OUR LONDON LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2102, 7 June 1894, Page 50

OUR LONDON LETTER.

(Fbom Oub Special Co-respondent, y London, April 21. Tho event of most importance during the week has been the presentation of the Budget. The additional penny on the income tax is naturally disliked, but as its incidence is so modified that it will not touch taxpayers with incomes below £400, the circle of discontent is greatly narrowed. The graduated death duties open up a new field of discussion, and have not yet been fairly tackled. The increased tax on beer and spirits elicits a variety of opinion, all more or less crude. In plain terms neither the publio nor the press can be deemed quite prepared as yat to discuss Sir W. V. Harcourt'a statement. But at least it is admitted on all sides that the Budget is on the whole a fair and honest attempt to meet a very difficult) situation : to deal with a deficit of 4£ millions without resorting to excessive taxation. All the same it will form the text of a vigorous dctbate ore long, and many things may corao of it. Mr Gladstone keeps in good health in spite of an occasional cold, but he states very resolutely that his retirement is to be deemed a final one, and that, so far aa human foresight can judge, he will never again take an active share in public affairs — if, indeed, he ever speak again in the House of ComruoDS. We thall see. The operation on his eyes for cataract is to be performed by Mr Nettleship ia the course of about two months, unless any symptom should cause this decision to be altered. Mr Gladstone awaits the operation with perfect equanimity and confidence. , A violent attack made by Mr Bailey, a miners' representative, on Lord Shand, the chairman of the Conciliation Board, has narrowly escaped wreoking the whole movement for conciliation in lieu of industrial warfare. Fortunately, Lordd Shand was forbearing,' and Mr Bailey, censured op all hands, ultimately retracted and apologised. Tho attack w»b professedly based on Lord Shand's ruling on a point of procedure which seemed to diminish the board's power of dealing with that vexed question the minimum wage, but it is feared ib had the deliberate object of representing Lord Shand to the miners as biassed, so that if he should rule against them when this point comes up to be dealt with, as it now must, they might have a prettxt for rejecting his award and resorting to extremities. There are many ominous symptoms of fresh strife. Coal is accumulating in vast quantities at the pits' mouths. The demand is much lessened, partly by the Unprecedented mildness and earliness of the spring and partly by the excessive dulness in the manufacturing trades, brought about largely by the action of these very miners last year. Priced consequently must fall, and with them wages. Indeed, some mines are being definitely closed, as they have long beeu worked at a loss. Another Anarchist arrest has brought to light a very disquieting organisation for the construction in England of bombs for destructive purposes. However, tho police profess to have the matter well in hand, and at present little definite information is publicly available. Parliament has been actively engaged with a proposal to refer Scptch business to a " Grand Committee," which was carried in spite of strong protests ; also, a new Registration Bill, enacting "one-man-one-vote,"all elections on one day, and various other New Zealandisms, has been introduced and is to be vigorously fought over. Ministers, meanwhile, continue to have majorities of 20 to 30, although they have again been beaten on a " snap " division. "Primrose Day" has just been celebrated with even more than the usual fervour by the admirers of the late Lord Beaconsfield and his policy, who appear to be increasingly numerous. His statue in Parliament square was a veritable wonder of floral decoration. It is a little awkward and confusing that the family name of the present Premier should be the same as that of "his [the former Conservative Premier's J favourite flower" — Primrose. A musical event of the week has been the first production of Dr Mackenzie's "sacred mystery," entitled "Bethlehem," which did not fill the Albert Hall, but achieved a succes d'estime, as the French ingeniously put it. I doubt its permanent popularity. It needs cutting down by at least one hour out of the three which it occupies, just as did "The Rose of Sharon" by tho same eminent master. Why will composers insist oa boring their hearers bo severely ? A few days ago Mr James Inglis, chairman of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, read before the Royal Colonial Institute an interesting paper on "Recent Economio Developments of Australian Enterprise." Sir Saul Samuel, Agentgenoral for New South Wales, presided, and most of the other Agents-general (including, of course, Sir Westby --Perceval) were present. Among the New Zealanders there I noticed two M.L.C's. (the Hons. J. B. Whyte and W. M'Cullough) and an ex-M.H.R. (Mr George Beetham). Mr Inglis in his paper expressed surprise at the cynical attitude of many people toward the coloniec, and at the extraordinary ignorance which still prevails with reference to England's splendid possessions — which it is hardly correct to style " dependencies^' — beyond the seas. That, you may remember, is just what the present Prime Minister of England (Lord Rosebery) said on his return from the colonies. Sir Westby Perceval made one of his üßual admirable speeches in the discussion which followed the reading of Mr Inglis's paper. lid supported that gentleman's statements as to the large and increasing products of the colonies, and dwelt on the growing importance of the Australian and New Zealand dairy industry. He maintained that the present large export of butter from Australia and New Zealand to EDgland was mainly due to the extension of small farming. The same would apply to fruit and other products, which went so far to make up a nation's prosperity. He declared that men of energy, knowledge, and means to develop the colonies were much wanted in Australia and New Zealand, and would be gladly welcomed there even by the working men. N -- Mr Beetham also took part in the discussion, criticising some of Mr Inglis's statements which he considered to be hardly borne out to their full extent by facts within his own personal knowledge. Sir Saul Samuel has been handsomely patted on the back by Sir Julius Vogel for his forcible letter in reply to Admiral Colomb. The literary merit of Sir Saul's letters has surprised many who did not give that worthy and popular Agent- general credit for so much facility with the pen. The envious and suspicious resemblance between the stjle of theso letters and that of a cirtain well-known Irish M.P., who has had a colonial journalistic training, has set some people speculating as to fresh possibilities in the directiou of the " literary ghost." All the Agents-general lunched at tho Imperial Institute laat week as guests of Sir Saul Samuel. They took advantage of the occasion to discuss very fully the position and future of the institute, and agreed that it might

be made more useful to the colonies if more funds could be obtained for working oat various plans which were suggested. Sir Westby Perceval's pet idea, as I mentioned before, has for some time been the establishment of a free reading room, to bo open to the public, where colonial newspapers and literature of an instructive charaoter should always be accessible. This proposal has been adopted, and the free reading room will be opened to the public at an early date. "To place Germany in supreme control at Samoa," says the Echo, •' would raise a storm in Australia and New Zealand, for Samoa is rightly regarded by our Antipodean cousins as their most important outpost, which must on no account be allowed to fall into foreign possession." Mr Hogan, M.P., has received a memorandum from Mr S. A. Pritchard, who has been connected commercially with Samoa for 40 years, and whose father was first British Consul there, suggesting that "Great Britain should take possession of Samoa and place the group under the jurisdiction of the neighbouring Government of New Zealand." Sir Julius Vogel has a paper in the Sb. James Gazette explaining the new liquor law of New Zealand. lie goes into the matter very clearly and concisely, pointing out the change effected by the latest act on the subject and its working in actual practice. Lord Ripon has introduced the Colonial Officers' Leave of Absence Bill in the House of Lords. It does not affect the self-governing colonies, its operation being confined to Crown colonies. Mr Brock, R.A., has just completed a clay model of his statue of Sir Richard Owen. The great palaeontologist ib represented folding in his left hand the fragment of a femur of one of the gigantio extinct birds of New Zealand which Mr Owen was the first to describe. It is generally considered that Sir John Fender has " knocked the bottom " out of the Pacific cable scheme by his demonstration that whereas the working expenses (including interest and amortisation) of the cable would be at least £237,000 per annum, of which the guarantee would leave £165,000 to be made up, the entire business of all the Australian colonies at the reduced rates would bring in only £90,000, leaving a deficit of £75,000. The cost of the cable if duplicated (which would be absolutely essential to minimise risk of interruptions) would be £4,000,000. It is pointed out, moreover, that it would not run exclusively through British territory. A tastefully worked badge has just been procured for the new London Australasian Athletic and Social Club. It exhibits on a quartered shield, in skilful embroidery, the usual birds and beasts supposed to be typical of the various coloniee, such as the kiwi, the emu, the kangaroo, &c. ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. At a recent meeting of the English Piscatorial Society a New Zealand trout weighing 121b 9£oz, caught in the vicinity of Wellington, was exhibited. It was sent Home by Mr C. Izard in the refrigerating chamber of the s.s. Tongariro, and it arrived as fresh as when it was caught. It is the first trout that has reached a London angling club from the Antipodes. It is to be preserved in the society's museum. Dr John Murray, of H.M.S. Challenger, states that since Sir J. C. Rose's expedition no discoveries have been made in the South Polar regions comparable in scientific and general value to those just achieved by Captain Larsen of the Norwegian schooner Jason. This ought to stir up Englishmen to take a little more interest than they hitherto have done— of late years at any rate— in the important^ question ef Antarctic exploration, long so greatly neglected. The Times of the 12th inst. has a laudatory article on Sir Julius Vogel's reply to Admiral Colamb, touching the colonial defences. Miss Shaw views the question with her customary largeness. She says it must be remembered ! that "it takes the resources of an empire to defend an empire." She holds that " the colonies are prepared to pay for the legitimate enterprises which will be to their advantage." She holds farther that " the present movement of Canada and Australia toward each other and toward us [the mother country] is a movement of consolidation, of which it is not easy to determine the full significance." "It was a trying day for the returning officer," Bays the Echo, when 6300 Dunedin ladies went to the poll, " but there were somo pretty things in voting dresses." Mrs Yates, the lady Mayor of Onehunga, still continues to occupy a very prominent place in the English papers. Portraits of her are going the round. They differ from one another so very surprisingly that I am quite unable to guess what Mrs Yates is really like. Can some by any chance be mere "fancy" portraits of what a lady mayor might reasonably be expected to look like P I cannot help suspecting so. Some notice is devoted by the Darlington Star to a scheme for the utilisation of New Zealand ironsand. I gather that the scheme is of colonial origin. It is remarked that " the successful treatment of ironsand would mean a very important addition to New Zealand industries," and that " the result of the experiment will be watched with interest by metallurgists in England." New Zealand as a winter resort has a very favourable notice in a Graphic article, to which is appended some charming and really truthful illustrations of New, Zealand scenery — the Pelorus and Maitoi (Nelson) rivers and a cascade near Colling wood being the views selected for depiction. The Times gives full details of the feminine voting in the last New Zealand general election, and shows that more women than men proportionally exercised the franchise. That passage of the ship Wellington from Picton to London has been one of the memorable voyages of maritime history. She left Picton, New Zealand, in June 1893, and arrived in Plymouth in April 1894, a run of 10 months ! Her mishaps were many and various. Soon after leaving New Zealand she experienced a severe storm, and a heavy sea washed away both the wheel and the steersmen, also badly injuring the captain, the chief officer, and several seamen. Less than a fortnight afterward the ship ran full butt into an immense iceberg, and only escaped total wreck by the narrowest of shaves. The ship was dismasted and her stern was carried away to within less than 4ft of the water. Two of her seamen (Wilson and Fleming) were killed instantaneously while in their berths. When the ill-fated ship put into Rio for repairs she found she had merely changed the venue. Misfortune continued to crowd upon her. The revolution broke out, and, although she changed her anchorage on five different occasions to be out of the line of fire, she was hit several times. Three balls passed through her iron ventilators, and a spent bullet wounded the cook. It was altogether a very lively experience. Naturally the captain would have been glad to sell his cargo of New Zealand mutton to the Rio citizens, who were prepared to give a good price for it, bub of course the insurgents, who could not afford to buy the meat themselves, would not permit the deal, j and so the meat had to be brought to England. Bishop Moorhouse, of Manchester (formerly

of Melbourne), received an intimation last week that a well-known business mau of that city, recently deceased,' had bequeathed to him a 6um of £50,000. The bishop has determined to devote the money to the establishment, maintenance, and improvement of churoh schools in the Manchester diocese. Bishop Moorhouse is a relative of the distinguished New Zealand family of that name. It is stated that Mr E. J. Walker was enjoying what he supposed to be English lamb when he suddenly found in his mouth something very queer and decidedly objectionable. On extracting it this proved to be, he says, an old New Zealand fishhook. He deduces the conclusion that his food came from New Zealand. He admits its excellence, but asks, "Why that fishhook ? " I strongly suspect the alleged hook I was one of those detestable barbed staples I I which I have referred to already. However, j I Mr Walker, regarding it as a fishhook, used it j i as such and with it caught a very fine chub. So it is a fishhook now at all events. A relative of F. W, Ofcbo, formerly of Croydon, bat last heard of at Wellington, New ZeaI land, is inquiring for information about him ; and Henry Davies is anxious to hear of or from | his ancle, Cyras Davies, who went to New Zea- | land 28 or 30 years ago and was last heard of in Christchurch 14 years ago. j Edward Glanville is askiDg (in Lloyd's j Weekly Paper) for information about bis i mother, Louisa Grisbrook, who went to Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1867 ; and the parents of John Philbrook, who went to Otago 20 years ago and contemplated removing to New South Wales five years back, are inquiring after him. Mr Richard Smith (of Sellinge), who went oat to Christchurch, New Zealand, with Mr Simons and others in 1879, and has not been heard of for five years, is anxiously inquired about by his widowed mother and by his brothers and sisters. Mr Richard Taylor, who is believed to have been in New Zealand for 25 years, is inquired for by his sister Annie ; and Mrs Anne Vasey, formerly of Birkenhead, who sailed with her husband for Auckland, New Zealand, in the Chile about 24- years ago, is inquired for by her sister Catherine. Any information sent to me touching these missing relations will be duly conveyed to them! By the s.S. Austral to-day, Mr Robert Wilson, general manager and engineer-in-chief of the New Zealand Midland Railway Company, will leave for New Zealand. Mrs Wilson accompanies him. 1 The Rev. Cecil Wilsonj Bishop-designate of Melanesia, goes by the same steamer, proceeding to New Zealand for consecration. He is still engaged in active preparation for his departure, and is receiving many gifts which will be useful to him in his new sphere, presented alike by his own personal friends and by friends of the mission. In the recent medical examinations at Edinburgh the following New Zealanders were among the successful candidates: — First professional examination : W. Anderson, W. H. Goldie, W. J. H. Hislop, J. Stevenson. Mr Kingsford passed the first section of the first professional examinational in chemistry. Second professional examination: E. J. Blackmore, F. W. B. Fitchett, C. M. Hector, J. H. Henderson, 8.A., W, M. Macdonald, W. C. W. M'Dowell, 8.A., J. E. W. Somerville, J. Watt, B.A. Of these four came from Auckland — viz., Goldie, Kingsford, M'Dowell, and Somerville. I understand Stevenson is from Canterbury, Fitchett and Hislop from Otago, and Hector from Wellington. Some comment has been caused by a telegram in to-day's papers to the effect that the New Zealand Government are willing to undertake the government of Samoa. Some people think New Zealand has still quite enough to do to "ran her own show," without seeking new responsibilities. Mr Charles Willeby, formerly of New Zealand, will have a very readable paper on [ " Pietro Mascagni," the creator of " Cavalleria Rusticana," in the " Pall Mall Magazine," for May. A few days ago I had a call from Mr W. C. Burt, of Dunedin, who is now in business in London. He tells me he is enjoying England immensely, and is delighted with its quiet, placid scenery. While in Scotland lately he was much struck, as so many New Zealand colonists have been, with the strong resemblance between Scottish and Otago scenery. Mr Burt is at present residing at Brixton. His business address is 27 Lombard street, in the City. Other former residents of Dunedin whom I have met or heard of lately are Dr Johnston, now living at Richmond, and Mr T. Ingles, who is at Clapham. The Hon. J. B. Whyte, M.L.C., arrived from New Zealand a few dayß ago by the P. and O. Company's s.s. Parramatta. He had a very pleasant voyage and is in excellent health. I met him accidentally, in the first instance, just after his arrival, in the Strand on his way to the Law Courts to hear the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's case. He is in England, he tells me, purely on private business, and he does not expect his stay to be longer than a couple of months or so. He goes to Scotland in a day or two, and will remain there some little time. Mr and Mrs George Beetham and Mr and Mrs Levin left London on Saturday for Torquay, where they will make a somewhat lengthened sojourn.

FOR I LASSITUDE, TORPIDITY, SOUR STOMACH, INDIGESTION, HEADACHE, BACKACHE, &c. take a couple of Fletcher's Pills every second night ; they are a prompt and smre cure, and give certain relief. FLETCHER'S PILLS are a quick, sure, and reliable remedy for all complaints arising from torpid liver, indigestion, weak stomach, and imparities of the blood. They are prepared on rational and sensible lines and do not contain a particle of calomel, gamboge, or any drastic purgative, but operate by perfectly natural means — by stimulating the liver and increasing the flow of bile, and thus producing easy evacuations and natural catharses without the annoyance and pain of griping and purging. Beware of the many harmful substitutes on sale in many shops. None are genuine unless 1 they bear the signature of F. Moore Clements on the outside wrapper. CLEMENTS TONIC and FLETCHER'S PILLS have become such household words that imitations are frequently offered. We contend that this imitation is the sincere st proof of their virtues, so see that you always get the genuine, bearing the name and address of F. M. Clements, Newfcown, Sydney. — A prominent proprietor of circuses is named Lord George Sanger, " Lord " being merely his Christian name. There is in Germany a namesake of the late Iron Chancellor. He is in a humble station in life, but has christened his 6on "Prince," and so in future he will be known as Prince Bismarck.