of any current misfortune. These are the men who couvene and mostly compose tucb meetings as that on Tovrer Hill list Monday. It ih well that this should be known, as the language used was calculated to alienate all sympathy, and it is not right that the real "unemployed," whose cause wa<s injured and name prostituted by the ruffianly gang assembled, Bhould suffer for misdeeds in which they had no part or lot. The confessed object of the meeting was to arrange for a march through London to the Wefet End to intimidate the "governing classes." This was put without concealment or reserve. Now, let us see what the speakers had to say. First, Mr J.- Hunter Watts, the treasurer of the Social Democratic Federation, observed that "although the Social Democrats deprecated any such deed as that perpetrated in Paris, and believed in fair lighting and respecting non-combatant?, it was clear that | the legislating and possessing class would do nothing for the unemployed until the latter showed their determination. If the march of the unemployed to the West End brought no conviction home to the miud6 of ihe governing classy, they would have to consider other thau constitutional and peaceful steps, and the Government which ignored the sufferings of the poor would be responsible for whatever occurred." That was pretty plain speaking to begin with, wasn't it ? But Mr J. l-\ Williams was still 1 more outspoktn. This gentleman observed: "Should tJ morrow's proceulmgs result in nothing bung done a retgu ol terror would at once comineoce acd continuo uiitil the unemployed problem was solved. As ;«. matter ot fact, the reign of terror had already begun, for Maple ! was busily eugaged in barricading the windows of West End shopkeepers in anticipation of disorder. The Government tuould take warning from what was occurring on tho Continent, and not drive starving men to adopt desperate ' courses." All these utterances were loudly

cheered by the burglars and pick-pockets and their assembled friends. Next Mr John Jewers, referring to the bomb outrage in Paris, said that "as the authorities ignored the claims of the unemployed, the latter were justified in using any means to attain their ends, and something would be I done to strike terror into the hearts of the wealthy." The tragedy of these sanguinary speeches was followed by an unintentional farce. Mr Charles Williams, secretary of the Central Unemployed Organisation Committee, complained that on the previous day he had been interfered with by the police when he took a scat in Trafalgar square. He declared that suoh treatment dould only drive the people to adopt Anarchist methods. Upon an early date he intended to hold a meeting in the square without the sanction of the Home OiSce, and by speaking from the centre of one of the fountains he would compel the polico to wade through the water before they could remeve him. But the resultant "march" wis no less farcical. A few hundred roughs and others did perform a kind of perambulation through the City, but they were closely shadowed by the police and compelled to keep order, and a heavy storm of wind and rain coming on speedily washed away the motley crew and dissolved its elements. Stringent precautions have been taken at the Houses of Parliament agaiust any attempt to reproduce there the proceedings of Messrs Vaillant et Cie., in Paris. It does not do now to approach the precincts carrying anything iv the shape of a parcel. Even au unduly fat umbrella is viewed with the keenest euspiciou by the vigilant police, and Mrs Gump would have found herself a "suspect" of tho darkest class. December 22. THE WEATHER. Except that we have had another S.W. gale of some severity, the weather of December has been superb for winter timo. When it is recollected that the shortest day is past and that I hitherto, bar that bad storm in November and t the two brief gales this month, we have had almost unbrokenly fine weather, with only a bare suspicion of fog on one November morning, it will be realised what a splendid and exceptional winter we are enjoying. The performance of the barometer in connection with the last short gale was of the most remarkable and terrifying character. After rising with extraordinary rapidity an inch and five-tenths, it fell with even greater rapidity two inches and one-tenth — from 3070 to 28 60 ! I should have liked to see Captain Edwin's face, if he had casually glanced at the barometer on coming down to breakfast that morning — supposing the sphere of his valuable duties had lain in England. A CHANCERY ROMANCE. That eccentric case, of which I sent you particulars some time back, which turned upon the question whether an alleged marriage was or was not a fictitious ceremony gone through by two women together for purposes of fraud, has been decided by the Court of Chancery. The female defendant in the cuse of Clarke v. Stanley had a life interest in her deceased husband's estate so long as she did not re-marry, in which case the - property passed to her children. She became security for her daughter's husband Clarke, and his creditors came down upon her. A family council of war was held, with astonishing results. It was agreed that tho widow should take the name of James Stanley and marry her late husband's cousin, Sophia Newland, who was to take her feminine bridegroom's true name — Rachael Cullender— thus the claims of Clarke's creditors on his mother-in-law's estate were met with the answer that by her second marriage that estate had passed from her and become vested in the children. The creditors were incredulous, and took proceedings. All sorts of strange and unpleasant further scandals and implications were evolved during tho trial. The legitimacy of the children was called in question. Mr and Mrs Clarke had their own domestic troubles and misdeeds. . In fact, as one paper remarks, " taken for all in all, such a family never before made its appearance in a court of ju3tice." But the judge cut the Gordian knot with the sharp sword of justice, as one commentator puts it. He flatly declared that he did not believe a word of this mock marriage story, and pronounced in favour of the claimants, and also in favour of the legitimacy of the children. But the case is undoubtedly one which the slangy might describe as "rum" ! MISCELLANEOUS. The Spectator devotes more than a column to a most favourable review of Murray's new handbook of New Zealand. One remark, however, towards the close of the notice seems a little odd. The reviewer says : " There is not a word about ex-Primate Hadfield, who although just resigned has been for 51 years a conspicuous figure in New Zealand church and educational matters." So says the Spectator. Yet on page 74 of the handbook I find this sentence: " The dibttict was the scene of the labours of the Rev. Octavius Hadfield, for many years a devoted missionary, afterwards Anglican Bishop of Wellington and Primate." It is not easy to "put this and that together." The Staudard says that the results of the New Zealand Government's new experiment of repurchasing private estates for division and settlement will be watched with great interest and noi; a little anxiety. The Post and other papers comment amusedly upon Sir George Grey's proposal to have an Uppsr Houso composed entirely of ladies. A correspondent of the Nottingham Guardian asserts that " New Zealand is in the most flourishing condition " of all the Australian colonies. In the course of a lecture on Imperial Federation, delivered by Mr G. R. Parkin at Leeds a day or two ago, the lecturer said that " Now Zealand was a country about the size of the British Islands, and with the same kind and richness of soil, and the opportunity for holding an immense population." The Sun remarks on ' ' the soundness of New Zealand trade and the New Zealand banks," as illustrated by the deposits in the banks last June when the Australian trouble was at its height. It says: — "One of the most satisfactory features of the recent financial crisis in Anstralia was the way in which New Zealand escaped being seriously drawn into it." The Christian World has a most fiery article denunciatory of the conduct of the Auckland College authorities toward Professor Aid is. It concludes :—"lf: — "If the Auckland University College Council proposes to trifle in this way with the character and prospects of eminent men who arc senb out t.o it from the mother country, it remains for tho mother country to put tho Auckland council under a, severe boycott." Mr J. H. L Dore, of 29 Mincing lane, writes to the "British Home and Export Trado Review " a long hitter under the heading " Is tkc- Imperial Institute a Failure ?" Heargus with considerable force that it has fully realised tho hopes and aims of its founders. He najs : " It is used in the daytime for business purposes, and, I would say, Bpeaking from individual experience, that the collections of samples and the information to be obtained from the curator is exceedingly useful to mer-

chants and manufacturers of all kinds. It is surely an attraction that there should be a social side, and that fellows should have an opportunity of intercourse which is provided for by the system of lectures, concerts, and house dinners just commenced for the winter session." The aame writer also says: — "I have felt constrained to write thus at length, as the institute has been exceedingly valuable to me, and I shall continue in my capacity as a merchant to make use of same whenever I may have need. This testimonial is quite spontaneous and unsolicited, and I trust may bear fruit in inducing merchants and traders of all descriptions to test for themselves the value of this lasting memorial of the. Jubilee of our gracious Queen and Empress." Lady Buckley is at present residing at St. Leonards, in Sussex. Sir Patrick Buckley has cabled that business prevents his leaving the colony. Lady Buckley will, therefore, return to New Zealand shortly. December 30. ANG"LO-COLONIAL NOTES. I take it for granted that your readers are not so unreasonable as to expect much Anglocolonial gossip at this season. I hope so, or otherwise they will inevitably be disappointed. My journalistic friend, whom I quoted recently, was quite right when he said there would be nothing stirring in any way from the middle of December until after the New Year. Captain Crutchley, R.N.R., of the s.s. Kaikoura, is ashore for a "spell," and is enjoying it characteristically. He has been going through a thorough course of training on board a ship of war, in view of any future contingency arising which might call for practical performance of his duties as a naval reserve man. He takes the liveliest interest in the discussion now going on as to the naval supremacy of Great Britain. A feather in the cap of Mr Justice Denniston ! The Privy Council has just given judgment in the appeal case of Black v. the Christchurch Financo Company, and has reversed the judgment of the New Zealand Court of Appeal. The Privy Council has sustained the original judgment of Mr Justice Denniston. The Agents-general and Sir C. Tupper met Mr Huddart a few days ago aud discussed the propriety of approaching the Admiralty on the que&tion of a subsidy for the Canadian-Aus-tralian mail service. As a result, Sir Saul Samuel will draw up a letter to the Imperial authorities which will probably pavo the way for an interview between the Agents-general and the Treasury or the Admiralty. Sir W. B. Perceval is regarded as not very favourably disposed towards the line if it touches at Fiji. Sir James Garrick for other reasons is lukewarm. Tqus there is likely to be a lack of united action in the matter, and thi3 will go very much against the chances of success. New Zealand visitors to London should beware of their pockets. A few days ago a farmer from New Zealand, Mr Andrew Brodie, while visiting London was robbed of £28 by some women, one of whom pleaded guilty, and received a sentence of " six months' hard." The death of an ex-Aucklander, Mr Arthur Tuckerman Clarke, is announced. It occurred at Hanta Barbara, in California, early iv the present month. Mr Clarke was practising as a member of the American bar. With reference to the news which I have sent from time to time relative to the movements and professional progress of Dr Maunsell, of Dunedin, I think it is only fair to Dr Maunsell to say that I have never received a single syllable of information from himself on the subject. Indeed, I probably should have failed had I tried to obtain any, for he has the strongest objection to " blowing his own trumpet." But he has so many warm admirers in the London medical profession that his light is not easily hid " under a bushel." A correspondent of Truth claims to have proved by experiment that New Zealand oats can be grown with profit on the poorest soils, and can be sown as late as May. He also recommends New Zealand potatoes to Irish farmers. It is suggested that a fresh market might thus be opened up for these items of New Zealand produce. Very gloomy accounts of things in New Zealand are given to the Newcastle Chronicle by "A Durham Tradesman" writing from Wellington. He says :— " We have hundreds of men out of work ; in fact, matters are just as bad here as in England." As to taking up land, he says :—": — " It is a complete wilderness," and "has to be cleared at a cost of about £2 per acre, so that small capital is not much use." Referring to Sir W. B. Perceval's remark at the Royal Colonial Institute that the Labour party in New Zealand had achieved success by working with one of the existing political parties and not by forming a "cave "of their own, Mr Arthur Clayden (of New Zealand) writes to i the Daily News : — " Exactly so ! " And what has not John Burns gained by the same wise action ? The sturdy phalanx of Labour representatives, helped most loyally by the Irish members, have gained more from the Liberal Government than was ever gained in any previous decade of parliamentary life." The British Medical Journal has received from a correspondent in Wellington, New Zealand, "a despairing account of a stranger's prospects of [medical] practice in the colony ; living is high, accounts difficult to collect, clubs embracing many members numerous." In the opinion of The Colonies, Me Seddon's proposal that one of the Railway Commissioners should have a seat in the popular branch of the Legislature "would afford a good way out of the difficulty, and should at any rate be worth a trial." Mr W. H. Lever, who his just completed a voyage round the world, expresses the opinion that " New Zealand will be the Britain of the Pacific," and is "a very paradise for the work- j ing man who will work." He says, "There is j no place there for the idle wealthy men. They are called in New Zealand the ' social pests. The climate, people, scenery, &c, compare only too favourably with the like things in England. The Government, Mr Lever believes, to be "one of the best in existence," though " chiefly composed of artisans — such as compositors, boilermakers, and packers." Mr Lever derides the idea that capital will be driven from the colony by the graduated tax. "So long," he says, "as New Zealand can offer a good field and a fair return to capitalists they will return." In the eyes of the Liverpool Post, " the most surprising and perhaps the most welcome piece of information that Mr Lever has to give us is that the Maoris themselves still own a large amount of their own land." Evidently the Liverpool Post " don't know much, and that 8 a fact ! " if this be such astonishing news to it. Truth says, in answer to an inquirer : " New Zealand finances are greatly improved, and these securities may now safely be held. Lady Buckley has decided to return to New Zealand at once, and has taken her p-issage by the s s. Kaikoura, which sails on January 11. Sir Walter Buller and Miss Buller will leave on their return to New Zealand by the s.s. Doric on January 18. ..... , Notwithstanding the bittor fulmmations ot Dr Abbott and the London papers against; the Auckland College authorities and against anyone who shall fill the vacancy left by Professor ' Aldis's dismissal, or who shall help to fill it, the

Agent-general has received over 120 applications from candidates for the three vacant chairs, or about 40 for each one. By the s.s. Gothic the Agent-general is sendfing (at the request of the New Zealand Agricultural department) a box containing 3000 puparia of the Hesman fly covered with parasites, which it is hoped and believed will rapidly destroy that farmers' peofc. There may be some difficulty in obtaining & committee of selection, but I am assured that the majority of the applicants are first-rate meu T fully up to the usual mark, and that there wilt be no difficulty in finding a good man for each, vacancy. I understand that Sir W. B. Perceval does nofc regard the refusal of Bishop Selwyn, Sir Walter Buller, and Mr Mackenzie to act on the committee as final, but has again asked them to officiate. Should they finally decline be will invite other suitable men. Sir W. B. Perceval tells me that Mr Lowe's report on New Zealand fruit is a most valuable one, which cannot fail to be of great service to the colony if duly circulated and studied. Much surprise has been caused in London financial circles by the discovery of the extensive financial operations that have been carried on during the past year by the Agent-general, conversions to the amount of o?er a million having been quietly carried on without any fuss, and the new ' stock being issued and placed at the top market price?, while nothing was known about the proceeding in Londou while it was going on. As regards the Huddart-Parkef proposal for an Imperial subsidy to the Vancouver line, Sir W. B. Perceval's reason for holding somewhat aloof is simply that he cannot urge the Imperial Government to subsidise a line which is of no direct use to New Zealand, as against one which does serve that colony. If it can bo shown that the Vancouver lino will benefit Now Zealand, thit will alter the case. At present it appears to him that it will serve Fiji, bub not New Zealand. The Rev. T. Flavell beginß his new duties afc Plymouth next week. Mrs Flavell and the rest of the family will, not remove to Plymouth until march, up to which time they will remain at Streatham. Mr Flavell has received most cordial letters of greeting and welcome to their dioceses from tho Bishops of Exeter and Truro', I hear that the proprietors of the Australasian Pastoralists' Review have opened an office* at 31 Fleet street, under the charge of Mr J. Troubridge Critchell, who has been asked to write a frozen meat letter to his journal, «ummarising the features of tho industry, so far as this country is concerned, month by month. The frozen meat trade has assumed such enormous proportions now that no journal representing pastoral interests can afford to be without special Loudou let l crs dealing with it. Mr Critchell has followed the trado closely, especially in connection with Queensland meat, and as he is well known by ad the chief firms in Smithfield, as well as the more purely Australian houses, he ought to be able to represent the Pastoralists' Review on this side very satisfactorily. The fact is exciting some comment that whereas " the colonists of New Zealand have subscribed £2853 towards the Imperial Institute, the Government of that colony has chosen to ignore the institute altogether." Mr Henry Stcele (who is an ex-Aucklander and brother-in-law of Mr Henry Reynolds) has made a very successful start as a writer of short stories for the London press. His "Johnny and Whisper : A Mory of Love and Gold " has been accepted by Lloyd's Weekly, and appears in its Christmas number, next to the leading story, which is by Mr Edwin Arnold. ' This is a compliment to the New Zealand author. Mr Steele, by tho way, was married the other day to a lady who, among other accomplishments, is a very bkilf ul and charming pianifilo. The wedding was a quiet one. Mr and Mrs Steele have settled at Denmark Hill, where Mr and Mrs Reynolds also live. It is a pleasant and salubrious Surrey suburb. Mr Arthur Clayden delivered a lecture on " Our Colonies" at the Borough Polytechnic on December 20, the leading purport of which was to show that no mere manipulation of the limited opportunities of the overcrowded mother country could possibly bring about any great change in the social conditions. Most of the suggested remedies of the various quack doctors, political and social, were mere policies of despair — blind roads leading anywhere but out of the wood. Year by year the toilers only found themselves sink deeper in tho mire. What was to be done ? His lecture, Mr Clayden said, was answer to this inquiry. He was one of a small minority who looked to the British colonies for a solution of their social problems.